10 Tips for Improving Landing Pages

4. Simplify the Form
Long, complicated forms with many required fields are an invitation to abandon the page. One look at such a form can turn otherwise interested prospects away. Your goal is to capture a lead to make initial contact. Ask for name, company, email address and maybe a phone number. That's all you need. The rest of the information can be filled in later as you begin to engage with your new lead and learn more about their needs.

5. Test Page Variations
Let's say you're running an ad for three consecutive months in an e-newsletter. Try out three variations of the landing page to see which performs best. Experiment by placing the call-to-action in different places, using different words, different page layouts and long versus short copy. Incorporate your findings into the next version until you have a page that performs at its best.

6. Sell, Sell, Sell Your Offer
Whether you are offering a whitepaper, a Webinar registration, a free product sample or other valuable content, your goal is to get visitors to accept your offer. Create a clear call-to-action and place it prominently near the top of the landing page. Use a bold button: "Download Now" or "Register Today." Repeat the call to action as text links on other parts of the page.

7. Make No Mistakes
This is true of any Web page. Triple-check your copy for grammatical or spelling errors. Make sure links work and forms submit. Many people are turned off by mistakes, and that alone will cause people to click away. You'll not only miss out on leads, you could damage your brand reputation as well. If your landing page isn't correct, what does that say about your products or work processes?

8. Leave Out the Navigation
Don't include your main Web site navigation on your landing pages. That only invites your visitors to click away from your offer, which will likely cost you leads. Giving them several options just in case your offer doesn't entice them isn't worth it. You will lose other would-be leads because some visitors can't resist clicking around, never to return. Stay focused on your offer. Remember that logo you added to the landing page? Have it link to your home page if you want.