11 Ways to Improve Your Landing Pages

Make the offer on your sign-up page clear, interesting and original.

Question: What is one best practice for optimizing sign-up and landing pages on my company website?

Minimize the Number of Data Fields

"Try to minimize the number of data fields you request from prospects on your sign-up and landing pages. Typically speaking, you should stick to the most pertinent information as having fewer fields means that there is a greater likelihood that a potential customer will complete the page, resulting in a higher number of leads being generated."


Be Original

"Does your page have any of the standard sales page jargon? Cut it! You can't captivate a lead with stuff they've heard a million times before. Top converting landing pages suck you in, get you addicted and transform you into a conversion. A boring landing page is worse than none at all. Bottom line: If you can't say it in a sexy way, don't say it at all."


Make Your Offer Clear

"Too many offers have a generic 'join now' call-to-action without explaining the benefits. What does the consumer receive by handing over his or her email? What should they expect? How often? You need to make the offer appealing so that it stands out amongst every other offer out there. Consumers are presented with opportunities every time the visit a website -- make your offer clear."


Use Video Content

"Add a sales video and/or informational snippet about who you are, what you do and why clients need to sign up now. Remember that an easy-to-use sign-up box is equally important, as is the right headline. Carefully evaluate and/or A/B test to make sure yours are optimally effective."


Build for Mobile

"Companies are still missing the opportunity to enable their numbers to be a click-and-dial button on mobile devices, as well as forms resizing to a mobile screen with an onscreen keyboard. Be sure to take advantage of this increasing source of traffic."


Use Data to Make Them Better

"Look at how your previous landing pages have performed and use data to assess which are working best and which aren't. Then, when you create new landing pages, replicate variable items from past successful land pages, so you can A/B test and continue to optimize."


Simplify Your Pages

"Each landing page should be conceptually simple -- copy with a clearly defined goal, media to support that goal and a strong call to action. Remove copy that doesn't directly support the goal. Make sure that the sign-up form or button is prominent and requires as little input as possible. You don't want to make leads do a lot of cognitive work on landing pages."


Determine What Your Customer Likes

"Our signup form has a '10 percent off' bonus for providing information about their interests. Knowing that they are a trail runner versus a road runner will ensure that we don't bother them with information they don't care about. As our database grows it also helps to shape future designs based upon the bulk of our audiences' interests."


Use an Exit Intent Tool

"Conventional wisdom will tell you to simplify your landing page, remove navigation links and force someone down the funnel as much as you can. The downside is that more people will bounce because they don't have anywhere else to go. That's why you should use a tool like Exit Monitor, Bounce Exchange or SumoMe. They will pop-up when someone mouses over to hit the back button or exit your page."


Match Your Value Proposition With the Amount of Information You're Asking For

"One main best practice is making sure the value proposition you're offering through sign-up and landing pages warrants the amount of information you are collecting. For example, an e-book yields the right to require more fields be filled out versus signing up for a newsletter. If you're not being reasonable in your asks for information, then you're likely not going to see healthy conversion rates."


Experiment as Often as Possible

"Make it simple and effective. Make sure you do not have too many form fields as that can deter someone from taking the time to fill out the form. You also need to communicate as clearly as possible about how your product/services will make people's lives easier. And run A/B testing so you can see a difference in conversion and ultimately decide what works better."


Resources

11 Ways to Improve Your Landing Pages

Make the offer on your sign-up page clear, interesting and original.

Question: What is one best practice for optimizing sign-up and landing pages on my company website?

Minimize the Number of Data Fields

"Try to minimize the number of data fields you request from prospects on your sign-up and landing pages. Typically speaking, you should stick to the most pertinent information as having fewer fields means that there is a greater likelihood that a potential customer will complete the page, resulting in a higher number of leads being generated."


Be Original

"Does your page have any of the standard sales page jargon? Cut it! You can't captivate a lead with stuff they've heard a million times before. Top converting landing pages suck you in, get you addicted and transform you into a conversion. A boring landing page is worse than none at all. Bottom line: If you can't say it in a sexy way, don't say it at all."


Make Your Offer Clear

"Too many offers have a generic 'join now' call-to-action without explaining the benefits. What does the consumer receive by handing over his or her email? What should they expect? How often? You need to make the offer appealing so that it stands out amongst every other offer out there. Consumers are presented with opportunities every time the visit a website -- make your offer clear."


Use Video Content

"Add a sales video and/or informational snippet about who you are, what you do and why clients need to sign up now. Remember that an easy-to-use sign-up box is equally important, as is the right headline. Carefully evaluate and/or A/B test to make sure yours are optimally effective."


Build for Mobile

"Companies are still missing the opportunity to enable their numbers to be a click-and-dial button on mobile devices, as well as forms resizing to a mobile screen with an onscreen keyboard. Be sure to take advantage of this increasing source of traffic."


Use Data to Make Them Better

"Look at how your previous landing pages have performed and use data to assess which are working best and which aren't. Then, when you create new landing pages, replicate variable items from past successful land pages, so you can A/B test and continue to optimize."


Simplify Your Pages

"Each landing page should be conceptually simple -- copy with a clearly defined goal, media to support that goal and a strong call to action. Remove copy that doesn't directly support the goal. Make sure that the sign-up form or button is prominent and requires as little input as possible. You don't want to make leads do a lot of cognitive work on landing pages."


Determine What Your Customer Likes

"Our signup form has a '10 percent off' bonus for providing information about their interests. Knowing that they are a trail runner versus a road runner will ensure that we don't bother them with information they don't care about. As our database grows it also helps to shape future designs based upon the bulk of our audiences' interests."


Use an Exit Intent Tool

"Conventional wisdom will tell you to simplify your landing page, remove navigation links and force someone down the funnel as much as you can. The downside is that more people will bounce because they don't have anywhere else to go. That's why you should use a tool like Exit Monitor, Bounce Exchange or SumoMe. They will pop-up when someone mouses over to hit the back button or exit your page."


Match Your Value Proposition With the Amount of Information You're Asking For

"One main best practice is making sure the value proposition you're offering through sign-up and landing pages warrants the amount of information you are collecting. For example, an e-book yields the right to require more fields be filled out versus signing up for a newsletter. If you're not being reasonable in your asks for information, then you're likely not going to see healthy conversion rates."


Experiment as Often as Possible

"Make it simple and effective. Make sure you do not have too many form fields as that can deter someone from taking the time to fill out the form. You also need to communicate as clearly as possible about how your product/services will make people's lives easier. And run A/B testing so you can see a difference in conversion and ultimately decide what works better."


See Also: 7 Tips for Raising Capital as a Solo Founder

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