Ensuring your landing page is optimized to generate as many leads as possible is crucial!
Remember, business is a numbers game, and the more prospects you convert in the first part of your funnel, the more clients you will be sure to convert later on.
For over 15 years I’ve been helping business owners generate high-quality leads, appointments and clients. As part of that process, I’ve tested thousands of different landing pages, and over the years, I’ve learned what works best when maximizing landing page conversions. See my client results for yourself.
In this article, I’ll discuss the top strategies for creating high converting landing pages.
Want to learn more about working with me? Here are the next steps:
Step 1. Click here to watch my free Masterclass training.
Step 2. Click here to schedule a call with me.
Executive Summary
Although many variables influence landing page conversions, the most important part of a high-converting landing page is to solve a really painful problem for your clients in a specific and tangible way. The better communicate this on your landing pages, the higher your conversion rate will be.
Check out my landing page for a real-life example of how to do this.
Best Strategies To Increase Landing Page Conversion Rates
The absolute best strategies for creating landing pages that convert are listed below:
1. Choose the right funnel software
The first step to creating a high-converting landing page is to choose the right landing page software. There are hundreds of tools available.
Most of my clients and I use Kartra because it’s an all-in-one lead-generation tool. It can handle your landing pages, emails, videos and more. It even has AI capabilities to make building landing pages fast and easy.
When creating your landing pages, I recommend you start with five core pages:
- Opt-in page
- Video page
- Application page
- Schedule page
- Call confirmation page
Each funnel begins with an essential opt-in page — the primary landing spot for traffic from ads, the main website, or other marketing streams. This initial page is crucial as it’s the entry point to the funnel and the starting line for the conversion journey, significantly increasing the chances of transforming visits into valuable conversions.
Key points:
- A well-chosen funnel strategically segments and qualifies leads
- The right funnel can significantly boost conversion rates by guiding potential clients through intentional steps—from awareness to conversion.
- Each stage of the funnel can inform behavior and preferences, which, in turn, can inform future marketing strategies through data and analytics.
- If the funnel doesn’t effectively qualify leads, sales teams may waste time on uninterested or non-viable prospects, leading to poor lead quality.
- The wrong funnel may not capture all potential touchpoints or upselling opportunities, leading to missed revenue and opportunities.
Watch my Free Masterclass Training to learn how to create a high-converting sales funnel for your landing pages.
2. Solve a big painful problem
Face it: not all problems are created equal. To truly resonate with your clients, focus on alleviating their biggest headaches—like snagging leads or sealing the deal with new clients.
A big mistake I made in the early days of my business was focusing on how I could help businesses save time. But I quickly realized this was a very small problem for business owners to solve.
So, what did I do instead?
I solved a bigger and more painful problem. More specifically, I explained how I could help business owners get more high quality sales appointments each month.
As soon as I switched to solving a bigger and more painful problem for clients on my landing pages, my conversion rates instantly tripled!
Here’s an example of the landing page I’m using for my appointment sales funnel:
As you can see, it now solves a big, painful problem.
When working with clients, I do the same thing.
For example, when I generate financial advisor leads for clients, I generally focus on how a financial planner can help people grow and protect their wealth in retirement. When generating accounting leads, I don’t just focus on how accountants can save business owners time when filing taxes. I focus on how working with an accountant can save them money on taxes.
So, in your business, ask yourself:
- What is the big problem you solve for clients?
- Is this the biggest problem you solve for your clients?
- Why do clients hire you in the first place?
Then, look at the title on your landing page and see if your messaging matches that.
3. Be specific with the outcome
No one wants a vague explanation of how you will help their business grow. You must be specific about the outcome when creating high-converting landing pages.
Being specific makes the result real and more exciting to potential clients, who will be more likely to take action.
If you’re promising more appointments, throw in an exact number.
Why say ‘increase’ when you can say ‘double’?
With this in mind, it’s also important to be balanced when being specific on your landing pages. You don’t want to promise anything too big that sounds unrealistic. Similarly, you don’t want to promise anything too small, where it sounds boring.
So, look at the results you get from your clients and be specific about the average, typical outcome you can get for them.
That’s why on my landing pages, I don’t say “How to get hundreds of appointments each month” or “How to get a few appointments each month”. I say, “How to get 10, 15, 30 or more appointments each month”, which is the typical result most of my clients get.
It’s a good balance between exciting and not overpromising.
In your business, ask yourself: what is the specific outcome you get your clients? Do your landing pages reflect this?
Key points:
- Being specific about outcomes sets clear expectations, which builds credibility.
- It allows for more accurate goal setting, focusing on quantifiable and achievable results.
- Specific outcomes can be directly tied to business objectives.
- Don’t over-promise an unrealistic result.
- Limited flexibility in strategy if unforeseen changes in the market or customer behavior occur.
4. Create curiosity
Curiosity is one of the most powerful ways to get conversions on your landing pages. So don’t spill all the secrets of your solution right off the bat. Instead, tease your potential clients with what your solution is not.
For example, I don’t tell them my solution on my landing page. I focus on the end result.
On my landing page, I also tell them what this strategy does not involve, as seen here:
I say you can do this “Without cold calling, networking, referrals or anything like that”. This creates even more curiosity because prospective clients will now wonder what the solution is.
Pros
- Creating curiosity can engage clients more deeply and motivate them to move through the sales funnel.
- It can differentiate your offerings from competitors who may not employ such a nuanced approach.
- This tease-and-reveal method can build anticipation, leading to a more memorable reveal. They will be keen!
Cons
- If not managed well, it might lead to frustration or confusion amongst potential clients.
- There’s a delicate balance to maintain; too much secrecy might lead to skepticism about your value or intentions.
- Reliance on curiosity alone without providing enough substance could weaken the client’s understanding of what exactly the actual offer is.
Tip: Another way to build curiosity in your landing opt-in page is by saying you can do this “by making ONE simple change”.
5. Keep it simple
Remember, complexity confuses, but simplicity sells. We have split-tested many different landing page designs, and the winner is always simple-looking landing pages.
A sleek design with minimal clutter and text that is straight to the point can significantly increase conversions. We’ve seen this in action time and time again.
Overall, simplicity is not just an aesthetic choice but a strategic one for increasing conversion rates, and increasing conversion rates is what we do best.
So, in your funnel, be sure to:
- Remove any distractions (e.g., a navigation menu).
- Keep text minimal (more text can sometimes hurt your conversions).
- Ensure the website loads fast due to the simple landing page layout.
- Make sure the call-to-action appears above the fold.
- Do not have multiple calls-to-action (e.g. two buttons for different actions).
- Keep fonts, colors and images neat and tidy.
- Use contrasting colors on buttons so that it stands out from the background.
In a test conducted by Vsauce called “The Paradox of Choice“, they found that the fewer options you give someone, the higher the conversion rate will be. This principle can be applied to all areas of your business, including optimizing your landing page conversion rates.
6. Optimize your opt-in form
To build a high-converting landing page, ensuring your opt-in form is above the fold is important. In other words, don’t make people scroll down to access your call to action.
In our tests, we’ve found that having an opt-in form or call to action above the fold can increase the amount of leads you generate by as much as 50%.
Another good way to optimize the form is not to include a button like this:
After clicking the button, an opt-in form opens where leads can enter their name and email.
However, after split testing this without a button, I found just having an opt-in form like this converts 5% better:
To generate the most leads possible from your landing pages, it’s also important not to ask for too much contact information (such as their phone number).
For best results, I recommend only asking for a person’s name & email.
Asking extra questions on your form (such as zip code, address, job title, company name, etc) can still work, but remember that every question you ask will increase your cost per lead.
So, if you’re targeting cold traffic through paid ads and this is the first time people have heard about you, it’s a good idea to keep the opt-in form simple and ask for only their name and email to maximize your conversions.
You can always ask for more information after the lead submits an application form to work with you.
7. Make it personal
Words have the power to connect on a personal level. Replacing generic form language with phrases that evoke a personal touch can increase user engagement.
In the past, I would say something like “enter your details” on a landing page opt-in form:
But when I swapped this text for “Where should we send the video?” it transformed a mundane interaction into a personalized experience.
Furthermore, this simple tweak to the landing page decreased the amount of spam or fake email submissions I would get.
This subtle shift in wording can be the key that unlocks a more meaningful relationship with users.
Some funnel building tools even allow you to personalize landing pages with someone’s name or unique information based on their previous behavior.
Pros:
- Personalized phrasing can create a more welcoming and friendly user interface.
- It helps build a connection with the user, increasing the likelihood of form completion.
- A personalized approach can improve the overall customer experience!
Cons
- Over-personalization in language might feel intrusive to some people.
- Not every product or service may lend itself well to a casual or chilled-out tone.
8. Leverage Social Proof
In a world where claims are easy to make, social proof is the evidence that backs them up.
By subtly incorporating elements like “as seen on” badges or links to a “hall of fame,” you signal potential customers that others have trusted and endorsed your product or service and that you are a legitimate human being.
Here’s an example of the type of “as featured on” badges you can use to build social proof:
Pros
- Social proof can significantly enhance credibility and trust in your brand.
- Users trust name brands, so having your name along the likes of the NY Times puts you on par with the global political elite.
- No one likes to be the first one to do something. Leveraging your social proof will make them think they are participating in a trend!
Cons
- Relying too heavily on external validation, like news organizations, may lead users to question the inherent value of your offerings.
- Users might be skeptical if the testimonials or endorsements seem fake. Don’t overdo it!
Conclusion
Creating a landing page that converts visitors into clients is an art form backed by strategy! At the core of this process is choosing the right sales funnel, with the Automated Appointment Funnel being the best option.
This funnel boasts a series of well-designed pages, from an initial Opt-In Page to a final Call Confirmation Page, each purpose-built to guide potential clients.
The structure and content of these pages have been tested and proven to significantly up conversion rates and plaster smiles on faces.
In the world of digital marketing, details matter.
Customizing language on forms to offer a personal touch can transform a simple action into an awesome experience. Heck, you might have a prospect speaking with the family at the dinner table regarding the persuasiveness of this landing page they just perused.
Similarly, leveraging social proof and authentic testimonials can greatly enhance trust and credibility.
Think of crafting a landing page, like a fine sushi chef crafting an Omakase meal. The presentation of that first course is everything!
FAQs
Ashley Davis (or ‘Ash’ for short) is the CEO & Founder of Skyline Social. For over 15 years, Ash has been helping business owners get high-quality leads, appointments, and clients each month. He has extensive experience working with B2B & B2C industries in finance, insurance, marketing, sales and beyond. Learn more about the author here.