Log in

Sign up

Webmaster's panel

Reading time: 12 minutes

Published: May 9 2025

Kinga Edwards

11 May 2025

10 Tips for Designing Landing Pages for Conversions, Not Just Compliments

There's a peculiar paradox in the world of landing page design: the pages that win design awards rarely win customers. While your design team might be chasing aesthetic perfection and industry accolades, your business needs pages that persuade visitors to take action.

Let's face it—a site that generates compliments but not conversions is failing at its core purpose. The most beautiful landing page in the world is worthless if it doesn't drive business results.

In this guide, we'll explore ten practical principles for creating landing pages that prioritize conversion over compliments, focusing on what actually moves the needle rather than what looks impressive in a portfolio.

1. Prioritize Clarity Over Cleverness

The single biggest killer of landing page conversions is confusion. When visitors don't immediately understand what you're offering or what they should do next, they leave.

What Design Teams Often Get Wrong

Many designers fall into the trap of prioritizing originality and creative expression over clarity. They use:

Clever but vague headlines that sound good but don't communicate value
Abstract visuals that look artistic but don't illustrate the offer
Unique navigation patterns that users don't intuitively understand
Industry jargon that sounds impressive but confuses average visitors

The Conversion-Focused Approach

A landing page designed for conversions makes the offer instantly clear:

Clarity Checklist:

Can visitors understand your offer within 5 seconds?
Does your headline explicitly state what you're selling or what problem you solve?
Are your visuals directly related to your product or its benefits?
Is your call to action unmistakable in both location and wording?

Case Study: When software company Groove redesigned their homepage to focus on clarity rather than design trends, they saw their conversion rate increase by 100%. Their new headline "Simple Help Desk Software" replaced the more creative but vague "Beautiful Customer Support Software That Everyone Loves."

Try out WebWave ->

Keep Reading ->

2. Design for Scanning, Not Reading

The hard truth of web behavior is that people don't read—they scan. Eye-tracking studies consistently show that visitors scan web pages in an F-pattern or Z-pattern, picking up only fragments of your carefully crafted content.

What Design Teams Often Get Wrong

Design teams frequently create pages based on the false assumption that visitors will diligently read every word:

Long, unbroken paragraphs of text
Critical information buried in the middle of content blocks
Key benefits spread throughout the page without visual emphasis
Assuming visitors will scroll to find important information

The Conversion-Focused Approach

Pages designed for conversions acknowledge scanning behavior and work with it, not against it:

Make Content Scannable By:

Using descriptive subheadings that convey key points on their own
Employing bulleted lists for key features and benefits
Highlighting key phrases with bold text or contrasting colors
Creating information hierarchy with varying text sizes and weights
Ensuring the most important elements appear in the typical scanning pattern

Case Study: When CareLogger redesigned their product page to be more scannable—using shorter paragraphs, benefit-focused subheadings, and bulleted feature lists—they saw time on page increase by 24% and conversions improve by 36%.

3. Embrace Strategic Visual Hierarchy

Visual hierarchy isn't just about making landing page look good—it's about directing attention precisely where you want it to go. Every landing page has elements of varying importance, and your design should reflect this reality.

What Design Teams Often Get Wrong

Designers sometimes create pages with democratized visual weight, where everything competes equally for attention:

CTAs that blend in with the rest of the design
Key benefits that receive the same visual treatment as minor features
Important information receiving the same space allocation as secondary details
Multiple visual elements competing for attention simultaneously

The Conversion-Focused Approach

Conversion-focused pages use visual hierarchy to create a clear path for the visitor's eyes:

Hierarchy Best Practices:

Make your primary CTA visually dominant through size, color, and positioning
Use size, contrast, and white space to emphasize key benefits
Position critical content where eyes naturally fall (top left, center, and natural stopping points)
Create a deliberate visual flow that leads to your conversion goal

Research-Backed Tip: A study by Nielsen Norman Group found that users spend 80% of their time looking at information above the fold. Make sure your key value proposition and primary CTA appear in this critical area.

4. Test CTAs That Demand Action

The humble call-to-action button is the culmination of all your landing page efforts. Yet it's often designed based on aesthetic preferences rather than psychological principles that drive action.

What Design Teams Often Get Wrong

Design teams commonly create CTAs that:

Use generic text like "Submit," "Click Here," or "Learn More"
Blend too seamlessly into the overall design scheme
Lack clear visual signifiers that they are clickable
Don't create any sense of urgency or benefit

The Conversion-Focused Approach

High-converting CTAs are designed with behavioral psychology in mind:

Elements of High-Converting CTAs:

Specific action verbs that describe what happens next
First-person phrasing that helps visitors imagine taking action
Benefit-focused language that reminds visitors why they should click
Strategic use of urgency or exclusivity when appropriate
Strong visual signifiers (button-like appearance, contrasting color)
Adequate surrounding white space to make the CTA stand out

A/B Test Results: When Unbounce tested changing their CTA from "Start your free 30-day trial" to "Start my free 30-day trial," they saw a 90% increase in click-through rate. The simple shift to first-person phrasing made visitors more likely to mentally commit to the action.

Try for free ->

WebWave AI Writer

Generate your website copy with just one click.

Try for free ->

WebWave AI Writer

Generate your website copy with just one click.

Try for free ->

5. Let Data Drive Your Form Design

Forms are often the final barrier between interest and conversion, yet they're frequently designed based on internal preferences rather than user behavior data.

What Design Teams Often Get Wrong

Common form design mistakes include:

Requesting too much information too soon
Creating visually perfect but psychologically intimidating forms
Field labels that prioritize internal data needs over user understanding
Failing to explain why certain information is being requested
Treating all form fields with equal visual weight

The Conversion-Focused Approach

Data-driven form design focuses on removing friction and building trust:

Form Optimization Techniques:

Request only the information absolutely necessary for the current stage
Use visual progress indicators for multi-step forms
Make field size proportional to the expected input length
Place labels where they're most effective based on form complexity
Use smart defaults and autofill when possible
Explain why you're collecting sensitive information

Case Study: When video hosting platform Wistia reduced their signup form from 13 fields to just 3 (name, email, password), their conversion rate increased by 40%. This reinforces the principle that every field you add creates additional friction.

6. Build Trust Through Strategic Social Proof

Social proof is powerful—but only when it's relevant, specific, and believable. Generic testimonials and vague client logos rarely drive conversions.

What Design Teams Often Get Wrong

Ineffective approaches to social proof include:

Client logos without context or specific outcomes
Generic testimonials that could apply to any product
Statistical claims without specific attribution or explanation
Social proof elements buried at the bottom of the page
Using quantity over quality (100 vague testimonials vs. 3 powerful ones)

The Conversion-Focused Approach

Conversion-optimized social proof is specific, relevant, and strategically placed:

Effective Social Proof Strategies:

Place testimonials near points of friction or decision (like near pricing or CTAs)
Include specific metrics and outcomes in case studies
Feature testimonials that address common objections
Use recognizable, relevant logos for your target audience
Incorporate third-party validation (awards, certifications, review platforms)

Research Insight: A study by TechValidate found that 94% of B2B buyers seek out social proof before making purchase decisions, with specific use cases and outcome metrics ranking as the most influential forms of validation.

7. Design Mobile-First, Not Mobile-Afterthought

With mobile traffic often exceeding 50% for many businesses, mobile design isn't an adaptation—it should be the foundation.

What Design Teams Often Get Wrong

Poor mobile approaches include:

Designing for desktop first, then squeezing elements to fit mobile
Maintaining the same content hierarchy on mobile and desktop
Keeping form length and complexity identical across devices
Using hover effects and other interactions that don't translate to touch
Not accounting for thumb zones and one-handed mobile use

The Conversion-Focused Approach

Conversion-optimized mobile designs are built from the ground up for mobile contexts:

Mobile Conversion Best Practices:

Start with the mobile design and expand to desktop (not vice versa)
Ruthlessly prioritize content for the mobile context
Design tap targets at least 44px × 44px (Apple's recommended minimum)
Position key actions within natural thumb reach for one-handed use
Simplify forms even further for mobile completion
Test actual load speed on various devices and networks

Case Study: When Walmart rebuilt their e-commerce site with a mobile-first approach, they saw a 20% increase in conversions. The new design featured larger product images, simplified navigation, and streamlined checkout optimized for mobile users.

8. Use Visuals That Convert, Not Just Decorate

Images and videos should be working hard to drive conversions, not just making your page look pretty.

What Design Teams Often Get Wrong

Common visual mistakes include:

Generic stock photos that don't add information value
Abstract imagery that fails to illustrate the product or its benefits
Visuals chosen for aesthetic appeal rather than conversion impact
Videos that take too long to communicate key points
Images that slow page load without delivering conversion value

The Conversion-Focused Approach

Conversion-driving visuals serve specific strategic purposes:

High-Converting Visual Elements:

Product in use (showing context rather than isolated product shots)
Before/after demonstrations of key benefits
Explanatory diagrams for complex concepts
Emotional imagery that connects with customer pain points or desired outcomes
Visual hierarchy that guides the eye toward conversion actions

Research-Backed Insight: Studies by Nielsen Norman Group found that users pay close attention to information-carrying images (like product photos or informative diagrams) but actively ignore decorative images that don't add value.

9. Write Copy That Sells, Not Just Tells

The words on your landing page aren't just information—they're persuasion tools that should be crafted with conversion psychology in mind.

What Design Teams Often Get Wrong

Common copywriting mistakes include:

Focusing on features rather than benefits
Using industry jargon instead of customer language
Writing to impress rather than to persuade
Burying the value proposition in flowery language
Failing to address obvious objections or questions

The Conversion-Focused Approach

Conversion-optimized copy follows proven persuasion principles:

Conversion Copywriting Techniques:

Lead with the primary benefit, not feature descriptions
Address objections before they become reasons to leave
Use the language your customers actually use (drawn from reviews, support tickets, interviews)
Create a consistent narrative from ad to landing page to thank you page
Employ power words that trigger emotional responses
Use short paragraphs, active voice, and concrete language

Case Study: When software company Basecamp rewrote their homepage using an AI copywriter to focus on customer problems and specific benefits rather than feature descriptions, they saw a 14% increase in conversions. The new copy directly addressed pain points that prospects were experiencing.

10. Create Urgency Without Desperation

Scarcity and urgency are powerful motivators when used authentically, but can backfire when they feel manipulative.

What Design Teams Often Get Wrong

Ineffective urgency tactics include:

Fake countdown timers that reset when the page is refreshed
Artificial scarcity claims that are obviously untrue
Excessive use of urgency elements that create anxiety rather than motivation
Urgency messaging that contradicts other elements on the page
Creating pressure without also building value

The Conversion-Focused Approach

Ethical and effective urgency is based on legitimate limitations or incentives:

Authentic Urgency Techniques:

Limited-time offers with genuine end dates
Inventory counters for products that actually have limited stock
Early-bird pricing with clear benefit for early action
Seasonal offers tied to relevant calendar events
Social proof showing others taking action (e.g., "15 people booked this week")

Research Insight: Studies on scarcity marketing show that highlighting limited availability can increase desirability and purchase intent by up to 50%—but only if consumers believe the scarcity is genuine.

Putting It All Together: The Conversion-First Design Process

Designing landing pages for conversions requires a different process than designing for aesthetic appeal. Here's a streamlined approach to creating pages that convert:

1. Start With Customer Research

Before designing anything, gather:

Customer interviews and support conversations
Search terms and questions your audience uses
Competitor conversion approaches
Previous A/B test results
Content Analysis

2. Define Conversion Goals and Metrics

Establish:

Primary conversion action (what specifically counts as success?)
Secondary conversion goals (for visitors not ready for primary action)
Specific metrics to track (beyond just conversion rate)
Baseline performance expectations

3. Create a Message Hierarchy

Determine:

Primary value proposition (most compelling benefit)
Supporting benefits in order of importance
Objections that need addressing
Trust elements needed at each stage

4. Design the Conversion Path

Map out:

Initial attention focus point
Visual flow through key messages
Strategic placement of CTAs
Logical progression of information

5. Test and Iterate

Commit to:

A/B testing key elements (starting with highest impact)
User testing for clarity and usability
Heat map analysis of user engagement
Continuous improvement based on data

Conclusion: Beauty With Purpose

The goal isn't to abandon aesthetics but to ensure design serves business objectives. The most successful landing pages are both visually appealing and strategically effective—they generate compliments and conversions.

By applying these ten principles, you can create landing pages that satisfy both designers and business stakeholders. The key is remembering that in the world of landing pages, beauty without purpose is just decoration, and decoration doesn't pay the bills.

The next time you're reviewing landing page designs, ask not just "Does this look good?" but "Will this convert?" That simple shift in perspective can transform your results—and ultimately, that's the most beautiful outcome of all.

How have you balanced design aesthetics with conversion optimization on your landing pages? Share your experiences in the comments below.

AI web design tutorial

How to become a web designer?

What is a white label website builder?