Landing page optimisation checklist

Creating an effective landing page is crucial for driving conversions and achieving your business goals. A well-optimised landing page can capture visitors' attention, communicate your value proposition, and guide them towards taking action. To help you optimise your landing pages, we have prepared a comprehensive checklist that covers key elements and best practices to consider. By following this checklist, you can ensure that your landing pages are designed to convert and provide a great user experience.

Goal

The goal of this exercise is to review and assess your landing pages using a checklist of optimisation factors. By going through each item on the checklist, you will identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments to enhance the performance and effectiveness of your landing pages.

Instructions & Resources

Grab a copy of the landing page checklist in Google Sheets

1. Review each item on the checklist provided below.
2. For each item, check whether it has been implemented on your landing page or if it needs improvement.
3. Make note of any specific changes or actions required to optimise each element.
4. Once you have completed the checklist, prioritise the items that require immediate attention and create an action plan to address them.
5. Implement the necessary changes on your landing pages based on the checklist recommendations.
6. Monitor the impact of the optimisations on your landing page performance and conversion rates.
7. Iterate and refine your landing pages based on user feedback and data analysis to continuously improve their effectiveness.

Checklist

Fundamentals

• [ ]  Do we understand the dream outcome of our customers?
• [ ]  Do we understand the challenges & obstacles to getting to the outcome?
• [ ]  Do we understand how to portray our credibility?
• [ ]  Do we understand how quickly the customer can get results?
• [ ]  Is the offer focused on a specific persona? If multiple personas, does the hero section allow you to select between personas?

Navigation bar

• [ ]  Does it include the logo or company name?
• [ ]  Does it have 2-4 links? (More creates cognitive overload and distraction)
• [ ]  Does it have 1 main CTA button?

Headline

• [ ]  Is it clear which company or product it is?
• [ ]  Is it clear what goal or dream outcome the product helps the customer achieve?
• [ ]  Is it clear who this is for?
• [ ]  Is there a bold, specific claim, or objection-handling sentence?
• [ ]  If there is a bold claim, is the claim backed up by evidence?
• [ ]  Is it written in the language of the customer?
• [ ]  Is it written with conviction (“We help” → “It’s how”)?

Subheader

• [ ]  Is it explaining the claims in the header?
• [ ]  Is it referencing the top 2-3 features or objections?
• [ ]  Is it shorter than 3 sentences?
• [ ]  Is the value front-loaded with three bullet points?

CTA

• [ ]  Is there a call-to-value or a generic call-to-action?
• [ ]  Is the entire form visible above the fold?
• [ ]  Is the form header compelling?
• [ ]  Is there an alternative call-to-action for those not ready yet for the main call-to-action?
• [ ]  Is the secondary or alternative CTA placed at the bottom of the page? This is for visitors who’re not yet ready to commit to the main CTA.

Social Proof

• [ ]  Are trust icons and evidence shown above and below the fold?
• [ ]  Are actual customers with helpful quotes used including name, title, photo and business?
• [ ]  Is it showing expertise via credentials, certifications, etc.?
• [ ]  Is it showing reliability via ratings, case studies, testimonials, etc.?
• [ ]  Is it showing empathy by speaking the customer’s language?
• [ ]  Is it showing integrity by being transparent about legal, privacy and pricing?
• [ ]  Has a privacy policy link on the form or near CTA?
• [ ]  Has a human element on the page, ideally above the fold?
• [ ]  Has contact details available?

Visuals

• [ ]  Is it not using stock photos or generic illustrations?
• [ ]  Are the screenshots readable?
• [ ]  Is it showing one part of the product clearly, or the whole screen vaguely?
• [ ]  Is each visual adding or distracting?
• [ ]  Do the design elements not look cramped or cluttered?

Features

• [ ]  Are features explained in the form of adding value?
• [ ]  Are visuals clear and readable adding context to the feature description?
• [ ]  Are visuals not made from stock photos or generic illustrations?
• [ ]  Any bold claims are paired with social proof?

Objections

• [ ]  Are the main objections addressed?
• [ ]  Are the objections written in the language of the customer?
• [ ]  Are minor objections addressed in the FAQ?

General

• [ ]  Is the page optimised for scanning with large sub-headers?
• [ ]  Does the page have sufficient contrast between elements?
• [ ]  Is the page optimised for loading speed?
• [ ]  Is the page optimised for mobile?
• [ ]  Does the page have an appropriate length for the offer?
• [ ]  Is the page logically structured and has a natural flow?
• [ ]  Does the page focus on ‘you’ and not ‘us’ or ‘we’?