What makes a landing page convert

When you click on a link from an ad on a news page wanting to give you a new Nintendo Wii if you will fill out this simple form. What on that page compels you to continue? Other than the fact that you will get a new gaming system? What is there on the page that makes you fill out those five text boxes?

Number of fields to fill out

The average web surfer that fills out these forms won’t fill out more that five blanks on a form. Makes me feel lazy thinking about that. This is varies from from to form. Business forms requesting official white papers, the average is slightly higher.

So what does that tell us? Keep the number of fields on a form to a minimum. Even in a business environment, keep them to a minimum. Think about the secretary that is trying to download a set of white papers on a new machine her boss wants to purchase. Get them the necessary papers with your name and company information at the footers of every page and your fill contact information in the front and the back of the set.

Having the right headline

Having the right headline is sometimes key to keeping the reader on the page for more than three seconds. The headline is sometimes the only chance of keeping the reader or having them bounce.

Make sure that the headline has your main keyword for the content and states the main topic. Sometimes just changing the word order in the headline increase conversions.

Site Design and Page Clutter

If a lot of your traffic is repeat traffic and/or follow-on traffic overall site design if important. You want to make sure that other areas of the site still have the same “feel” as the landing page.

Clutter can distract the reader from reaching your goal, that is, filling out the for or buying whatever it is you are selling. WordPress is a great thing, but if you have sidebar widgets and ads on the sidebar, this may distract the reader from completing you one goal you have for them.

Keep the same feel as the rest of the site and keep the clutter to a minimum and that reader will become another conversion.

While you have their attention

While you have their attention, don’t distract them with other offers or irrelevant choices. Kinda goes with the last section of Site Design and Page Clutter, but refers more to choices and offers within your main offer. If it is a five field form, don’t make #3 four choices about something off topic to gain other information about your reader. Lets face it, some of the readers out there have an attention span of a two year old.

Above The Fold

Keep as much of your offer / content above the fold. People are lazy and we can not assume they are going to roll on down to finish seeing your offer or content. If you have to draw attention to the fact that there is “more exciting content below, read on…” do what you have to, to keep them on track.

Split Testing For The Greater Good

Test your pages with different design elements. Button color, font size, heading sizes… Take the time to see what works best and adjust. A lot of people fail with this because they don’t take enough time studying what works and what doesn’t work.

What Makes A Landing Page Convert?

Having the “right” number of fields, having the “right” headline for your offer / content, consistent site design and reducing the amount of clutter on your landing page, making good use of their attention while you have it, keeping your main content above the fold, and testing to find out what is best for you. You have to remember that most things in life that are worth having, take time and effort to achieve.