Our 20 Point Checklist for Building High Converting Landing Pages

We use this checklist to ensure we are giving new campaigns the highest chance of success. It’s a list of best practices. This means it will point you in a direction we know has worked well for others. However, to know what will work for you, we’d encourage further discussion and testing. Best practice is simply a good place to start.

Here’s our 20 Point Checklist for building or optimising awesome landing pages. Enjoy!

1. Site Navigation and Links

   Fewer options (or exits) on a page can increase conversions. But if ‘browsability’ is required by prospects, a single page may not convert them and they will bounce. What does your prospect need to make a decision? Should you include or remove site navigation?

2. Relevance

   Does the headline or image confirm it is relevant? Prospects need to know immediately this is for them and their market. This can be a headline or an image.

3. Clarity

   Ideally, the page presents a single message and a single offer. Specificity is key: generally, this is not the time to overwhelm or confuse people.

   

4. Page Speed

   Slow page loads will kill your conversions. Check on Pingdom and Google PageSpeed Insights.

5. Tested on all devices

   Pay particular attention to devices your prospects use from the data in Google Analytics.

6. Build urgency

   Prospects are most likely to act when they think they are going to miss out.

7. Make a compelling offer

   If appropriate (and it usually is) build an offer your prospects will value.

8. Effective UX

   Is the page easy to follow? Does it meet minimum design standards for your prospect?

9. Simplicity

   Can the average prospect understand exactly what you are offering in less than five seconds?

   

10. Compelling Headline & Subhead

    The headline must be clear, concise and benefit rich. A subheading can assist with additional clarity.

11. The Button Must Stand Out

    Make sure it looks like a button and that the colour is in contrast to the rest of the page.

12. Use Custom Button Text

    ‘Submit’ just won’t cut it. Don’t be scared of buttons with a lot of relevant words.

13. Social proof

    Prospects just won’t take your word for it. What can you use from others to build credibility for your message or brand?

    

14. Use Visual Cues

    Drawing the eye to a CTA or key page element using arrows or other items is effective.

15. Make The Hero Shot Count

    If there is an offer or a lead magnet make it stand out with a meaningful image.

16. Minimal Form Fields

    Only ask people for data you need (except in the cases where longer multi-stage forms increase engagement).

17. Source Congruency

    Ideally, the landing page should match exactly the text and ad that brought them here.

18. Brand Consistency

    Avoid cognitive dissonance – be consistent through the entire brand journey with how you look, what your core message is and how you describe yourself.

19. Visible Privacy and T&C Links

    Reduce risk by letting people know you are legitimate.

20. Make sure the next action is clear

    Make sure your prospect is in no doubt what it is you want them to do now. Complete a form? Click a link? Make a call? Make a purchase? Ideally, there is only a single action for them to take.