Part of: CRO
Landing page optimisation
Improving the pages that ads and emails send people to, so the page matches the promise.
Is this right for you?
Who it is for
Stores paying for traffic, or sending email, to a page that is not turning visitors into customers.
When it is not
Stores whose pages get very few visitors, where there is too little behaviour to learn from, and stores whose real problem is the offer, the price or the product, which no page layout will fix.
What is included
- A review of the page against the ad, email or link that sends people to it
- A written list of fixes, ranked by likely effect and effort
- Copy and layout changes for the top of the page, product information, proof and the route to the basket
- Speed and mobile checks on the page itself
- Help making the changes, or a clear brief for your own developer
- A test plan, only where there is enough traffic for a test to mean something
Landing page optimisation in plain terms
A landing page is the page a visitor arrives on after an ad, an email or a link. Landing page optimisation is the work of making that page do what the click promised. It is not a set of tricks. It is checking that the page says the same thing as the advert, shows what a buyer needs to decide, and works quickly on a phone.
If you pay for clicks, a weak landing page is expensive, because every visitor it fails to convert has already cost you money.
Who it’s for, and when it isn’t
It suits stores that send traffic to specific pages and are not happy with what happens next. That includes Google Ads campaigns, display ads and email.
It is not the right first step if:
- the page gets very few visitors, because there is too little behaviour to learn from
- the product, price or delivery terms are the real obstacle. A better layout will not make an unwanted offer sell
- the page is slow or broken in a way that needs a developer more than a copywriter
We will say so, rather than take your money.
What’s included
- A review of the page against the ad, email or link that sends people to it
- A written list of fixes, ranked by likely effect and effort
- Changes to copy and layout, covering the first screen, product information, proof and the route to the basket
- Speed and mobile checks on the page itself
- Help making the changes, or a clear brief for your own developer
- A test plan, only where there is enough traffic for a test to mean something
What we look at
Message match. Does the first screen repeat the promise that earned the click? If the advert says “free next-day delivery” and the page does not mention delivery, people hesitate.
The first screen on a phone. Many stores get most of their visitors on mobile. We check that the product name, price, availability and the main button are easy to find without hunting.
Collection pages. We look at whether the grid shows what people choose by, such as image, name, price and ratings. We check that filters match how people shop, that active filters are easy to clear, and that going back from a product keeps your place in the list.
Product pages. We look at images, variant choice and stock status, delivery cost and timing, returns, and how reviews are shown. Critical reviews should stay visible, because shoppers notice when they are missing.
The step to the basket. Adding to the basket should give clear feedback. The basket should be easy to edit, and the total, including delivery, should not be a surprise. Surprises late on are one of the commonest reasons people leave.
Proof. Reviews, delivery promises and returns information belong near the decision they support. If a store has no reviews yet, we lead with what can be checked instead, such as delivery and returns promises. We never invent any.
Speed. A slow page loses people before they have read a word. We check it on a mid-range phone, not just a fast computer.
How we do it
We start with the traffic: where visitors come from and what they were promised. Then we go through the page on a phone and on a computer, using your analytics and any behaviour data you already have. Heatmapping can add more if the page has enough visitors.
We write down what we think is wrong, why we think so and what we would change, and we rank the list. Clear fixes are made straight away. Where the answer is not clear and the page has enough traffic, we run a test. Our A/B testing page is honest about how much traffic that takes.
If you do not have enough traffic for tests, we make the changes the evidence supports and compare before and after, saying how uncertain that comparison is. Seasonality, a new campaign or a sale can all move results by themselves.
If a page needs designing from scratch, a wireframe usually comes first: see wireframing and prototyping.
What it costs
We explain how we charge on our pricing page. What changes the price most is the number of pages and how much of the work is rewriting and layout rather than review. Ad spend is paid to the platforms and is separate.
We start with an audit. After that, the work runs in sprints (plan, test or implement), each priced and agreed in writing before it starts. See the pricing page.
What we measure
We agree the measures before we change anything:
- the share of visitors who add a product to the basket
- the share who start checkout and the share who complete it
- revenue per visitor, alongside conversion rate, so a rise in one does not hide a fall in the other
- page speed on mobile
- scroll and bounce behaviour, as clues about where to look, not as goals
We report each change with its date, what was altered and what else was happening at the time. We do not report results we cannot back up, and we say plainly when a change made no difference.
In GA4, a session counts as engaged if it lasts over 10 seconds, has a key event or views two or more pages. We agree with you which key events count as success.
Related
Landing page work sits alongside A/B testing, Google Ads and display ads. It is part of conversion rate optimisation.
How we do it
Every project is different, so timings depend on its size and complexity. You get a realistic timeline in writing before work starts, and we never promise results by a date.
Step 1: Match the page to its traffic
We look at where visitors come from, what the ad or email promised, and what the page says in the first screen.
Step 2: Review the page
We go through the page on a phone and on a computer, and check it against your analytics and any behaviour data you already have.
Step 3: Rank the fixes
We write down what we think is wrong, why, and what we would change, then order the list by likely effect and effort.
Step 4: Change and check
We make the clear fixes. Where the answer is not obvious and traffic allows, we test. Otherwise we compare before and after and say how uncertain that comparison is.
What it costs
Retainers start from £500 per month and cover our services only. They do not include your ad spend, or any software or other subscription costs. One-off optimisation projects are priced by current need or an agreed hourly rate. Our pricing page has the detail.
Questions people ask
What is a landing page?
It is the first page a visitor sees after clicking an ad, an email link or a post. On a store it is often a collection page, a product page or a page built for one campaign.
Do I need a separate landing page for every ad?
No. Many stores do well with a good collection or product page. A separate page is worth building when the promise in the ad needs a page of its own, such as a particular offer or audience.
Will you promise more sales?
No. We can find and fix problems and report honestly on what changed. Sales also depend on your product, price, delivery terms and the quality of the traffic, which a page cannot control.
Do you need to test every change?
No. Fixing something plainly broken, such as a button that does not work on some phones, needs no test. Testing is for choices where the answer is not clear, and only when there is enough traffic.
Can you work on the page and the ads together?
Yes, and it often helps. If we also manage your Google Ads, we can change the advert and the page so they say the same thing. If someone else runs your ads, we work from what they are sending.
Can you build the page, or only advise?
We can do either. For larger changes to the store itself, we may suggest a rebuild or a new template instead of patching.
Ready to talk it through?
Get a free UX and conversion review of your website, focused on how your creative affects performance. A subject matter expert at Advent reviews it, and we aim to send it within 5 working days.