Mapping out a landing page design may seem simple, but that's almost never the case. Rather, while a landing page can look unassuming, it's often the product of intense scrutiny and constant tiny performance improvements. That's because even great marketers are liable to introduce simple design errors, and these can undercut the landing page's potential to drive leads and conversions.
Here are some of the most common — and frustrating — mistakes that plague landing pages.
One Landing Page, Too Many Uses
Sometimes the problem isn't the landing page itself, but the way marketers are trying to use it. Repurposing one landing page for multiple campaigns and marketing channels is often a risky business because it isn't customized for the type of traffic you expect to bring in. When that happens, visitors feel either confused or misled, and they arrive at the landing page uncertain of why they're there. That will always cause a noticeable drop in conversion rates from what a more accurate, well-designed page could deliver.
Heavy Text, Poor Visuals
A landing page is another selling opportunity, but it doesn't offer space for the full sales pitch. Large blocks of text are overwhelming — consumers are rarely willing to read all the way to the end, which means they jump ship before they reach your CTA. Not only do you want traffic to engage with the landing page and proceed toward a conversion, but you want them to retain whatever information you're providing through that page. Trim down that heavy text and pair it with compelling visual aids, including graphic illustrations, to create more eye appeal and engage those visitors faster.
Too Many On-Page Distractions
When you direct traffic to a landing page, you're moving users into a sales funnel — and you want to keep them there. On-page distractions, such as ads and unrelated pictures, video and links, all pose a threat to that funnel. If a user clicks on those links, they will move away from the landing page and greatly reduce the odds of a conversion. Consumer attentions can be fickle, and distraction can be a septic element when it comes to landing pages. Strip away all unnecessary content and make sure that nothing on-page is going to divert traffic from the task at hand.
You Didn't Give a Clear Call-to-Action
After all the work your team has done to design and execute an effective landing page, an unclear call-to-action can undo everything. As Invesp notes, you can't just expect the customer to take the conversion journey on their own — your CTA has to show them the way. The landing page should be built around a single, clear CTA that users can immediately action. Design-wise, a CTA can even be built as a button users can click to move on to the next step in the conversion process. Make sure it's obvious to consumers and is something they can do right away. There are times, however, when giving users more than one action can work in your favor. The best way to determine this is by simply A/B testing your pages for optimal results.
As problematic as a landing page design can be, the good news is that there are ways to fix any problem it might have. Put in the hard work and watch your page's performance grow.
