The ultimate guide to landing pages
What should I test on my landing page?
Chapter 11
Creating a simple landing page test helps you boost conversion rates and allows you to craft your content around what compels your audience to take action.
The best way to make the most of every page visitor is to run (rigorous) A/B tests on your landing pages so that you can hone in on what makes one page outperform another.
From images and copy to landing page design—you can run an infinite number of landing page tests to optimize your conversion rate, but we want you to focus first on the high-impact areas that will give you the highest possible return right away.
Here are the top five landing page tests that will generate the greatest success fast.
1. Variations of your headline
Your landing page copy is a huge factor in persuading your audience to take action, and it all begins with the headline. Test out different lengths, sentiments, and tones.
For example: which headline is more compelling?
- Save $200 on your next photography session!
- Get 40% off when you book today!
Both headlines present the same offer (a sales discount) and use unique language. But which is better? You just don’t know until you test it!
2. Your call-to-action copy
Your call to action (CTA) button is where all the conversions take place and should be (1) clear and (2) compelling, with a touch of creativity if you can squeeze it in.
Don’t settle for run-of-the-mill language like ‘submit’ or ‘download.’ The words you choose for your call to action should describe what the visitor is doing when they take the next step but should also be enticing.
3. Length of the page
This is the Goldilocks question: is your landing page too short? too long? or just right? Because the length of your landing page actually plays a huge role in your conversion.
You can make some educated assumptions about how long your page needs to be (the more familiar your audience is and the fewer the barriers to conversion, the shorter the page). However, you simply don’t know until you test.
Test out different page lengths or hide whole sections of content to see how your content impacts your conversion rate.
4. Your page design & aesthetics
Test out the design of your page by testing different hero images, CTA button colors, font stylings, and layouts.
Isolate one single landing page design element that you’re interested in learning about and see what appeals most to your audience.
Consider testing even the seemingly smallest elements of design. For example, should you include a navigation bar at the top of the page or not? Should you use client testimonials with or without a picture? Does red look better than orange?
Landing page testing tools, like Leadpages’ A/B testing tool, make design comparison a breeze.
5. Your offer (or price point)
You can even test the offer itself. Perhaps one topic will resonate more than another, or checklists will outperform ebooks (as we discovered at Leadpages). You might even try testing out different price points to see how much your audience is willing to spend.
Will they pay $4 but not $5 for an eBook? Surprisingly, some people won’t convert for a free downloadable, but they’d pay $1.99 for the same downloadable because they perceive more value in it. Free is not always the answer (although it usually is).
The nature of your offer is the foundation of your landing page. Make sure it’s something your audience truly wants.
How should a landing test page look?
You want your landing page test to look like any other landing page. You don’t want your customers to even realize they’re looking at a test page. Your landing page should be completely formed with well-written copy and design, so you can fully see which variables are and are not working. Follow our landing page best practices to start creating beautiful landing pages to test.
Bottom line: Make no assumptions and try not to let your personal preference influence your digital marketing. Experiment and spend time on landing page tests to ensure you optimize for the highest possible conversion rate.
