9 Landing Page Best Practices to Improve Performance and ROI

If your goal is to get your website visitors to complete one very specific action, look no further than the trusty landing page. But creating a high-converting landing page doesn’t happen on its own – it requires following proven landing page tips that guide visitors towards taking that desired action. Whether you want them to sign up for a newsletter, make a purchase, or download a resource, using effective landing page best practices can significantly increase your conversion rates. 

In this article, we’ll break down key landing page best practices you can implement in order to capture attention and drive results. We’ll also showcase real-world examples so you can see these practices in action and learn how to apply them to your own marketing campaigns.

But first, what is a landing page?

What is a Landing Page?

A landing page is a standalone web page designed with a single focus or goal, and is typically used in marketing campaigns to drive conversions. Unlike a regular webpage, it has minimal distractions and is focused on guiding visitors to take a specific action, such as signing up for an email newsletter, downloading an ebook, or purchasing a product.

As for what makes a good landing page? Well, making a high-converting landing page is a fine art, so today we’re going to examine all the very best landing page tips.

9 Landing Page Best Practices to Improve Performance and ROI

Creating an effective landing page is all about optimizing every element to encourage visitors to take action. Here are nine landing page best practices to help you build high-converting landing pages:

1. Ensure a Clear Value Proposition

First thing’s first. Before you get started on anything else, you’ve got to nail your value proposition, as it’s central to your entire landing page content strategy. 

A landing page value proposition is a clear, compelling statement that conveys the main benefit or unique selling point of a product, service, or offer to visitors as soon as they land on the page. It’s typically conveyed via the headline and/or subheadline, where it’s prominently positioned in order to capture attention and communicate why the visitor should be interested in staying on the page or taking an action.

The purpose of a value proposition on a landing page is to quickly answer the question, “What’s in it for me?” by telling visitors:

1. What the product or service does – A brief explanation that orients the visitor.
2. The primary benefit or outcome – Why it matters to the visitor or the problem it solves.
3. What makes it unique or better than alternatives – How it stands out or adds additional value.

For example, a value proposition for a childcare service might read, “Your Gateway to Local, Trusted Childcare – Easy Booking, Anytime,” which tells the visitor what it is, how it benefits them, and expresses its uniqueness in that it’s nearby and easily available anytime.

In the case of duolingo’s landing page below, for example, it conveys what it is (a language-learning method), what the benefit is (it’s fun and effective), and what makes it stand out (it’s free, and implied that this method is unique to duolingo). Simple as that.

2. Create an Impactful Hero Section

Now let’s explore the hero section. It forms a central part of how to make a website, and especially when it comes to highlighting the unique value proposition. It’s crucial to make a powerful impression here because it sets the stage for the rest of the experience. A well-designed hero section can immediately grab attention, convey your message, and prompt visitors to act. 

Or not: it could bore them into closing their web tab and looking elsewhere!

With that in mind, there are several elements that go into making this section a success. Here’s what you’ll want to include in your perfect landing page hero section:

Strong Headline/Title

The main headline, or title, is a key part of landing page strategy, and one of the most important hero section elements because it’s the first thing visitors will read when they arrive. It sets the tone for the rest of the page and determines whether visitors will stay or leave. 

A strong headline should be clear, concise, and compelling, immediately communicating the value proposition of whatever it is that you’re offering. 

Supporting Subtitle

While the headline grabs attention with a bold, concise statement, the subtitle adds context by expanding on what’s offered and why it matters. It often explains the product, service, or offer in more detail, highlighting key benefits or addressing the visitor’s needs and concerns. 

Together, the headline and subtitle create a compelling introduction that captures attention and encourages engagement. Here are a couple examples of landing page headlines and subtitles: 

Headline: “Feel Your Best Every Day with Personalized Nutrition”
Subtitle: “Discover a nutrition plan tailored to your unique needs, goals, and lifestyle—designed to help you thrive, one meal at a time.”

Headline: “Keep Your Car Running Smoothly with Expert Care”
Subtitle: “Experience reliable, affordable auto repairs and maintenance from certified professionals dedicated to ensuring your vehicle’s longevity and performance.”

Illustrative and Appealing Image

While messaging reigns supreme, having a high-quality image that supports your message and captivates attention can be a deal maker or a deal breaker. A successful image could include a product photo, a happy customer using the product, or a graphic that speaks to what your business does. Images should be visually appealing and relevant to your offer.

Attention-Grabbing Call-to-Action (CTA) Button

A CTA button is the crucial element that encourages visitors to take action. We’ll get into the strategy behind a good call to action in just a minute, but suffice it to say that you’ll want to include a prominent call-to-action button in your hero section in order to easily facilitate visitors moving to the next step.

3. Make Your Landing Page Benefit-Driven

Now that we’ve got the hero section basics covered, it’s time to dive in a little deeper – and move down your page. An important way for your landing page to support and emphasize your hero section and value proposition is to not only highlight features, but also focus on the benefits, as this is what really convinces visitors to take action. Features tell what your product does, but benefits show how it solves a problem or makes life better for the customer.

Here are some examples of how you can turn a feature into a benefit:

Feature: Task Automation.
Benefit: Save time by automating repetitive tasks.

Feature: Real-Time Collaboration.
Benefit: Easily work with team members across different locations.

Feature: Intuitive Dashboard.
Benefit: Manage projects at a glance with a clean, user-friendly interface.

Complement these selling points with imagery, icons or graphics in order to capture attention and keep visitors engaged.

Notice how, in the example below, Headspace focuses on benefits both in its hero section, and then farther down on its landing page.

4. Include a Strong Call to Action (CTA)

Back to that CTA: having a particularly strong one is among the top tips for making a great landing page – and also when it comes to website planning in general – as it ensures users understand the next step. 

Without a clear, compelling CTA, visitors might leave your page without taking any action, even if they’re interested in what you’re offering. Indeed, a well-crafted CTA provides direction, reduces friction, and encourages users to engage, whether that means signing up, purchasing, or downloading. 

When crafting your CTAs, consider implementing the following elements: 

• Precision: Instead of a vague CTA like “Submit,” a more effective alternative would be “Get Your Free E-book Now.” This specific wording clearly communicates what the visitor will receive and sets an expectation, making it more likely that they’ll follow through. 
• Urgency: Add a sense of urgency or exclusivity, like “Limited Spots” or “Sign Up Today,” to encourage immediate action.
• Actionable language: Use direct, action-oriented verbs like “Get,” “Start,” “Discover,” or “Join” that tell visitors exactly what to do.

Apart from including a CTA in the hero section, you will likely want to include it at the bottom of your page, so that visitors are again encouraged to click after having reviewed all of your landing page content. If your landing page is on the longer side, consider placing CTAs at various points throughout so that visitors can move on to the next step whenever they’re ready.

5. Use Compelling and Strategic Copy

Overall, copy plays a vital role in driving conversions, and accounts for another important landing page best practice. When writing web content, keep in mind the following:

• Keep language clear, persuasive, and, as we’ve already discussed, focussed on the benefits
• Use language that resonates with your target audience
• Address audience pain points directly
• Avoid jargon
• Keep the tone conversational yet professional

Also be strategic about implementing content that builds your case and guides visitors toward your CTA. Do so by addressing any objections they might have, whether that’s by including FAQs or an explanatory section on a certain product feature. Ultimately, each section of your landing page, from the headline to the closing statement, should work together to create a seamless and convincing narrative.

6. Remove Landing Page Navigation

A key element of an effective landing page strategy is minimizing distractions. As illustrated in the image below (and in many of our other examples), this involves removing unnecessary navigation links – often even the menu bar – that could divert visitors from your primary goal. That’s because when users land on your page, the aim is for them to focus on the CTA button and take action.

This streamlined experience encourages users to concentrate solely on the content you’re providing, and ultimately on the call to action. If additional information is necessary, consider incorporating anchor links within the landing page to provide relevant details without redirecting visitors elsewhere.

7. Demonstrate Social Proof

Social proof is a powerful landing page tip for building trust and credibility. It reassures potential customers that others have used and benefited from your product or service. Some effective forms of social proof include:

• Testimonials: Positive feedback from satisfied customers.
• Case studies: Real-world examples of how your product helped a customer achieve success.
• Customer logos: Showcase logos of well-known clients or partners.
• Awards and certifications: Highlight any accolades your product has received.

Just remember not to link out from testimonials or customer logos. While it’s tempting to send people for more information, the goal here is to keep people engaged in your landing page, and exiting only via your call to action (and thus making a conversion).

By way of example, notice below that Zapier has a ticker tape of not-linked logos, which demonstrate that it is a trusted brand by other brands that you might already know and be loyal to. 

8. Implement a Lead Magnet

If the purpose of your landing page is email lead generation (such as capturing contacts for your email list, or getting people to sign up for a free course), then a lead magnet is a smart way to encourage conversion. 

A lead magnet is an incentive you offer in exchange for contact information, such as an email address. This is a great way to build your email list and nurture potential customers who are not ready to convert right away. Lead magnets can take many forms, such as:

• Ebooks or whitepapers: In-depth content that provides value.
• Discounts or coupons: A special offer for new subscribers.
• Free trials or demos: Allow users to try your product before committing.
• Webinars: Live or recorded sessions on a topic of interest to your audience.

Your lead magnet should be relevant to your target audience and offer immediate value. You’ll of course want to make its benefits clear in your hero section so that visitors are motivated to click through. 

The creative lead magnet on the landing page below is especially enticing, with a title and subtitle that spark curiosity. It’s hard to resist simply dropping your URL into the box and hitting “Analyze Website.” You receive intriguing website insights, and they gain valuable lead information in return. 

9. Make Sure Your Landing Page Lines Up With the Referring Source

Consistency is key when it comes to a strong landing page strategy. If visitors click on an ad or email link, they should see landing page content that matches their expectations. This means that the language, visuals, and offer presented in the referring source (like an ad or social media post) should align closely with what’s on the landing page – it should feel like an extension of what they clicked on.

If your ad promises a 20% discount, make sure the landing page clearly states how visitors can claim that discount. Inconsistent messaging can lead to confusion, which reduces the chances of conversion.

Improving Landing Page Performance

Once your landing page is up and running, the next step is to optimize it for even better performance. Continuous improvement is essential in order to have a high-converting landing page. This involves monitoring metrics, experimenting with new landing page content, and making adjustments based on real user behavior. Here are some landing page optimization best practices that will help improve performance:

Track Metrics

Understanding how to improve landing page performance starts with tracking the right website metrics. A few key performance indicators (KPIs) include:

• Conversion rate: This percentage demonstrates the quantity of visitors who take the desired action, such as filling out a form, clicking a CTA, or making a purchase. This is the most critical metric for gauging success, as this is the whole point of your landing page: to gain conversions! The higher the rate the better, so when you make tweaks to your page, keep a close eye on how this impacts conversions. 
• Bounce rate: This is the percentage of visitors who leave the page without interacting. A high bounce rate may indicate that the landing page content or design isn’t resonating with visitors. So try to identify what might not be working, then make adjustments, and see if your bounce rate drops.
• Time on page: This data represents the average time visitors spend on your page. Longer times usually indicate that your content is engaging, while shorter times might suggest it needs improvement. Of course, if your conversion rate is high, but the time on page is low, it might simply mean that your sales pitch is working quite quickly! As such, always be sure to consider your data as a whole in order to draw educated conclusions.

By keeping a close eye on these metrics, you can identify which areas need adjustments, allowing for data-driven decisions that lead to improved landing page performance.

Try New Content

Now that you’re familiar with these key metrics, note that if your landing page isn’t converting or performing as well as you’d like, then it’s time to try experimenting with new content. 

As we touched on above, you may want to tweak different parts of the page. This could include revising the headline, reworking the copy, or even changing images and embedding videos. Sometimes, small changes can make a significant difference.

For example, if your current copy is very technical or generic, consider rewriting it to be more benefit-focused and customer-centric. Or, if the landing page content is heavy, try simplifying the design to make it cleaner and easier to navigate. 

An especially important element to consider improving is your CTA. If “Learn More” isn’t driving clicks, something more assertive like “Get Started Now” might be more effective. Or perhaps an even more descriptive CTA, such as “Claim Your Free Trial.” Get curious and try new approaches to see what works best.

Run A/B Tests

A great way to really evaluate whether your small changes are working is to run A/B testing (or split testing). It’s one of the most effective methods for improving landing page performance. 

This involves creating two versions of your landing page with one key difference – such as a different headline, image, or CTA – and sending an equal amount of traffic to each version. By comparing which version performs better, you can identify the most effective elements to use going forward.

For example, you might want to test whether a short or long-form landing page leads to more conversions. Or, you could experiment with two different images in the hero section to see which one captures more attention. Running consistent A/B tests allows you to optimize your landing page based on real data rather than guesswork.

Improve Load Speed

A slow-loading landing page can lead to higher bounce rates and lower conversions. Indeed, studies have shown that even a one-second delay in load time can result in a significant drop in conversions, as visitors are less likely to wait for a page to fully load.

To improve load speed, consider optimizing your images, reducing external requests, and using a reliable web host. Depending on the type of site you have, you may also wish to choose to use performance-friendly plugins that focus specifically on improving site speed. 

More Examples of Effective Landing Page Best Practices

Enough talk: let’s see more of these landing page design best practices in action. Here are a few more examples of landing pages that implement some of the effective best practices we’ve mentioned above.

Click Up

Clear value proposition: The headline, “The everything app, for work,” immediately tells visitors that this app covers all aspects of work management, providing a sense of comprehensiveness and utility.

Strong call to action (CTA): The prominent “Get Started. It’s FREE” button is compelling and reassuring, as it highlights that there’s no cost or risk to try the platform. The use of bright, gradient colors on the CTA button draws the eye, making it easy to find and click.

Minimal distractions: The page is clean and focused on one primary goal – getting users to sign up. The minimal text and whitespace keep users focused on the CTA.

Monday.com

Strong headline and subtitle: The headline, “The new way of working together,” speaks directly to teams and businesses looking to improve collaboration. The subheadline further clarifies the platform’s purpose: a customizable work management tool to boost productivity.

Engaging call to action (CTA): The “Get Started” button is visually prominent and, as with Click Up, is paired with the reassurance of “Free forever. No credit card.” This reduces the friction to try the platform, as users know they can explore it without commitment.

Clever functionality for a focused user experience: By using different checkboxes, monday.com is able to simplify the conversion process without adding extra links or friction-causing user steps.

AG1

Supporting social proof: AG1 goes above and beyond here to demonstrate its credibility among consumers. It positions the five-star rating by over 47,000 customers front and center in order to generate a sense of trust. 

Clear and noticeable CTAs: The call-to-action buttons stand out not only with their color, but the language is precise. It doesn’t simply say “buy now,” – it says “Get your AG1 now.” 

Evocative video: Although the screenshot doesn’t capture it, the landing page effectively utilizes video (instead of a still image) to convey the energy and proactive feeling associated with using AG1. For a product designed to enhance self-care, video plays a crucial role in showcasing its full potential.

Closing Thoughts on Landing Page Best Practices

Creating a high-converting landing page is an essential component of any successful digital marketing strategy. By implementing the landing page best practices outlined in this article, you can design a perfect landing page that not only captures attention but also effectively guides visitors toward taking action. 

Remember that what makes a good landing page is your ability to convey that you understand your audience, and as such craft a message and offer that resonates with their needs and desires. Continuously monitor performance metrics, test different elements, and refine your approach based on real data. By doing so, you’ll ensure that your landing pages remain effective and aligned with your marketing objectives, ultimately driving better results for your business.