As a business owner or marketing professional, you are undoubtedly looking for ways to optimize your website to increase conversions. Here we provide a few simple tips and resources to help you get started converting website visitors into leads to grow your business.

Forms

Forms are a key element to any landing page. They provide the visitor an action to take once they arrive at your site. Without them, you couldn’t collect any of the important data that allow visitors to subscribe, connect, download offers and sign up for free trials.

While a form may seem simple, there are several little details to keep in mind to ensure your form performs optimally. Here are some tips for creating forms:

  • Make sure to only ask for the information you need. Too many fields, and you will overwhelm the visitor. Too few, and you won’t be able to get your sales team the information they need.
  • Make sure form length matches the value of the offer. If you are offering a simple ebook, don’t ask for the world. On the other hand, if your offer is a free trial or demo, it is more high value and therefore, allows for additional data collection.

  • Don’t use the word “submit.” Instead create a more compelling CTA that communicates the benefits of your offer.

For more tips on creating effective forms, check out these additional resources:

Calls-to-Action

A CTA is what guides your audience through your conversion path. They typically come in the form of a button that will lead the visitor on it’s next stop in the path from visitor to lead to customer.

Some examples of CTAs include add to cart buttons, download buttons and free trial sign-up buttons. These buttons have the very specific goal of getting your website visitors to complete an action. Many things impact your CTA’s effectiveness, such as content, size and color.

The best way to find out what works for your brand is to test, test, test. Keep these tips in mind when designing your CTAs:

  • Use action language. This means substituting boring words, like “submit” and “enter,” with power words, like “get,” “claim,” and “reserve.”
  • Pay attention to button color. Some say green and orange buttons work best. But the main thing to focus on is that your button color stands out. That way visitors can easily see it when they land on your website.
  • Speak in first person. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes and you may see an increase in conversions. For instance, instead of saying “get your free template,” try saying “get my free template.”

For more tips on creating effective CTAs, check out these additional resources:

Landing Pages

Landing pages are where you spell out the benefits of your offer. The goal is to get visitors to fill out your form and convert. These pages act as 24/7 sales reps, capturing new leads while you sleep. But what makes a landing page convert?

There are several items to consider when designing a landing page. For instance, the message, creative, layout, and form placement, just to name a few. One great way to ensure your landing page works for your audience is to test it using tools like Optimizely and unbounce.

You will also want to design a thank you page for your visitors to receive the offer they requested.

Use this tips to ensure your landing pages convert:

  • Keep the messaging between your CTA and landing page consistent. Make sure that when people land on your landing page, they are not confused. They should feel like they have arrived at the correct place.
  • Make sure your landing page is mobile friendly. With more and more website traffic arriving from mobile devices, you need to make sure your visitors can easily view your content on a mobile device. This means ensuring your landing page is mobile responsive and includes large enough text and buttons to be easily seen and clicked.
  • Use the voice of your customer. Too many landing pages are filled with jargon and buzzwords that don’t speak in a way which connects with the customer. Make sure to review your buyer personas and use words and phrases they would use, instead of your own.

For more tips on creating effective landing pages, check out these additional resources:

Keep in mind, you can use all the best practices in the world, but at the end of the day, your audience is unique to your business. So make sure to understand your buyer personas and where they are at in the buyer’s journey and use tools to test the effectiveness of your conversion path.

Want to learn more about using inbound marketing to grow your business? Download The Beginner’s Guide to Inbound Marketing today!