Landing Page Design Tips for Higher Conversion Rates

You are spending money driving traffic to your website — through Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or social media. People are clicking. But are they converting? Are they actually calling you, filling out your form, or making a purchase?

If the answer is “not enough,” your landing page is likely the problem.

A landing page is a standalone page designed for a single purpose: to convert visitors into leads or customers. Unlike your homepage, which serves multiple purposes, a landing page has one goal and one call to action. When done well, it dramatically improves the return on your advertising spend.

Here are the design principles that separate high-converting landing pages from ones that waste your budget.

What Makes a Landing Page Different from a Homepage

Your homepage is like the front door of your business. It welcomes everyone and points them in different directions. A landing page is more like a dedicated sales conversation — it speaks to a specific audience about a specific offer and asks for a specific action.

Key differences:

  • Landing pages have a single focus (one offer, one action)
  • They remove navigation menus and other distractions
  • They speak directly to the audience who clicked the ad or link
  • They match the messaging of the ad or content that sent the visitor there

Tip 1: Match Your Message to the Source

When someone clicks an ad that says “Get a Free Roof Inspection in Western Sydney,” the landing page they arrive on should say exactly that. If they land on your general homepage instead, the disconnect increases the chance they will leave.

This is called message match, and it is fundamental to landing page success.

The ad says: “50% Off Your First Personal Training Session” The landing page headline should say: “Claim Your Half-Price Personal Training Session Today”

NOT: “Welcome to FitBody Gym — Your Complete Fitness Solution”

The closer the match between what they clicked and what they see, the higher your conversion rate.

Tip 2: Write a Headline That Hooks

Your headline is the first thing visitors read. If it does not grab their attention and clearly communicate value, they leave. You have roughly five seconds to make your case.

Elements of a Great Landing Page Headline:

  • Clarity: What exactly are you offering?
  • Benefit: What is in it for the visitor?
  • Specificity: Vague promises do not convert. Be specific.

Weak: “Professional Cleaning Services” Strong: “Your Home Professionally Cleaned in Under 3 Hours — Guaranteed”

Weak: “Web Design for Business” Strong: “Get a Professional Website That Brings You More Customers”

Supporting Sub-headline

Use a sub-headline to add context or address a secondary benefit.

“Join over 200 Western Sydney homeowners who trust us with their weekly clean.”

Tip 3: Use One Clear Call to Action

Every landing page should have exactly one call to action (CTA). One. Not three different options. One clear thing you want the visitor to do.

CTA Button Best Practices:

  • Use action-oriented text: “Get Your Free Quote” is better than “Submit”
  • Make the button visually prominent (large, contrasting colour)
  • Place it above the fold (visible without scrolling)
  • Repeat the CTA further down the page for longer landing pages
  • Create urgency when appropriate: “Book Your Free Consultation Today”

Form Best Practices:

If your CTA involves a form:

  • Ask for the minimum information you need (name, email, phone)
  • Every additional field reduces conversions
  • Use clear labels for each field
  • Consider a multi-step form for complex requests (it feels less overwhelming)

Tip 4: Build Trust Immediately

Visitors arriving from an ad may have never heard of your business before. You need to establish credibility fast.

Trust Elements to Include:

  • Testimonials: Short quotes from real customers with names and, ideally, photos
  • Star ratings: Display your Google rating (for example, “Rated 4.8 stars from 120 reviews”)
  • Logos: If you have worked with recognisable businesses or hold certifications, display them
  • Guarantee: “100% satisfaction guaranteed” or “No obligation free quote” reduces risk
  • Numbers: “Serving 500 plus customers across Western Sydney” or “15 years in business”

Place trust elements near your call to action. When someone is about to fill out your form, seeing a testimonial right next to it can tip the balance.

Tip 5: Use Visually Compelling Design

Above the Fold

The area visible without scrolling (above the fold) is your most valuable real estate. It should include:

  • Your headline and sub-headline
  • A relevant image or video
  • Your primary CTA
  • A trust signal or two

Clean Layout

  • Use plenty of white space
  • Avoid clutter and unnecessary elements
  • Guide the eye down the page naturally
  • Use directional cues (arrows, images of people looking toward your CTA)

Relevant Imagery

Use images that relate to your offer and audience:

  • Photos of real people (your team, your customers) outperform stock photos
  • Show the result or outcome your service delivers
  • Images of your actual work build credibility

Mobile Design

A significant portion of ad traffic comes from mobile devices. Your landing page must be fully responsive:

  • Large, tappable buttons
  • Readable text without zooming
  • Forms that are easy to fill out on a phone
  • Fast load time (especially important on mobile connections)

Tip 6: Address Objections

Think about what might stop someone from converting and address it on the page.

“Is this going to cost me?” Add “Free quote — no obligation” near your form.

“Are they any good?” Include testimonials and work examples.

“How long will it take?” Set expectations: “We will call you back within 2 hours.”

“What if I am not happy?” State your guarantee: “Not happy? We will make it right.”

Anticipating and answering objections removes barriers to conversion.

Tip 7: Remove Distractions

A landing page should not have:

  • Your main website navigation menu
  • Sidebar content
  • Links to other pages (except your privacy policy and terms)
  • Multiple different offers
  • Social media feed embeds
  • Pop-ups or chat widgets that distract from the main action

Every element on the page should support the single goal of getting the visitor to convert. Anything that does not support that goal should go.

Tip 8: Optimise Page Speed

A slow-loading landing page kills conversions. Every second of delay increases the chance someone bounces. This is especially true for paid traffic, where you are literally paying for every visitor.

  • Compress all images
  • Minimise scripts and code
  • Use fast, reliable hosting
  • Test your page speed and aim for under two seconds

Tip 9: Create a Strong Thank-You Page

After someone converts, the thank-you page is your opportunity to:

  • Confirm their submission was successful
  • Set expectations for next steps (“We will call you within 2 hours”)
  • Offer additional value (a download, a link to helpful content)
  • Track conversions in Google Analytics (by using the thank-you page URL as a goal destination)

Do not waste this page with a generic “Thank you for your submission.”

Tip 10: Test and Improve

The best landing pages are not perfect on the first try. They are improved through testing.

What to Test:

  • Headlines (different wording, different benefits)
  • CTA button text and colour
  • Form length (fewer vs more fields)
  • Images (different photos or with vs without images)
  • Testimonials (different quotes, with vs without photos)
  • Layout (different arrangements of elements)

How to Test:

Run A/B tests where you show two versions of your page to different visitors and measure which one converts better. Most advertising platforms and tools like Google Optimise make this straightforward.

Even small improvements compound over time. A 10 percent improvement in conversion rate means 10 percent more leads from the same ad spend.

Your Landing Page Checklist

Before launching a landing page, verify:

  • Headline clearly communicates your offer and matches the ad
  • Sub-headline adds context or a secondary benefit
  • CTA button is prominent, above the fold, and uses action language
  • Form asks for minimal information
  • Trust elements are visible (testimonials, ratings, guarantees)
  • Page is mobile-friendly and loads fast
  • Navigation and distractions are removed
  • Objections are addressed
  • Thank-you page is set up with next steps
  • Conversion tracking is in place

Start Converting More Visitors

A well-designed landing page can double or triple your conversion rate compared to sending ad traffic to your homepage. That means more leads, more customers, and a much better return on your advertising investment.

If you are running ads but not using dedicated landing pages, you are leaving money on the table. Build your first landing page using the tips in this guide, and watch the difference it makes.

Need help designing high-converting landing pages? Our team builds landing pages for businesses across Western Sydney that turn clicks into customers. Get in touch and let us help you make the most of your marketing spend.

An online store performs even better with a dedicated shopping app. Awesome Apps builds e-commerce apps that complement your Shopify or WooCommerce site.

Cosmos Web Tech is the web development division of Ganda Tech Services, specialising in website design, SEO, and e-commerce for Australian businesses.