Landing Page Conversion Optimization Checklist: Lead Generation

May 21, 2014 - 5 minutes read

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Part 1: Getting Started
Part 2: Headlines
Part 3: Call-to-Action
Part 4: Social Proof
Part 5: Buyer Objections
Part 6: Lead Generation
Part 7: The Copy
Part 8: Landing Page Design
Part 9: Prelaunch

[title text=”Lead Generation” line=”true” size=”h3″]
If you’re creating a landing page, chances are good that you’ll be using your landing page in an attempt to collect leads. If you aren’t collecting leads, well, you should be. Only a small percentage of people will be ready to buy on the spot. The others will have to be nurtured, and connecting with them, either via email or through your sales team, is a great way to nurture them into a buying mood.

Here is a list of several ways you can improve the effectiveness of your lead gen efforts, many that pertain directly to your landing page’s lead capture form.

_____ Is lead capture the primary goal of your landing page?

If not, don’t include a form. Directing your visitors towards two separate points of conversion will dilute the effectiveness of both. That said, I do believe capturing a lead, and then selling to them (multiple times) is generally the best way to go, rather than going for the upfront sale. However, both should be utilized.

_____ Are you offering them something valuable in return for their information?

Asking visitors to enter their information, so you can contact them is all fine and dandy. But, obviously, offering them something in exchange will be far more persuasive. A full eBook, free white paper or consultations will suffice, but the more unique the offer, the better.

_____ Are there any unnecessary fields that can be removed from your form?

If you’re slinging local services, you may need to ask for a location. Nine times out of ten, getting just their ZIP code will suffice, so can probably remove the fields for their full mailing address. The same goes for email collection. You need their name and email, AT MOST. Sometimes just the email will do. Of course, exceptions to this rule can be made in special circumstances.

_____ Is your “submit” button descriptive?

“Submit” and “Send” area as boring as you can get. Add some excitement and remind them again why they’re filling out their information. Try something like “Yes, send me my FREE eBook!” instead.

_____ Is your form headed by a strong call to action?

This should be somewhat of a hybrid between call-to-action and headline. It should call the reader’s attention from the rest of the page, inform them of the main benefit, and tell them what to do next.

_____ Are you calling attention to your capture form?

You want to call attention to your form, so it’s reader knows what they’re expected to do next. A simple change in background color or adding an arrow could work. Or you can really step it up, and position stock photos of people that appear to be looking/pointing at your form, to really covertly draw attention to your opt-in form.

_____ Have you assured your viewership that you won’t share their info?

Assuming you won’t be sharing their info, let them know that their info is safe. This may be the only thing keeping visitors from converting, so help eliminate this buyer objection for them. I’ve seen the validity of this particular checklist item tested before, and disproved, which is why you should always…

_____ Make sure you’ve experimented with other setups of your lead capture form.

Your lead capture form is one of the most influential elements of your landing page, and as such, it should be heavily tested and optimized for maximum conversions. The same goes for headlines, calls-to-action, and just about everything else on your page.

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