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Josh Gallant

Josh is the founder of Backstage SEO, an organic growth firm that helps SaaS companies capture demand. He’s a self-proclaimed spreadsheet nerd by day, volunteer soccer coach on weekends, and wannabe fantasy football expert every fall.

» More blog posts by Josh Gallant

What is a landing page funnel?

A landing page funnel guides potential customers through your sales process. It’s a series of steps designed to convert visitors into leads and eventually into paying customers.

Unlike a regular website, a landing page funnel focuses on specific actions you want visitors to take, like signing up for your email list or purchasing. Each stage of the funnel is tailored to meet the needs of your audience at different points in their journey, ensuring a smooth transition from awareness to conversion. This targeted approach makes landing page funnels highly effective in boosting your conversion rate.

Landing page funnels vs marketing funnels

Before we go any further, let’s make sure we’re on the same page here.

You’ve likely heard of the “funnel” concept many times before, but there are some pretty significant differences between a traditional marketing funnel you may be familiar with, and a landing page funnel which we’ll cover in-depth today.

Marketing funnel: This represents the overall buying journey, from initial awareness to final conversion. The marketing funnel is typically talked about in terms of top-of-funnel, middle-of-funnel, and bottom-of-funnel and includes multiple touchpoints along the way. Think email campaigns, social media interactions, sales conversations, content marketing, and more, guiding prospects over a longer period.

Landing page funnel: This is a series of interconnected landing pages designed to be completed in a single session. It focuses on immediate actions, like clicking on call to action buttons to move to the next stage of the funnel, adding a product to your cart, or completing a form to move forward.

What’s the difference between a website, a landing page, and a funnel?

These terms sometimes get thrown out synonymously, but in reality there are a few slight (and significant) differences between each.

Landing page: a single page.

A landing page is a single web page designed for a specific marketing campaign. Its sole purpose is to encourage visitors to take a specific action, such as filling out a form or clicking a call to action button.

Landing page funnel: a string of multiple landing pages.

A landing page funnel is a step-by-step process that guides visitors from initial interest to making a purchase. It involves multiple landing pages and actions that gradually lead potential customers through the buying journey.

Website: the hub for all of your landing pages, content and products.

A website is a collection of all the landing pages that exist across your business, plus other pages like blog posts, careers pages, case studies, product pages, etc. It’s like an online storefront where visitors can browse different sections.

Recommended resource: What’s the difference between a landing page, a homepage, and a website?

What’s the purpose of a landing page funnel in sales?

A landing page funnel aims to drive conversions by guiding visitors through a structured step-by-step sales process.

Each stage in the funnel is focused on carrying prospects through to the next, with the funnel ultimately reaching a conversion page at the end that aims to seal the deal—either through a lead gen form or a purchase to complete.

The primary use cases for landing page funnels are:

• Lead generation: Capturing email addresses and contact information.
• Product promotion: Highlighting specific products or services.
• Event registration: Driving sign-ups for webinars, workshops, and events.
• Content downloads: Offering ebooks, whitepapers, and other resources.
• Sales conversion: Turning leads, trial users, or freemium users into paying customers.

Stages of a marketing funnel (and where landing pages fit in)

Understanding the stages of a marketing funnel is essential for effective customer journey management. Each stage of the funnel targets different audience segments with specific goals and actions, and landing pages play a critical role along the way.

In this section, we’ll break down the stages, explain the role of landing pages, and share a few different types of pages (with examples) to help you get started.

Stage 1: Top-of-funnel (TOFU)

In the top-of-funnel (TOFU) stage, potential customers first become aware of your brand. At this stage, the goal is to attract a wide audience and generate interest in your products or services.

Objectives at TOFU:

• Raise awareness for your brand through content marketing, advertising, etc.
• Educate your audience with valuable information on common pain points.
• Capture interest using engaging content to encourage further exploration.

Recommended resource: How to use your landing page to increase brand awareness

Top-of-funnel landing page types and examples

Squeeze pages

Squeeze pages are short, simple landing pages designed to capture only an email address by offering something valuable in return, like a free guide or discount.

Use this Unbounce template

Quiz pages

Quiz pages engage visitors with an interactive quiz—sometimes simple, sometimes complex—that leads to a call to action like entering an email in exchange for the results.

Image courtesy of Linen Chest

Webinar registration pages

Webinar registration pages do exactly what they sound like—they facilitate sign-ups for free webinars, whether they are live or recorded. To dig in even further, check out our guide on all thing’s webinar marketing, too.

Use this Unbounce template

Gated content pages

Gated content pages offer visitors something valuable like a guide, template, or checklist in exchange for their contact information—typically just their name and email address. As an example, Later was able to hit a 60% conversion rate on their gated content landing pages.

Use this Unbounce template

Stage 2: Middle-of-funnel (MOFU)

In the middle-of-funnel (MOFU) stage, prospects begin to engage more deeply with your brand. At this stage, the goal is to nurture these leads by providing more detailed information and building a relationship with them.

Objectives at MOFU:

• Build trust with case studies, testimonials, and in-depth content.
• Provide value through detailed information that solves problems.
• Encourage consideration by highlighting the benefits of your products or services.

Middle-of-funnel landing page types and examples

Free trial pages

Free trial pages offer a free trial of your product or service in exchange for an email address.

Use this Unbounce template

Product demo pages

Product demo pages let prospects either test drive parts of your product through an interactive demo, or show them how it works through a recorded demo video.

Use this Unbounce template

Case study pages

Case study pages share real customer success stories to build trust with prospects and show how you help similar companies solve similar problems.

Image courtesy of Unbounce

Content library pages

Content libraries can take many shapes, but in this context, picture a detailed buyers guide that’s targeting a prospect who already has a baseline understanding of a problem you can help them solve and is looking for more advanced information.

Image courtesy of Wayfair

Comparison pages

Comparison pages compare your product with competitors to highlight your unique selling points.

Image courtesy of Close

You can also approach comparison pages from an “us vs many” perspective as well, where you zoom out to look at multiple competitors on the same page. Take a look at our Unbounce vs competitors page as an example.

Stage 3: Bottom-of-funnel (BOFU)

In the bottom-of-funnel (BOFU) stage, prospects are ready to make a purchasing decision. At this stage, the goal is to convert these leads into paying customers.

Objectives at BOFU:

• Drive conversions with compelling calls to action and offers.
• Address final objections with clear answers to remaining questions.
• Facilitate the purchase process by ensuring a smooth checkout experience.

Bottom-of-funnel landing page types and examples

Checkout pages

Checkout pages are focused entirely on the final stages of a purchase. The goal is to reduce friction, simplify the checkout process, and clear the pathway toward completing the transaction.

Image courtesy of AG1

Sales pages

Sales pages are persuasive pages that highlight the benefits and features of your product, aiming to close the sale.

Use this Unbounce template 

Consultation booking pages

Consultation booking pages offer a free consultation or demo to help finalize the decision-making process. These pages are common with service providers like agencies.

Use this Unbounce template

Pricing pages

Pricing pages clearly display pricing options and encourage visitors to make a purchase decision or reach out for more context or a custom quote.

Image courtesy of Notion

There’s plenty of different approaches you can take with a pricing page too. For example, while the Notion page above only shows bullets for what’s actually included in each tier, we use X’s and checkmarks on the Unbounce pricing page. The idea here is that X’s can act as a nudge toward the higher-level plans if you see certain features that are must-have’s for your specific needs.

There’s no “right answer” here though, so keep A/B testing.

Stages of a landing page sales funnel

Like marketing funnels, the landing page funnel can be split into three stages—top, middle, and bottom. The top is meant to push prospects into the funnel, the middle carries them through a series of steps, and the bottom captures their information or asks them to complete a purchase.

Click-through pages or start pages (top-of-funnel)

The top of your landing page funnel starts with a click-through page.

This is your “start” page.

The goal is simple and straightforward—click a CTA button to “start” the funnel. If your funnel is a multi-step quiz, this would be the first landing page prospects see with buttons prompting them to start the quiz. If your funnel is an account creation flow, the CTA buttons would be focused on—to no surprise—creating an account.

Engagement pages (middle-of-funnel)

The middle of your landing page funnel is where the options begin to open up. Your funnel could be a simple 1-2-3 sequence where the middle is just a single page, or it could be a complex flow with multiple paths a prospect can take. Both can work.

The goal at this stage is to engage your prospects.

By nature of reaching this stage, they’ve already shown interest in what your offering by clicking the button on your squeeze page. The focus now is on keeping them interested and carrying them through the stages of your funnel.

To keep the previous examples going, in a quiz funnel the middle pages would be the quiz itself. In an account creation funnel, the middle pages would likely be context gathering questions where you ask for company size, which department your prospect is part of, etc.

Conversion pages (bottom-of-funnel)

Finally, the bottom of your funnel is where you seal the deal. This is typically a single checkout page or lead capture page, but could be a few closely linked steps like a cart confirmation page then the checkout page. Either way, the objective here is simple:

Get your prospect to act.

In your quiz funnel, this would be where you gate the results from the quiz behind an email opt-in form. In your account creation funnel, this could be where you collect an email address or it could be where you ask for payment info, depending on your approach. This is also where an ecommerce funnel would push for the purchase to be completed.

How to build a landing page funnel

Building a landing page funnel involves several steps, each crucial to guiding your prospects from awareness to conversion. Here’s a simple guide to help you create an effective funnel.

Step 1: Choose a landing page builder

Pick a user-friendly landing page builder (like Unbounce) that will make it easy for you to design and publish your pages without needing any coding skills or dev resources. With Unbounce, you’ll have access to: 

• 100+ templates to start from,
• drag-and-drop features, 
• A/B testing tool,
• Popup and sticky bars functionality,
• AI optimization, and
• AI copywriting built in to help you get started quickly.

Step 2: Decide on the type of funnel you want to build

Start with your goal—like lead generation, product sales, event registrations, etc. From there, decide on the type of funnel you’re building, like a quiz, account creation flow, webinar, video sales letter, or something else. Each type of funnel has different steps and content to match your objectives.

Step 3: Create your click-through page

First, design a compelling click-through page with a clear call to action. Remember, the goal of your click-through page is simple and straightforward—persuade visitors to click the primary call to action and start the funnel. Keep the page clear and focused to avoid distractions.

Image courtesy of Sleep Number

Step 4: Create the middle parts of your funnel

Next, build out the “meat” of your funnel. This step is going to look different depending on the type of landing page funnel you decide to build, but generally speaking you’ll be creating a few different pages for visitors to progress through.

For most funnels, you’ll also be able to build these pages via your landing page builder (if you’re using Unbounce) since you can easily link one page to the next with your calls to action.

Image courtesy of Sleep Number

Step 5: Create your conversion page

Finally, build your final conversion page where you’ll be asking visitors to share their content info or complete a purchase. This is where conversion-centered design principles will be critical. You want to remove as much friction as possible from this page to maximize the percentage of prospects that complete the final stages of your funnel.

Step 6: Connect the dots between your funnel

Before you go live, make sure each page in your funnel flows smoothly to the next. Use links and calls to action to guide your visitors seamlessly through each stage. Make sure the transition between pages feels natural and logical.

And it may seem obvious, but it has to be said—test every single link yourself. Go through the entire funnel in an incognito window to make sure each link works and brings you to the destination it’s meant to.

Step 7: Integrate your funnel with your other marketing tools like CRM and email

Connect your funnel to any other core tools in your sales and marketing tech stack like your CRM and email marketing tools. This integration helps you track leads, automate follow-ups, and maintain engagement with your prospects.

Once again, after your integrations are in place—test everything. Make sure your follow up messages deliver and info for new leads ends up in the destinations it’s supposed to.

Step 8: Double-check that you have the proper analytics tracking in place

Set up analytics to monitor the performance of each page in your funnel. Tracking metrics like conversion rates and bounce rates will help you identify areas for improvement. If you’re using Unbounce, you’ll have built-in analytics around page visitors and conversion rates, and you can integrate your pages with Google Analytics natively.

Step 9: Launch your funnel and drive traffic to your click-through page

Once everything is set up and tested, launch your funnel and start driving traffic to your squeeze page. Use whichever marketing channels you have in place like social media, email, and PPC ads to attract visitors.

One simple way to turn the traffic tap on immediately (without ponying up even more on PPC campaigns) is to launch a popup or sticky bar on your website. For example, you could add a sitewide sticky bar banner that nudges visitors toward your click-through page so that no matter where visitors enter your website, they’re always one click away from your funnel.

Step 10: Consistently A/B test every step of your funnel

With your funnel now live, shift your focus toward constant testing to squeeze the absolute most juice out of the orange as you can.

With multiple pages throughout the funnel, each with dozens of test-worthy elements on the page, there’s no reason not to be running A/B tests 24/7. There’s always more to learn, and more conversions to earn.

Recommended reading: How a three-word A/B test led to triple-digit conversion growth

Landing page funnel best practices

Creating an effective landing page funnel requires following certain best practices to maximize conversions and guide visitors smoothly through the sales process. Here are key practices to keep in mind.

1. Follow the principles of conversion-centered design on your landing pages

Conversion-centered design (CCD) focuses on creating landing pages that drive specific actions and involves using persuasive design techniques and psychological triggers to guide visitors toward those actions. Key principles include creating a clear focus, building a logical structure, maintaining consistency, highlighting benefits, drawing attention, establishing trust, and reducing friction.

Why it’s important:

• Creates focus so visitors know exactly what action to take.
• Builds structure to guide visitors smoothly through the page.
• Reduces friction to make it easier for visitors to convert.

To put it as simply as possible, the fewer links you have on the landing page, the better your conversion rates will be.

2. Set up your analytics and tracking tools from the start

Setting up analytics and tracking tools is essential for monitoring the performance of your landing page funnel. Unbounce’s built-in analytics as well as tools like Google Analytics help you track key metrics such as conversion rates, bounce rates, and user behavior.

What gets measured gets managed, so make sure you have the proper tracking systems in place before you even go live with your landing pages.

Why it’s important:

• Tracks metrics to understand user behavior.
• Identifies weak points to allow for targeted improvements.
• Monitors performance to ensure your funnel is effective.

3. Don’t just press publish and then move on to the next thing

Launching your landing page funnel is just the beginning. It’s crucial to continually optimize and refine your funnel and landing pages based on data and feedback. Regularly test different elements, such as headlines, images, and calls to action, to see what works best.

A/B testing isn’t just a box to check from time to time. The best marketing teams adopt a culture of experimentation. This encourages every single person on the team to constantly be brainstorming, looking for inspiration, and asking questions that could potentially unlock greater and greater conversion rates.

Why it’s important:

• Leads to better performance through ongoing optimization.
• Identifies the most effective elements through regular testing.
• Ensures continuous improvement to keep your funnel effective.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Josh Gallant

Josh is the founder of Backstage SEO, an organic growth firm that helps SaaS companies capture demand. He’s a self-proclaimed spreadsheet nerd by day, volunteer soccer coach on weekends, and wannabe fantasy football expert every fall.

» More blog posts by Josh Gallant

What is A/B testing?

Imagine you’re picking a spot for dinner on a Friday night.

You weigh the distance, the menu, and the overall vibe, trying to figure out which restaurant will leave you feeling the most satisfied.

A/B testing is like that decision-making process but for your product. Instead of choosing between restaurants, you’re choosing between different landing page versions to see which one performs better.

Just like you need to know your restaurant preferences to make a satisfying choice, as a marketer, you need to understand your audience’s preferences and behaviors to satisfy their needs and turn them into customers. 

A/B testing helps you test different elements—like design, copy, or pricing—to see what clicks with your audience. Take Packlane, for example. This custom packaging company uses A/B testing to fine-tune its landing pages for various campaigns and customer segments, often creating new pages in a single day to capture shoppers when they’re most ready to buy.

Packlane goes suuuuper deep on their target segments. They recognize that every individual in their audience has unique needs and preferences, so they craft landing pages tailored to deliver a personalized experience accordingly. This level of customization ensures that every visitor feels understood and valued, leading to a more engaging and effective landing page experience.

With somewhere between 12 to 24 million ecommerce stores currently online, calling the industry competitive is putting it mildly. 

What sets successful brands apart? The ability to tap into and connect with niche audiences.

Jacob Donnelly, former B2B GM at Morning Brew and founder of A Media Operator, captured this perfectly when he said:

“This attempt at blitzscaling (the specific set of practices for igniting and managing dizzying growth) consumer media is over. The era of leading with growth models rather than differentiated, audience-first content is over. Publishers realize that smaller, more engaged audiences are where their livelihoods will last.”

Understanding these niches takes time and a lot of testing. By continually running A/B tests, you can refine your approach to cater specifically to your ideal customer. 

The real competition isn’t about being the best across the board but about being the best for YOUR unique audience. 

You might not be their BFF, but through strategic testing and data-driven insights, you can get to know your customers well enough to create compelling offers and designs that make them click “yes, sign me up” without a second thought.

Why is A/B testing crucial for ecommerce business?

The ecommerce industry is fast.

New companies are popping up all the time and the industry is still set to hit a staggering $6.3 trillion by EoY 2024. Yet, despite this colossal figure, the average conversion rate across ecommerce sites hovers around a modest 1.88%.

Paddy, a founder and conversion rate optimization (CRO) specialist, hits the nail on the head in his post on X (formerly Twitter):

“CRO is one of the best marketing channels, when done right, that a brand can make use of.

Everyone usually goes for the usual trifecta of ads, emails & creatives (which you 100% need) but they don’t optimise or test where these people go? It just doesn’t make sense.

You can simply increase the revenue of already visiting customers by increasing revenue per visitor and profit per visitor from your traffic through winning tests.

If you test on the other marketing channels, and not your website or funnel. 

Then you are genuinely leaving money on the table.”

If you only focus on ads, emails, and creatives—while completely ignoring your own landing pages and “owned” properties—you’re leaving money on the table. 

Ecommerce A/B testing is quite literally a game-changing tool for your business.

There’s no better way to optimize your online store’s performance. But doing it the right way, so you don’t backtrack or harm your brand rep, relies on 10 key steps to make sure all your dots are connected.

What ideas can you A/B test in ecommerce? (with examples)

Sometimes too much choice isn’t a good thing—and you have a lot of it when it comes to choosing what to test on your ecommerce landing page.

Headlines, form inputs, images, layout, and color schemes—the combinations are endless! Probably longer than all the digits in the number pi (okay, maybe not that long). 

Take First Midwest Bank, for instance. They broke away from their industry’s outdated brand guidelines to focus on customer-first design. 

Inspired by Medalia Art’s success with artist photos increasing conversions by 95%, the bank A/B tested 26 landing pages with state-specific photos and placed their form below the fold—a move most marketers would call risky, but that decision resulted in a 52% increase in conversions. 

Variant A: Form on the side.

Variant B: Form underneath.

We like the decision to put the form below the fold because they believed so much in the value of their offer. They were confident it could stand alone and be enough to increase interest, drive the scroll, and encourage an enthusiastic click-through.

With one problem, one hypothesis, and one idea, their business benefitted greatly.

Your idea can do the same. 

One thing we didn’t see in their process, though, is what got them to that hypothesis. Why the design? That decision likely came from a group brainstorm or a consulting session. 

In case you still need to do that because you’re at the start of your experiment, here are some ideas to bring to the table.

• Headlines: The headline is crucial for capturing attention. It should communicate how long the page will take to consume, what the page is about, who it’s for, and why it matters. Adding a compelling twist can also help.
• Form fields: Simplify form fields to only the essentials, use directional elements to guide users, and A/B test different versions to optimize completion rates. Ensure forms are mobile-friendly and follow up promptly to maintain user interest.
• Calls to action: Experiment with wording, color, size, and placement. Performable, for example, saw a 21% increase in click-through rates by changing their CTA button color from green to red.
• Above the fold: While First Midwest Bank found success with forms below the fold, content above the fold generally performs better.
• Color scheme: Different colors evoke different emotions. Testing color combinations can reveal which palette best influences user actions.
• Ecommerce product scheme: Test different layouts and arrangements of products on category and search result pages to see how they impact browsing and purchasing behavior.
• Social proof: Experiment with customer testimonials, reviews, and ratings to see how their placement affects conversions.
• Messaging and body copy: The tone, length, and style of your copy can influence user perceptions and actions. Test various approaches to find what resonates best with your audience.
• Pricing and offer testing: Different pricing strategies, discounts, and promotions can attract different customer segments. Test these to identify the most compelling offers.
• Landing page layout: The overall layout, including image and text placement and CTA positioning, can significantly impact engagement and conversion rates.

The possible combinations of A/B testing ideas in ecommerce truly are endless. To stay focused, keep your hypothesis and problem statement in front of you. This will help guide your decisions on what to test next.

Recommended reading: What to A/B test: 10 A/B testing ideas to inspire your experiments

A deeper dive into how to A/B test your ecommerce landing page 

Ecommerce probably has more landing page variants than any other industry. The seasonal nature, varied customer segments, and fierce competition make it crucial to test and nail your landing page for every campaign.

It’s the gateway to that sweet Shopify notification, the welcome mat to your online store’s front door, and the key to unlocking conversions.

No pressure, right? 

The best way to ensure your landing page is up to par is through rigorous testing.

A/B (or split) testing vs. multivariate testing for ecommerce: When to choose each method

There are two primary types of landing page tests you can run:

A/B tests and multivariate tests.

Choosing which to use isn’t always as easy as you may think. Each method has its strengths and ideal scenarios. Let’s break down when to use each one and how they can help boost your page’s performance.

A/B testing

A/B testing involves creating two (or more) versions of the same landing page and running them simultaneously to see which performs better. The key here is to test only one variable at a time.

For example, Variant A could have a different headline than Variant B, but that should be the only difference between them. This approach allows you to pinpoint the exact element driving performance changes. 

To measure success, establish clear metrics or KPIs for comparing your landing page variants.

Multivariate testing

Unlike A/B testing, multivariate testing allows you to test multiple elements simultaneously. This method creates various combinations of elements together for you to test. For example, you might have:

• Variant A testing → Headline, form position, CTA
• Variant B testing → Color scheme, photos, body copy
• Variant C testing → Form fields, CTA, layout

Because you’re testing more variables, you need a larger sample size to ensure your results are statistically significant.

Traffic optimization

A/B testing and multivariate testing help determine what content works best for your audience, but optimizing traffic ensures the right people see it.

Unbounce’s Smart Traffic is an AI-powered tool that analyzes visitor attributes like device, location, and browser to optimize traffic and improve conversions.

Why landing pages are a must in ecommerce

The reality is this:

Landing pages sell your product.

You need them to give visitors a full experience of your brand and brand beliefs, and prove that you know their story well enough to sell them the product on your page.

Sustainable diaper startup, DYPER, took storytelling to another level to make sure their landing page resonated with their specific customer.

You might not know this if you don’t have children, but disposing of diapers is a major issue. In the United States, disposable diapers are responsible for about 2% of landfill waste and can take up to 500 years to decompose.

Source

DYPER aimed to combat this stat with AI-powered subscription services for their plant-based, compostable diapers in pursuit of reducing landfill waste.

It was a great mission. There was only one problem:

Their unique selling proposition wasn’t persuasive enough on its own.

Instead, they decided to expand on the story to make sure their target audience understood the gravity of their message.

Over six months, they created and tested targeted landing pages emphasizing different value propositions like discounts, sustainability, and heartwarming brand initiatives. These efforts generated over 6,000 conversions, primarily resulting in long-term subscriptions. 

Using Unbounce, DYPER efficiently created and customized landing pages, ensuring their brand story was consistently communicated, significantly impacting customer engagement and conversion rates.

Creating a landing page testing strategy involves avoiding common mistakes, analyzing essential metrics and KPIs, and following key rules for effective testing. For more insights and detailed strategies, visit Unbounce’s guide on landing page testing

Creating a landing page testing strategy for ecommerce

Creating a landing page testing strategy is a bit like being a detective in the world of digital marketing. You need to crack the case of what makes your visitors click.

Here’s how to solve the mystery:

Step 1: Formulate hypotheses

Start by playing detective with your data. Analyze what’s currently happening on your landing page and make educated guesses on what changes could boost performance. Prioritize these changes based on their potential impact and ease of implementation.

Step 2: Establish a baseline

Know where you stand. Dive into your current landing page’s performance metrics to understand what’s working and what isn’t. You need a clear starting point to measure improvements effectively.

Step 3: Set clear goals

What does success look like for you? Define specific, measurable goals such as sign-ups, downloads, or sales. These KPIs should directly align with your business objectives.

Step 4: Choose the right tools

Equip yourself with the right tools for the job. There are plenty of landing page testing tools out there. Pick one that fits your needs and budget—like Unbounce, which has A/B testing built right in.

Step 5: Identify variables and create variations

Decide which elements of your landing page you want to test. Create different versions for each element—be it headlines, images, or CTA buttons. For example, if you’re testing headlines, come up with several versions to find the most effective one.

Step 6: Calculate time and traffic requirements

Before launching your test, estimate how long it needs to run and the amount of traffic required for statistically significant results. Use a sample size calculator if necessary.

Step 7: Analyze and deploy

Once your test is complete, analyze the results. Which version won? Implement the winning version on your live landing page and start planning your next test.

Step 8: Document learnings

Whether your hypothesis was proven correct or not, there’s always something to learn. Document what worked, what didn’t, and why. This information is invaluable for future tests and broader marketing strategies.

Common ecommerce landing page testing mistakes to avoid

Even seasoned pros can stumble when it comes to testing landing pages. Here are some common pitfalls to sidestep:

• Testing without a plan: Changing elements you think will make a difference without prior research confirming that’s the right element to test.
• Testing without enough data: Just like you need to know your Cost Per Lead (CPL) before you can judge how much monthly/quarterly spend on paid campaigns is adequate, you also need enough baseline data to determine what normal engagement looks like on your page so you can test against that. This means you know what average looks like, and you have numbers to prove it.
• Stopping tests too early: This is like the saying “a watched pot never boils” or waiting for a plant to grow. If you’re too eager to move on or too eager for growth, you’ll likely make conclusions before a CRO test has enough time to reach and engage members of your audience to its fullest potential.
• Not defining a primary metric: Conversions might be the ultimate goal, but they don’t have to be the only metric that determines a successful CRO test. There are 10 key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics you should consider monitoring before you launch your CRO test. Choose wisely and track accordingly. 
• Using a sample size that is too small: Running tests on a page that gets very little traffic is unlikely to give you meaningful results for your business. It’ll either take more time, or you’ll have to set the test up all over again. Make sure you test a page that consistently gets enough traffic.
• Changing variables mid-test: Altering elements while a test is running is like changing the rules halfway through a game. Stick to your original setup to keep your results valid.
• Chasing winners: Anytime you run an experiment, you need to be aware of your own bias. If you find that every test you run proves your hypothesis right, that should be a signal that you might be thinking about yourself more than your audience.

Experiments are about learning.

You should be eager to learn something new about your audience from each test that allows you to get more specific in setting up your landing page. If you don’t, you’re not really testing, are you?

Essential ecommerce landing page testing metrics and KPIs to analyze

We’ve talked a lot about the importance of tracking data and measuring the impact of your landing page tests. To help you get started, we’ve put together a handy list of key metrics you should be keeping an eye on.

1. Conversion rate

Conversion rate is the golden metric—it measures the percentage of visitors who complete the desired action, such as signing up, downloading, or purchasing. It’s your ultimate gauge of how effective your landing page is at driving actions.

2. Click-through rate (CTR)

CTR tracks how many visitors click on a CTA or link on your landing page. A high CTR usually signals that your content or offers are compelling and engaging.

3. Bounce rate

This metric shows the percentage of visitors who land on your page and then leave without interacting further. A high bounce rate might indicate that your page isn’t hitting the mark or doesn’t meet visitor expectations.

4. Form abandonment rate

Ever wondered how many people start filling out a form but don’t finish? This metric helps you pinpoint problems with the form itself—whether it’s too complicated or feels too invasive.

5. Average time on page

Think of this like gauging how long someone lingers in a store—it tells you how engaging and relevant your content is.

According to a study by Nielsen Norman Group, the average time users spend on a webpage is about 15 seconds. However, landing pages that effectively capture attention and provide value can see average times on page of 30-60 seconds or more. If visitors are staying longer, it usually means they’re finding your page interesting and worth their time.

6. Page views/unique page views

Page views tell you how often your landing page is being seen, while unique page views filter out multiple views by the same user. This helps you get a clearer picture of your actual audience size.

7. Lead generation metrics

For landing pages focused on generating leads, tracking both the quantity and quality of leads is key. This tells you not just how many people are interested, but how many of them might turn into potential customers.

8. Traffic sources

Knowing where your visitors are coming from—be it social media, email links, or organic search—helps you tailor your content and strategies to better align with your audience’s habits and preferences.

With these metrics in hand, you’ll be well-equipped to assess and optimize your landing page testing efforts for better results.

Recommended reading: 10 A/B testing metrics to analyze results and measure success

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Landing pages

Conversion optimization

Digital marketing

Lead generation

What is a call to action?

A call to action (CTA) is exactly what it sounds like—you’re asking your audience to do something specific. Think “buy now” buttons, email signup forms, or free trial offers. CTAs are the final step that moves people from “just looking” to taking real action on your page. Skip this, and you might as well wave goodbye to your conversions.

PS: Wanna skip straight to the CTA examples?

We’re for the people. If you’re curious about the different types of CTAs you can use and how the Unbounce team recommends crafting CTAs that convert—keep scrolling.

If you’d rather skip ahead…

Jump to the examples.

How to write an effective call to action

Here’s the deal: creating compelling CTAs isn’t rocket science. Let’s break down the five elements that make people click—no marketing degree required.

1. Make it impossible to miss

Your CTA needs to stand out on the page through strategic placement and smart design. Whether it’s on your web page, blog post, or ad campaigns, your call to action should catch attention even during a quick scroll. Mix up colors, fonts, and other elements to help it pop.

2. Keep it crystal clear

The decision making process should be dead simple. One CTA, one action. Sure, you might need multiple CTA buttons sometimes (like on sales pages), but each one should direct users to a specific next step. No mixed messages here.

3. Show what happens next

People want to know what they’re getting into. Want them to create a free account? Get instant access to a download? Book a free proposal? Tell them exactly that. The more specific you are about what happens after the click, the more likely they are to take immediate action.

4. Use words that motivate

Great calls to action use strong verbs that encourage users to act. Try starting with words like:

• “Get” (Get started, Get access)
• “Start” (Start free, Start learning)
• “Join” (Join now, Join free)
• “Create” (Create account, Create your plan)
• “Discover” (Discover more, Discover how)

You can also experiment with first-person point-of-view (“Give me my deal”), positive affirmations (“Yes, I want to 10X my ROI”), and creating a sense of urgency (“In limited supply. Claim yours today!”).

5. Optimize and test

Sometimes the best approach to writing calls to action is to test out several variations. When it comes to optimizing copy, a call to action is one of the easiest things to swap out (and even small changes can make a big impact on your conversions). Smart Traffic uses AI to analyze your visitors and automatically display the most effective CTA to each person.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. What is a call to action?
2. How to write effective CTAs
3. The different types of CTAs
4. Real-world CTA examples
5. Bonus tips and even more call to action examples

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Emily Bauer

Emily is a freelance writer and content marketer from Toronto. She helps tech companies and startups develop awesome content for their blogs, websites, and social media. When she’s not writing or thinking about writing, Emily can be found chilling on her yoga mat, loitering in bookstores, or exploring the city with her super cute (and super spoiled) corgi, Wilbert.

» More blog posts by Emily Bauer

Paul Park

Paul is a writer on Unbounce’s content team who lives and breathes storytelling. (It’s like oxygen but with better plotlines!) Ask him what he’s up to at any given moment and you’ll get answers ranging from folding paper dragons (y’know, origami) to catching up on the latest cool tech, and finding other ways to channel his inner geek.

» More blog posts by Paul Park

Josh Gallant

Josh is the founder of Backstage SEO, an organic growth consulting firm that helps B2B SaaS companies capture demand from search. He’s a self-proclaimed spreadsheet nerd by day, volunteer soccer coach by night (and weekends), and wannabe fantasy football expert every fall.

» More blog posts by Josh Gallant

QUICK TIP

Every person who lands on your page has different needs, preferences, and ways of making decisions.

Smart Traffic gets that. Instead of showing everyone the same page, it figures out which version will resonate best with each visitor. Teams using this AI-powered approach see their conversion rates jump by 30% on average.

Curious how it could help your campaigns?

Check out Smart Traffic.

The primary types of calls to action (plus quick CTA examples for each)

Let’s break down the main types of CTAs you’ll use throughout your marketing. Think of these as different tools in your toolbox—each one has its own special job in moving customers along their journey with your brand.

Lead generation CTAs

These CTAs help you find people interested in what you’re selling. They’re like friendly waves that invite people to learn more about you by sharing a bit about themselves. Use these when you want to build your email list or get more qualified leads in your pipeline.

Quick lead generation CTA examples:

• “Get your free social media toolkit”
• “Download our 2025 industry report”
• “Save your spot in our free webinar”
• “Get a personalized quote”
• “Grab your marketing template”
• “Talk to an expert”
• “Join our exclusive newsletter”

Click-through CTAs 

These are your bread-and-butter buttons that move people from one page to another. They work great in emails, ads, and landing pages when you want to build interest or help people discover more about what you offer.

Quick click-through CTA examples:

• “See how it works”
• “Check out our newest features”
• “Learn more about [product]”
• “Discover what’s new”
• “Take a closer look”
• “Browse our collection”
• “See it in action”

Sales and signups

Here’s where you ask for the sale or get people to create an account. These CTAs need to be crystal clear about what happens next—no surprises. They work best when someone’s already interested and ready to take that next big step.

Quick sales and signup CTA examples:

• “Start your free trial”
• “Create your account”
• “Buy now with [payment method]”
• “Sign up for free”
• “Join [product name] Pro”
• “Get started today”
• “Claim your discount”

Want to learn more about how ecommerce brands are using landing pages to drive sales? Check out 27 ecommerce landing page examples to maximize sales.

Click-to-call buttons

Sometimes people just want to talk to a real person. Click-to-call buttons make that super easy, especially on mobile devices. They’re perfect for businesses that handle complex sales or offer services that need a conversation.

Quick click-to-call CTA examples:

• “Call us now”
• “Speak with an advisor”
• “Get immediate help”
• “Talk to sales”
• “Book a call”
• “Call for free quote”
• “Get answers now”

For an example of just how well this can work, check out how clever call tracking helped this agency get 219% more leads.

Social engagement

These CTAs help you build your social media presence and create a community around your brand. They’re more casual and fun than other types, which makes sense—social media is where people go to be social, after all.

Quick social engagement CTA examples:

• “Follow us for daily tips”
• “Share your story”
• “Join the conversation”
• “Tag us in your photos”
• “Subscribe to our channel”
• “Drop a in the comments”
• “Save this post for later”

Brands that successfully promote their products and services on social media use calls to action to drive engagement. By asking viewers to follow, share, like, comment, or smash that subscribe button, you can broaden your reach, increase your following, and build relationships with potential customers.

How to decide which type of CTA to use

Here’s the thing about choosing the right CTA—it’s all about matching where your customer is in their journey with what they need right now. Think of it like a conversation. You wouldn’t ask someone to marry you on the first date, right? Same idea here.

If your visitor is just getting to know you:

• Use click-through CTAs to help them explore (“See how it works”)
• Try social engagement CTAs to start building a relationship (“Follow us for daily tips”)
• Keep things low-commitment and focused on providing value

If they’re showing real interest:

• Lead generation CTAs make sense here (“Get your free guide”)
• Click-to-call buttons work well if they might have questions (“Book a quick call”)
• Focus on getting them to take that next step in learning more

If they’re ready to make a move:

• Now’s the time for those sales and signup CTAs (“Start your free trial”)
• Make it crystal clear what happens next
• Remove any friction between them and that final action

But here’s what really matters: stick to one main CTA per page. Our data shows that focusing on a single, clear action drastically improves conversion rates. Think of it like a good menu recommendation—instead of listing every dish, the best servers suggest exactly what you’ll love based on your tastes.

The perfect CTA shows people their clear next step.

No confusion, no overwhelm—just the right action at the right time. Before choosing your CTA type, ask yourself: “What’s the one most helpful thing our visitors can do right now?” That’s your answer.

15 kick-butt call to action examples

Unbounce customers are using CTAs to drive customer actions across a range of industries and use cases. Use these great CTA examples to inspire your next CTA, or A/B test ‘em against one that’s not doing so well. 

The call to action examples shown below are divided into the following types:

• CTAs with strong copy and good design
• CTAs that do more with less
• CTAs that bend the rules, in a good way
• CTAs that use the rule of threes

CTA examples that combine strong copy with good design

It’s a simple equation: (good copy) + (good visuals) = (good CTA). Here are some examples.

1. The Listings Lab (gated content)

“Fill your calendar with appointments”

Here’s a call to action example from The Listings Lab that reminds us CTAs don’t exist in a vacuum. Even the smartest CTA button copy doesn’t work magic without an assist from a strong headline, supporting copy, and visual cues. Not only is the button itself designed to stand out, but there’s literally an arrow directing readers from the small print to the CTA.

Why this approach is effective

• By promising to show real estate agents how to “fill [their] calendar with appointments” without “working more hours,” the Listings Lab creates some serious incentive for agents to “get [their] free download.” (Alec Baldwin’s character from Glengarry Glen Ross would probably approve.) 
• Plus, the headline serves as a clever way to qualify leads by speaking directly to agents who are “stuck at 6-figures.”

There are tons of ways to match gated content with a simple call to action to generate leads. For more real-world examples like this one, take a look at 8 High-Converting Lead Generation Landing Page Examples.

2. Procurify (clickthrough)

“Explore our platform →”

Well-written copy is an essential part of every CTA ( says the writer), but design elements also play an important role in establishing an enjoyable experience. On this Procurify page, when the visitor hovers the mouse cursor over the CTA buttons or taps the button on a touchscreen, the arrow inside the circle “lights up.” This makes the page feel responsive and gives the visitor the sense that something is actually happening when they click or tap.

Why this approach is effective

Sometimes it’s the little things that can make a difference. 

• By adding a small interactive design element to their CTA buttons, Procurify makes the landing page experience feel more engaging. It’s basically a small reward for performing a desired action, like giving your dog a treat for doing a trick properly (but without all the doggy drool).

For some tips on how to create CTA templates that will make people want to click, see How to build and optimize CTA buttons that convert.

3. Indochino (appointment booking)

“The tailor is in”

By letting visuals of their suits do much of the selling, Indochino shows potential customers what they can aspire to, rather than telling them why they should book an appointment. In this context, their approach makes sense. Afterall, Indochino doesn’t sell one-size-fits-all clothing—but they do aim to make all of their customers look their best.

Why this approach is effective

• The call to action itself (a basic, “Book an appointment”) comes across as more of a low-pressure invitation than a marketing move. 
• However, they also sweeten the incentive and create a minor sense of urgency by mentioning that booking your appointment by a certain date will enter you into a draw for a “perfectly tailored wardrobe.”

CTA examples that do more with less

Sometimes simpler is better, like you’ll see with these CTA examples.

4. CloudSpot (app download)

“Get your app”

In this example, CloudSpot uses a lead magnet to attract potential customers, build an email list, and drive app downloads. The entire page is perfectly catered to their target audience (wedding and portrait photographers), which immediately tells leads that they’ve landed in the right place. 

Why this approach is effective

• The call to action is written with the audience in mind. By encouraging readers to “Get YOUR App” instead of “Get OUR app,” CloudSpot cleverly places further emphasis on the reader and draws them into the page. 
• Plus, by promising to help photographers “replace awkward, unnatural moments” with more flattering poses, the benefits are clearly stated in terms related to the audience’s pain points.

5. Moona (information resource)

“The science”

Moona knows that sleeping on a cool pillow is the best, but some page visitors might need to be educated about the benefits of the Moona pillow-cooling system. An explanation of the science behind how temperature regulation can improve sleep helps visitors not only understand but also feel why this product is for them.

This CTA starts off with copy that makes a bold, attention-grabbing statement (“A cool head means better sleep”), then invites the visitor to click through and dive into the science with a simple, yet clear CTA button message that identifies what the visitor will see next: “The science.” 

Why this approach is effective

In the most effective CTAs all the elements work well together, creating a cohesive message that informs, convinces, and spurs the reader to action. This CTA accomplishes that well by setting up a strong expectation (which is aided by the image of the person peacefully enjoying some ZZZs), then clearly identifying the next step. 

6. Waldo Contacts (free trial)

“Get ready to see happiness”

The secret to good copywriting is balancing cleverness with clarity. It’s not always an easy balance, but Waldo’s tagline “Get ready to see happiness” is both cute and concise, making it perfect for this contact lens subscription service—especially when paired with a straightforward benefits statement and a direct CTA.

Why this approach is effective

This call to action example by Waldo effectively drives website visitors to start a free trial because even though the tagline leans towards clever, the call to action button itself is 100% clear about the reader’s next step (“Start your free trial”).

CTA examples that bend the rules, but do it well

Ever heard the quote “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist,” (which might or might not have been said by Pablo Picasso)? Well, even if the creators of these CTA buttons never heard of that, they’re certainly channeling the spirit of it.

7. Sourcebooks (contest entry)

“Enter to WIN a signed copy!”

Sourcebooks used this landing page to attract leads interested in winning a signed copy of The Similars by Rebecca Hanover. The contest served two valuable purposes: to get people excited for the book (and boost future sales from those who don’t win a free copy) and to build a targeted list of potential leads (by collecting contact info from those who are most interested in this particular genre and author).

Why this approach is effective

Although we typically don’t recommend CTA buttons that simply say “submit,” in this case the heading encourages readers to fill out the form (“Enter to WIN a signed copy!”) so it might still be effective. It’d be worth testing out more actionable copy on the button itself (like “Sign me up!” or “I want to win!”) to see how it impacts conversions.

The round button in the top left corner presents a second, competing call to action (“Click here for an excerpt”). Interestingly enough, this strategy also goes against conventional advice, which would be to focus on one call to action per page to prevent diluting your conversions. However, it works well in this use case because the main CTA is not related to a purchase and because the secondary CTA is an option to preview an excerpt from the book—which actually adds value to the main action of entering the contest, rather than competing.

8. Athabasca University (program registration)

“Let’s get you started”

Athabasca University uses landing pages like the one above to drive enrollment for online courses. In this case, they use a soft CTA above the form to get visitors to fill it out. Like we mentioned in the Athabasca University example above,  although  “submit” doesn’t usually make for the best button copy, the clear simplicity of it works well here.

The heading “Let’s get you started…” is less of an order to do something and more of a supportive pat on the back. This tells prospective students, right from the get-go, the school is ready to provide support and help them achieve their goals.

Why this approach is effective

The biggest lesson here is that writing for your audience and speaking to their needs is more important than blindly following any hard and fast rules for call to action writing. If you’re looking to improve your conversion rate for signups or account creation, check out some more of our tips for creating signup pages that convert.

9. Awayco (equipment rental)

“Free the funk”

The use case for this example is a bit different, so the approach is a bit different, too. Awayco is an equipment rental company for surfers and other outdoor enthusiasts. The call to action changes a bit throughout the page, ranging from “Free the funk” to “Book the board” to “I’d like to ride that.” It’s this last one, in particular, that’s interesting because rather than simply asking visitors to do something, Awayco is putting words directly into their mouths—and potentially putting ideas into their heads.

Why this approach is effective

Trying out different calls to action is kind of like A/B testing within a single landing page. (If you have a heatmap set up on the page, you can see which one visitors click more often.) But more importantly, the variety of CTAs give Awayco more opportunities to play with language and show their audience that they’re on the same, ahem, wavelength.

CTA examples that use the rule of threes

For some inexplicable reason, people are attracted to lists of items in threes, like “blood, sweat, and tears” or “snap, crackle, and pop.” A similar principle can apply to CTAs on a page.

10. Shoelace (free download)

“Download the deck”

As a Good Witch once said, if you want a wish to come true you must repeat it three times (we’re paraphrasing here).

Why this approach is effective

By repeating the exact same call to action three times throughout this landing page (“Download the Deck”), Shoelace keeps the desired action top of mind and reinforces the visitor’s next step at the end of each benefits section. It also keeps the CTA buttons conveniently within reach, so the visitor doesn’t need to scroll far to reach a button—something that’s especially important on mobile.

We also love this example simply because the landing page and call to action design both embody the pop-art animated aesthetic of the brand perfectly—and you can bet the deck matches it as well.

11. ClaimCompass (clickthrough)

“Claim your compensation”

Much like the Shoelace example above, ClaimCompass drives home the audience’s goal by repeating the call to action three times.

Why this approach is effective

ClaimCompass switches  up the wording for each CTA in an attempt to match the reader’s intent.

They start off with the most forward phrasing at the top of the page (“Claim your compensation”) and tailor the next call to action to readers who are scrolling further for more information—perhaps because they’re unsure if they qualify (“Check if your flight is eligible”). At the very bottom of the page, ClaimCompass ends with the most urgent version of the call to action (“Check your flight now”) to re-engage leads who have scrolled to the bottom.

Bonus tips to keep in mind (+4 more call to action examples)

If you’re still searching for inspiration, there are plenty of awesome call to action examples out there in the wild. Here are a few lessons you can learn from big-name brands.

Match the messaging to your product

At first glance, there’s not a lot going on here on this Wealthsimple page, and that’s a big part of what makes this call to action example worth showcasing. The three-word headline and straightforward messaging explain exactly what the product does in the simplest way possible. Not only is this plain old good copy, but the simplicity is also a nod to just how easy it is to “get started.”

Why this approach is effective 

This page appeals to those who don’t want to make their own investing choices or actively manage their funds. The clean, simple design and basic language mirror the hands-off user experience offered by this platform. The minimalist messaging aligns with their easy onboarding and low-touch product experience.

The biggest lesson from this example? Keep your page design and call to action minimalist for low-touch products. Or, to apply this more generally, match the messaging to your product and audience pain points.

Use two-step user flows to gauge (and grow) commitment 

Glo shows off  a great example of how different CTAs can be used at specific points in the customer journey to build momentum and investment.

When leads first visit the page above, they’re invited to start a 15-day free trial. Rather than taking those who click “Try us free” straight to the sign-up page, leads are redirected to a landing page designed to learn more about them.

Why this approach is effective

Everything about this user flow is designed to increase adoption and retention. By inviting prospects to customize their practice (with a casual, non-committal “Sounds good,” no less), Glo is taking advantage of leads’ interest and drawing them deeper into the app experience before they’ve even taken their first class.

Of course, those who click “No thanks” are simply redirected to complete registration. But if you do decide to “design your unique practice,” you’re telling Glo about your skill level and class preferences—which not only gets you more invested in using the app, but also allows them to provide custom recommendations and keep you engaged with relevant messaging.

Nip objections in the bud

We’re highlighting this Honey page because it’s such a simple, smart example of catering directly to your ideal audience. In this case, the target customer is budget-conscious, which is why they’re interested in the product in the first place. They’re looking for savings and likely wary of hidden fees or extra expenses. That’s why the button doesn’t just say “Add to Chrome.”

Why this approach is effective

By clarifying that Honey is free to download, the call to action provides extra context and pre-emptively addresses the most relevant customer objection: the cost (especially for a coupon-finding extension).

Play up customer FOMO

How often do people “reserve” shoes before they’re available? Most of us probably don’t—at least, not outside of a compelling Kickstarter campaign. Yet, that’s exactly what Vessi is encouraging website visitors to do in this unconventional CTA example.

Why this approach is effective

Vessi taps into consumers’ “fear of missing out” (FOMO) by urging them to pre-order (or “reserve”) a yet-to-be-released sneaker style. This not only builds excitement and creates a sense of exclusivity around the product, but also motivates shoppers to commit to a future purchase.

In this case, the CTA appears on the homepage to draw attention and send more traffic to a specific store page. You can achieve the same effect by using popups and sticky bars to add clickable CTAs to your website or landing page. Best of all, popups and sticky bars make it easy to experiment with different CTA language, placement, and design to see what clicks (and encourages clicks)—without making changes to the rest of your copy.

Common CTA mistakes (and how to avoid them)

Look, we’ve seen thousands of CTAs in our time—and honestly, some of them make us cringe. Before you hit publish on your next call-to-action, let’s walk through the mistakes that can tank your conversion rates faster than you can say “submit form.”

Throwing too many CTAs at your visitors

Here’s the biggest CTA mistake we see: turning your page into a button festival. You know the type—”Sign up!” “Download!” “Subscribe!” “Follow!” “Buy!” all competing for attention.

Multiple CTAs aren’t always bad, but they need a clear hierarchy. Think of it like a dinner party—you want one main course, not five competing entrees. Your page should have:

• One primary CTA (the star of the show)
• Optional secondary CTAs (supporting acts only)
• Clear visual hierarchy (make the main CTA stand out)

Writing CTAs that sound like robots wrote them

Nobody—and we mean nobody—has ever been excited to “submit” anything. Yet we keep seeing CTAs that sound like they were written by robots who’ve never met a human.

Great CTAs use action-oriented language that feels natural. “Get my free guide” beats “Download now” because it tells you what you’re actually getting. Think conversation, not command.

Forgetting about different platforms, devices and customer journey stages

Here’s a face-palm moment: your CTA looks amazing on your desktop but turns into a tiny, unclickable speck on mobile. Ouch.

Your CTA message needs to make sense everywhere it appears—from Google Ads to landing pages to email campaigns. A “Sign up now” button might work great on your landing page, but that same message could fall flat in an early-stage blog post where readers are just getting to know you. Match your CTA’s message to where people are in their journey, no matter where they find you.

Missing opportunities to personalize

Want to know why some CTAs convert like crazy? They’re personal. Instead of showing everyone the same “Learn More” button, smart marketers adjust their CTAs based on user behavior.

First-time visitor? Show them a low-commitment CTA. Returning customer? Get more specific with what you offer. It’s like being a good host—you wouldn’t serve a vegetarian a steak, right?

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Explore our resource library

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Conversion optimization

Digital marketing

Landing pages

Digital content

As UX expert Steve Krug once famously put it, “Don’t make me think.”

Today we’re going to cover 14 examples of sign up pages that get both patience and attention right. But before we get our hands dirty, let’s take a closer look at what a sign up page is.

What is a sign up page?

A sign up page is a dedicated landing page that turns visitors into users, customers, or subscribers. It’s that simple.

For software companies, your sign up page might lead people straight into starting a free trial. For ecommerce brands, it could be where shoppers create an account or join your email list. And for service businesses, it’s often where potential clients take that first step to work with you.

The magic of a sign up page is its focus—it’s built for one thing only: getting those registrations. Nothing more, nothing less.

Why you need dedicated sign up pages

Picture this: A visitor clicks “sign up” from your blog post and—bam—they’re staring at a blank form asking them to enter their email and choose a password. No context. No explanation of what happens next. Just a form floating in space. That’s what happens without a dedicated sign up page, and it’s a conversion killer. Here’s why you need one:

Less friction, more conversions

When potential customers hit a dedicated registration page, they know exactly what they’re getting into. Your sign up page tells the full story—what they’ll get, how it works, and why it matters. This context builds confidence, and confident website visitors are way more likely to complete your signup process.

A guided experience that works

Think of your sign up page as your digital sales rep. It walks your target audience through what to expect, answers key questions, and removes doubt. Without this guidance, you’re basically asking people to make a decision in the dark. And in the dark? That’s where form conversions go to die.

Control over the journey

A dedicated landing page lets you craft the perfect path to conversion. You can test different messages, tweak your user friendly flow, and optimize every element that matters. When you know exactly where and how people are converting, you can make it better every single time.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. What’s a sign up page?
2. Why you need dedicated sign up pages
3. What should be included on a sign up page?
4. 14 great sign up landing page examples
5. How to create a sign up landing page

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Valerio Puggioni

Valerio is a SaaS copywriter and content creator with a passion for tech and combat sports. Armed with a PhD.c in North Korean propaganda studies, he lives in Bangkok with his partner and his dog, who he tortures all day long with his tone-deaf singing. He wiles away his days playing story-driven open-world games, and reading comics and popular physics books. You can read more about him @ Copygun.com.

» More blog posts by Valerio Puggioni

Paul Park

Paul is a writer on Unbounce’s content team who lives and breathes storytelling. (It’s like oxygen but with better plotlines!) Ask him what he’s up to at any given moment and you’ll get answers ranging from folding paper dragons (y’know, origami) to catching up on the latest cool tech, and finding other ways to channel his inner geek.

» More blog posts by Paul Park

Josh Gallant

Josh is the founder of Backstage SEO, an organic growth consulting firm that helps B2B SaaS companies capture demand from search. He’s a self-proclaimed spreadsheet nerd by day, volunteer soccer coach by night (and weekends), and wannabe fantasy football expert every fall.

» More blog posts by Josh Gallant

Types of sign up pages (and when to use them)

Here are the main types of sign up pages you’ll run into—and when each one makes the most sense.

Multi-step account creation

Think of these as the choose your own adventure books of the signup process. Instead of hitting users with one massive form, you break the account creation flow into digestible chunks. Each step feels like a small win, making the registration process less daunting.

Here’s why they work:

• Users create accounts without feeling overwhelmed
• Form fields appear one step at a time
• The signup process simple and clear
• Perfect for complex products or services

Email collection pages

Sometimes, you just need an email. These pages are all about making newsletter signup dead simple. No password fields, no twenty questions—just an email signup form that gets straight to the point.

The magic here? Your user’s email address is the only thing standing between them and your valuable content. When you’re offering something really good, that’s all you need.

Quick registration pages

These registration pages are built for speed. Users fill out a bare minimum of info and boom—they’re in. It’s perfect when you need a signup form that doesn’t scare people away with too many questions.

The key is keeping it ultra-focused:

• One simple form
• Clear error messages
• Strong form conversions
• Essential info only

Wanna learn how other SaaS marketers use landing pages to connect with customers? See how you can get a handle on your business and achieve unprecedented growth in our guide for SaaS marketers from Talia Wolf.

Essential elements of a high-converting sign up page

Like most landing pages, a high-converting sign up page must have some essential elements, like:

A clear benefit-driven headline

Your headline needs to grab your target audience’s attention right away. Instead of a generic “Sign up,” tell website visitors exactly what they’ll get. Think about what makes new users click—then make it pop with eye catching design elements that draw them in. “Start creating stunning designs today” beats “Sign up” every time.

Copy that provides any necessary details

Keep your essential information clear and user friendly. Your copy should focus on allowing users to understand exactly what they’re getting—and when. The best effective sign up forms don’t overwhelm with details; they give you just enough to feel confident clicking that button.

An attractive, eye-pleasing design

Your signup page needs to look sharp and professional. Build a user interface that feels hassle free from the first glance. Look at any good form example from top companies—notice how the design helps you focus on what matters.

A compelling call-to-action

Your call to action button is where everything comes together. Whether it’s for a free trial or business account, make your sign up button impossible to miss. The best simple signup form pairs a strong visual CTA with text that makes clicking feel natural and exciting.

“But wait.”

Yes, you there with your hand raised.

“Where’s the form?”

Exactly!

A great sign up page is one that might as well be yelling, “Look, ma. No hands!” You want to keep the f-f-f-friction to a minimum, either by keeping your form as short as possible or even hiding it until the right might moment. (Some smart examples of this tactic below.)

You can do this by having them click on the call-to-action, and voilà! A form appears, seemingly out of thin air. From there, you’ve got options. Will you lead them down a multi-page sequence? Or will you collect their email and get them to log onto your platform, where they’ll be prompted to follow dopamine-triggering queues? Or will you email them and start nurturing them that way?

14 great sign up landing page examples

A great sign up page follows all the principles of a great landing page with the aim of getting people to willingly hand over their details. Since we have 14 examples to review, let’s focus on actionable takeaways.

1. Ruby (registration sign up page)

Ruby is a virtual receptionist and chat company that gets the power of branding. Their gorgeous above-the-fold setup for this landing page is a perfect example of sign up done right.

Key points about this sign up page example:

• Direct headline: Make more sales when people reach out to you. They promise to help you create “happy customers” while you’re at it. 
• Clear body copy: The first sentence (“Missed calls are costing you customers”) is a swift punch to the gut. Hit ‘em where the pain point is. Then, tie that to your offer, with a bow. Well done. 
• Striking hero image: The yellow sticks out like a broken thumb, and the hand is tightly gripping the phone. There’s a clear gap between the caller and the target audience, symbolizing silence. Her expression. What is she thinking? This isn’t your typical stock image.
• Two buttons: We’d probably A/B test this setup against a single button, since you can easily find their phone number on the top right-hand corner. It might yield higher conversion rates.

Also, comparing this sign up page with Ruby’s homepage illustrates the different approach you need to take with your landing pages:

Fair headline, right? Unlike the sign up page, though, it ain’t about the target audience at all. “Meet Ruby” sounds a lot like something you’d say when introducing someone at a party. The body copy focuses on the company too. And the CTA? “Watch OUR Video.”

But the most significant difference lies in all those menu options. Buttons are popping out at you from almost every corner. That’s five buttons you get exposed to even before you start scrolling. Everything is calling for your attention, and you’re more likely to begin exploring than to convert. 

This works for a homepage, of course. It’s beckoning you to browse and get to know Ruby. But Ruby’s sign up page had a much tighter focus in its messaging suited to converting traffic from a paid campaign.

2. GraphicsZoo (email sign up page)

GraphicsZoo offers white-label design services for agencies. Its sign up page is sizzling hot in its simplicity. As a white-label graphic design service, they get landing page design. The GIF above gives you a sneak peek of the platform. That’s all you need to know that it’s got a gorgeous, useful, and intuitive UI. 

Key points about this sign up page example:

• Straightforward copy: The headline explains what the app is in simple terms. (That’s fine, but it might be worth testing a benefit-oriented headline. Something like, “Scaling white-label design services just got a whole lot easier.”) 
• Streamlined design: There are no menu items on this registration page. Just a single call to action, and it only wants your email address. Keeping the ask small makes it more likely that visitors will convert.

3. Flyhomes (registration sign up page)

Flyhomes makes buying and selling your homes easy, and profitable. (Their website copy is a fun read as well.)

Key points about this sign up page example:

• Well-designed form: Mm mm mm! If there’s one thing that’ll make me do a double-take, which is a super weird thing to do by yourself, it’s a remarkable form. (No, seriously.) Just look at that CTA: Start Now. There’s not a misleading word in there. (For example, it’s not, “Sign up now,” which wouldn’t be quite true.) And when you click on it, you’re prompted with, “Let’s Get Started.”
• Interactive design: Everything fades into the background when you click. All you need to do to get started is to give Flyhomes your email and whisper the sweet words every marketer wants to hear: “Nurture me.”

4. PointsBet (registration sign up page)

PointsBet is an online bookmaker for sports and entertainment, based out of New Jersey. Props to Zeller Media for putting this one together. The agency did a fantastic job creating this sign up page. 

Key points about this sign up page example:

• Irresistible offer: This example shows that you don’t need a long-form landing page to convince prospects to convert. Think about this for a moment. Not only is this registration page asking you to sign up, but it’s also straight-up telling you that you need to make a $10 commitment.
  • So how do you do that without scaring off your target audience? Offer them 10 times the amount back. Literally.
  • Veteran copywriter Roy Furr calls this the irresistible offer. Even a non-gambler can see the appeal. And for a gambler? It’s a no-brainer. Slip me an easy $10, which is peanuts, and you get $100 back. That’s a $90 profit! I’m no math scientist, but that’s a hell of a deal.

Grow your agency with landing pages. Find out how Unbounce can help you win more conversions for your clients and extend your menu of services using landing pages—no coding required.

5. Heymarket (demo sign up page)

Heymarket is a powerful SaaS platform that lets teams collaborate in business text messaging with customers.

Key points about this sign up page example:

• Strong headline: We like the headline in gray (“It’s not personal, it’s business”). It takes a saying that a villain in a movie might say to someone they’ve screwed over, and turns it on its head. This is business. Then the page tells you what the product is and ties it directly to the benefit in the headline. 
• Supporting body copy: The body copy simply expands upon the headline, before presenting the initial pricing. The image is also immediately recognizable as a SaaS design, so there’s no mistaking where you are when you land.
• Prioritized CTAs: Though sometimes multiple CTAs spell trouble, the double-dip on the calls-to-action here is a nice touch. This landing page puts the primary CTA under the body copy and the secondary CTA on the top right, space traditionally reserved for the menu. What we love about this is that the primary CTA invites the target audience to view a demo first, while the top-right button instead prompts the target to hop right into a free trial. 
• Design variant testing: We’d love to test this type of design against variants with photos of people as well as copy. The SaaS industry is competitive. It’s becoming an increasingly saturated market, one where visual branding will play a greater role. Beyond a single landing page, A/B testing can provide useful insights into which direction you should be guiding your brand.

6. Zire (registration sign up page)

Zire is an advertising platform for musicians, and it’s thoroughly impressive in its ease of use. In terms of visual style, this sign up page is my favourite with spot-on branding and fluid design. 

Key points about this sign up page example:

• Awesome UI: Zire has designed an interface that’s both attractive and easy to use. Have a look:

If you’re already on a platform like Spotify, as soon as you put your name in, your name, song, or album will pop up as a suggestion. When you click on it, the page prompts you to add relevant images and upload a clip of your song.  Then, once you finish clicking a few buttons here and there, you end up with a summary of your efforts:

The GIF example above is sped up, by the way. The actual flow is a lot smoother, and it’s a pleasant experience through and through. Zire did a fantastic job with every aspect of this. 

Wait! (Cue the record scratch.)

Are we missing something here?

Right. They haven’t asked for my email yet. But I’m engaged with their services, and ready to convert. Now that’s slick.

7. Intouch Insight (free trial sign up page)

Intouch Insight is a B2B company that provides software solutions for companies aiming to scale. 

Key points about this sign up page example:

• Straightforward, yet appealing layout: At first glance, there’s a lot of text, and the form is long. But if you’re offering me a 60-day trial, I’m intrigued enough to want to read through the copy and find out what I’m getting into. (Still, it’d be worth testing a variant with trimmed copy or a shorter form.)
  • My favorite thing about this page, though, is how they’ve managed to squeeze all this essential information into an easily digestible and clean landing page. The fine print under the CTA also does a good job of addressing common objections: when they offer a 60-day free trial with no commitment, the company means business.
  • Free-trial pages have been around since modems used to screech at you. This sign up landing page is a solid example showing that the underlying principles behind high-converting landing pages have changed little since the good ole’ days.

8. reciProfity (demo sign up page)

“Food costing software”? Never heard of it, but the target audience (professional chefs) certainly has. reciProfity—their name combines the words recipe, profit, and reciprocity—is an inventory management system for executive chefs who dream of being “home before midnight.”

Key points about this sign up page example:

• Strong intro elements: Notice how the headline and hero immediately signal the appeal of this software to busy executive chefs, like the one pictured above, and the brief supporting copy above the fold outlines the problem. 
• Effective imagery: The product shot that’s cut off at the bottom encourages visitors to scroll down further, without leaving the page. (And guess what you’ll find when you do? More pattern interrupters that keep you scrolling to the bottom of the page.)
• Copy details: While the copy on this page works to convince visitors to try reciProfity, this landing page also takes advantage of the top-right menu space to describe their software in exact terms. If the eye drifts up to their menu, they see a succinct description of the software instead. It’s a small thing, but it helps keep visitors focused.

9. Nakisa (free trial sign up page)

Nakisa helps companies visualize their organizational structure so that they can make better business decisions. On this sign up page, Nakisa makes the wins for its prospects easy to understand, specific, and tangible.

This type of landing page can work well for SaaS B2B, in particular, for a couple of reasons: first, a B2B visitor is ready to buy because they’re actively shopping around for a solution. But the buyer journey isn’t linear because the B2B buyer tends to be research-savvy. They jump back and forth between the interest and consideration stages, and the consideration stage is much longer. 

Second, B2B buyers also more interested in technical features than emotional appeals compared to B2C. That’s because they want to know all about the performance and return on their investment.

Key points about this sign up page example:

• Focus on benefits: For the B2B target audience, the copy is direct and appealing to B2B buyers. The landing page includes a visually compelling clip of organizational design that shows how their software works. And the 14-day free trial offer lowers the barrier to test driving the product.

10. Targetable (free trial sign up page)

Targetable is an advertising platform that uses AI to help restaurants make more money with data.

Look at the quote they use as a heading on this sign up page. Are there many restaurant owners who believe their restaurant is “amazing”? Sure. But this quote isn’t functioning as a testimonial, per se. Instead, the bottom subheading (in red, which helps it stand out) asks if you share this common sentiment. Then it presents a list of benefits that address this pain point, with a simple visual showcasing a platform feature. 

Key points about this sign up page example:

• Creative copy: This page is an excellent example of using creativity to vary your copy, while pushing the boundaries. (It’s also a great opportunity to A/B test the different ways you can present a pain point.)
• Options to explore: Here, they’ve gone with a quote, but maybe something more direct would be more effective? Or perhaps a touch of humour would work? And some audiences could respond better to one headline, while others respond better to another. (A/B testing or using a tool like Smart Traffic can help you find out what copy works best for winning new sign ups.)

11. Marley Spoon (registration sign up page)

Marley Spoon is a meal plan delivery service with healthy food options, but that isn’t the only thing that’s tasty around here. Nom, nom, nom. This sign up page does a couple of things extremely well. 

Key points about this sign up page example:

• Knowing when to break the rules: They included a menu! I know, I know—earlier, I noted that excluding the menu is the obvious move. (It’s certainly a landing page best practice.) But this menu here works, and here’s why I think it does: since Marley Spoon is a food subscription service, they provide a chance to look at the menu before taking advantage of the coupon.
• Use of colors: The buttons are in different colors, and for a good reason. You know, even without reading the call to action, that these two buttons have two separate appeals. One’s a simple sign up button, whereas the main CTA is a clear benefit-driven one: Save $80 in 4 weeks. That’s a strong 1-2 copy punch combo: Achieve X in Y amount of time. 

• Effective account creation flow: The steps are numbered and labeled, clearly managing visitor expectations every step of the way. All the visitor is required to do is click away at the options as they reach the last leg of the race (indicated in glowing gold!). Talk about giving the visitor a sense of satisfaction.

They make getting all that food delivered right to your doorstep look effortless. (And tasty too.) Mwah! A chef’s kiss.

12. Libris/PhotoShelter (free trial sign up page)

Libris by PhotoShelter is the final boss of digital asset management tools. If you need a way to manage your visual assets, then you just can’t say no to Libris, and this landing page shows you why. 

Key points about this sign up page example:

Libris’ no-brainer offer ticks all the boxes.

• 60-day trial? Check.
• Body copy explaining how Libris can make life a little easier for your marketing team? Check.
• Two different-colored buttons hinting at different purposes? Check. 
• Awesome aerial shot of a beach with very few people to line this up with the “exclusive” feel and mention in the headline? Check.
• A badge showcasing a super-recent award as a Top 100 software company from G2? Amazing!

If you’ve got it, flaunt it, especially if you’ve received a significant award and recognition from an industry leader in your space. The award from G2 is a major trust booster and signals indirectly to your visitors that they’re missing out if they don’t try Libris out.

One thing I would test is the “limited time offer” message. When something’s limited, you should indicate the period or the deadline. Don’t do it, and your message can feel somewhat generic and fall flat. Do it, and make your target audience perceive and feel the scarcity. Feeling inspired yet? (If you need even more inspiration, check out these examples of evergreen SaaS landing pages.)

13. Atlassian (registration sign up page)

Sometimes a sign up landing page’s design can say a lot without saying a lot (of words), and the sign up page for software company Atlassian is the perfect example of that. The overall design is actually pretty simple, but underneath that simplicity lies a foundation that was built with a lot of planning and forethought.

Key points about this sign up page example:

• Simplicity: If you want to sign up using your email address, all you have to do is toss it into the single field and you’re ready to move on to the next step. What could be easier?
• Versatile sign-up options: By offering the ability to sign up using well-known services from Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Slack, this page not only provides seamless convenience but also shows off their tech chops. Basically, they’re saying, “Yeah, we know our stuff, and we work with the big players in the tech industry.”
• Brand consistency: Visitors who are already using other Atlassian products have the option to sign up using their currently existing Atlassian login details. This eliminates the need to create separate login accounts for different products.

14. Typeform (registration sign up page)

While putting together a blog post about how to create excellent sign up landing pages, we couldn’t resist including an example from Typeform, a company that specializes in creating sign up forms. Since getting people to sign up is at the heart of their business, Typeform obviously knows how to do it right.

Key points about this sign up page example:

• Clean, attractive design: The uncluttered layout, the simple black/white motif, and minimal copy—everything about this page feels welcoming and easy to absorb. Even the main headline on the left is like a friendly greeting: “Sign up and come on in”.
• Streamlined sign-up process: On the right side Typeform offers three simple sign up options: Google, Microsoft, and email. It doesn’t get much easier than that.

How to create a sign up landing page

Before you dive in head-first on your own, let’s break this down into manageable steps that’ll set you up for success.

Step 1: Map the flow

Picture the perfect signup process. How smooth should it feel? Start by mapping exactly how users create their accounts—from the moment your form appears to their first login. Write down each step, then ruthlessly cut anything that feels like a roadblock.

Step 2: Write the copy

Your copy needs to speak directly to your target audience. Think about what makes potential customers click “sign up” and run with it. Here’s what you need:

• A headline that grabs attention
• Benefits (not features)
• Social proof that builds trust
• Clear error messages for when things go wrong
• Simple instructions for grabbing their user’s email address

Quick tip: Highlight the benefits of signing up, not just the features of your product or service. And if you’re looking for help generating copy, give our AI-powered copy generator Smart Copy a try—with just a few clicks you can fill your page with professional, high-quality messaging.

Step 3: Design the page

Your sign up page design sets the tone for everything. Create a separate page that’s clean, focused, and impossible to ignore. A good user interface guides eyes right where you want them—to that signup button. No distractions, no confusion, just pure conversion potential.

Quick tip: Use a visually appealing color scheme and high-quality images that resonate with your target audience. Remember, the goal is to make a lasting first impression. And if design isn’t your thing, no problems—we’ve got hundreds of templates you can choose from.

Step 4: Perfect your CTA

This is the moment of truth. Your call to action button needs to be a no brainer click. Make it hassle free to spot, crystal clear about what happens next, and hard to resist. Remember: good CTAs don’t sell—they invite.

Step 5: Mobile optimize

Look at any successful page example and you’ll notice something: they’re built for thumbs first. Make your simple signup form work beautifully on phones by:

• Sizing form fields for finger taps
• Making the password field easy to use
• Keeping your own icon and branding clear
• Testing on multiple devices

Step 6: QA the page

Time to break things—on purpose. Try every way possible to mess things up. Test wrong email and password combinations. Click everything twice. Make your sign up forms bulletproof before launch.

Step 7: Run A/B tests

Don’t guess what works—test it. Look at different sign up page examples, then create variations of your own. Test one thing at a time, whether it’s copy, design, or flow. Watch those form conversions climb as you learn what your website visitors actually want.

Quick tip: Use A/B testing to check the performance of one element at a time. Or you can save time and effort by using Smart Traffic, the AI-powered optimization tool that automatically directs visitors to the variant of a webpage that’s most likely to resonate with them, based on their characteristics or past behavior.

Need a deeper dive on the ABCs of creating a sign up landing page that converts? This step-by-step guide will show you everything you need to know.

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Landing pages

Lead generation

Conversion optimization

Digital content

What is a WordPress landing page?

A WordPress landing page is exactly what it sounds like—a dedicated landing page built on your WordPress site.

But here’s what makes it special: unlike your regular web pages full of menus and links, a landing page has one job and one job only. It’s a custom, standalone page focused on getting visitors to take a single action.

Do you need a custom landing page?

Picture this: You’re running Facebook ads for your new social media marketing guide. You’ve crafted the perfect ad copy, picked your audience, and the clicks are rolling in.

Without a landing page…

Those precious ad clicks land on your homepage. Your visitors see your main menu, your latest blog posts about email marketing, and that busy sidebar. They hunt around for your guide, get frustrated, and bounce. Your ad spend? Pretty much wasted.

With a landing page…

Every click goes straight to a clean, focused page that matches your ad. Your guide is front and center, with three quick benefits and a simple email form. No distractions eating into your conversion rate. Just happy new leads downloading your guide.

See the difference? That’s the power of WordPress landing pages. They turn your ad spend into actual results by giving your visitors exactly what you promised—no confusion, no dropoffs.

The difference between WordPress pages and landing pages

Let’s clear up a common mix-up. Your regular WordPress website pages are like a busy shopping mall—lots to explore, menus everywhere, and plenty of paths to wander down. And that’s perfect for your main site where you want visitors browsing around.

But a standalone page built specifically for conversions? That’s different. A WordPress landing page is more like a pop-up shop with one amazing product. No food court distractions, no window shopping—just your offer and a clear path to say “yes.”

Here’s why this matters:

When you’re spending money on ads or email campaigns, you need a distraction-free landing page that focuses visitors on one thing only. Not your blog posts, not your about page, not your latest company news. Just the offer they clicked to see and how to get it.

Think of it this way: Your WordPress site tells your whole story. Your landing page tells just the chapter that matters right now.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. What is a WordPress landing page?
2. The difference between a WordPress landing page and a WordPress page
3. The key elements of a high-converting WordPress landing page
4. How to create a landing page in WordPress
5. How to create a WordPress landing page with Unbounce’s landing page builder
6. Build your first landing page with Unbounce’s WordPress templates

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Karine Bengualid

Karine Bengualid is a freelance content writer over at Brought To You By the Letter K with a teensy penchant for Sesame Street. She writes audience-specific stories to connect brands with their ideal customers. When she’s not saving the world from un-fun marketing or researching everything about the science of fun, she’s building her animal rescue, Maison Misha.

» More blog posts by Karine Bengualid

Banafshe Salehi

Banafshe is a writer and creator who loves long walks on the beach (kidding?). When she’s not selling you on her puns or her pop-culture analogies, she can be found at the busiest intersection in her city with her headphones. Which are totally not falling apart.

» More blog posts by Banafshe Salehi

Josh Gallant

Josh is the founder of Backstage SEO, an organic growth consulting firm that helps B2B SaaS companies capture demand from search. He’s a self-proclaimed spreadsheet nerd by day, volunteer soccer coach by night (and weekends), and wannabe fantasy football expert every fall.

» More blog posts by Josh Gallant

Should you build your landing page in WordPress or use another tool?

Here’s a question we hear all the time: “Should I build my landing pages right in WordPress or use a separate tool?”

Why WordPress is the smart choice for landing pages

Both options can work. But if you’re already using WordPress for your site, keeping your landing pages there makes a lot of sense. Here’s why:

First—everything stays under one roof. Your WordPress site becomes your command center. No jumping between different tools or remembering extra passwords. Your pages, plugins, and analytics all live in the same place. Nice and simple.

Plus, you get all the perks of WordPress right out of the box:

• Your favorite WordPress plugins work instantly.
• Your SEO setup can carry over automatically.
• Your existing tools and integrations? They just work.

The key though?

You need to use a landing page builder.

Even if you’re building and managing your landing pages through WordPress, a dedicated landing page builder should be a non-negotiable.

Why you need a landing page builder (trust us on this one)

So why exactly is a landing page builder non-negotiable? Think of it this way: You wouldn’t build a house with just a hammer, right? Same idea here.

Here’s what a good landing page builder gives you that WordPress alone can’t:

• Templates you can customize in minutes (not days)
• Simple drag-and-drop editing (no code required)
• Built-in testing tools to improve your results
• Mobile-friendly designs that work right away

We’ve seen people try the DIY route—building from scratch or hiring developers. But here’s the reality: Your time is valuable. A landing page builder pays for itself by turning what used to be weeks of work into a few hours of clicking and customizing.

Plus, when you combine WordPress’s built-in perks with a proper landing page builder? That’s when the magic happens. You get all those WordPress benefits we just talked about, plus the power to create and test pages at lightning speed.

The key elements of a high-converting WordPress landing page

Want to know what separates a high converting landing page from one that flops? It’s not magic—it’s method. Every click on your ad is a win, but what happens next makes all the difference. Let’s break down the must-have elements that turn those clicks into customers.

1. Match your ad messaging (and mean it)

Here’s the thing about creating landing pages: what you promise in your ad needs to match what visitors see when they land. Think of it like a first date—if your dating profile says you’re a chef but you show up in a lawyer’s suit, that’s going to raise some eyebrows.

Your landing page design should feel like a natural continuation of your ad. Same message, same look, same promise. That’s how you build trust from the first second.

2. Make your first impression count

The moment someone hits your landing page, two things need to grab their attention:

• A headline that speaks directly to their needs
• A hero image that backs up your message

Beautiful landing pages aren’t just about looks—they’re about instant understanding. Your visitors should know exactly what they’re getting within three seconds.

3. Write copy that converts

Your landing page content needs to do one job: move people toward action. Keep it clear, keep it focused, and make every word count.

Think about it this way: if your friend asked what your offer was about, you wouldn’t give them a 20-minute speech. You’d tell them the good stuff first. Do the same here.

Want to encourage visitors to stick around? Break up your text into bite-sized chunks and highlight the benefits they care about most.

Bonus tip: if you need help writing compelling landing page copy, try using Smart Copy to help you put all the right words together using AI.

4. Add a form that works

If you’re aiming to create a landing page that generates leads, your custom form landing page needs to strike the right balance. Ask for too much info? People bounce. Ask for too little? Your sales team won’t be happy.

Here’s what works:

• Start with just the essentials (usually email and name)
• Add 1-2 qualifying questions if you really need them
• Make your dedicated form landing page feel like a natural part of the conversation

5. Build in social proof

High converting landing pages almost always include proof that you can deliver. Think testimonials, case studies, or simple stats that show you know your stuff.

But here’s the key: keep it real.

One genuine customer story beats ten generic, empty testimonials every time.

6. Nail your call-to-action

Your call to action continues the journey. Make it clear, make it action-focused, and—this is important—make it match what people expect to get.

Pro tip: If your landing page goes beyond what’s visible on screen, drop in that CTA button more than once. Because let’s be honest, nobody likes scrolling back up.

7. Make it work on mobile

Last but definitely not least: your landing page’s performance on mobile can make or break your success. Most people will see your page on their phones, so test everything on mobile first.

Remember: a high converting landing needs to work everywhere, not just on your laptop. In Q1 of 2023, 95.3% of the world accessed the internet via mobile phone, compared to 57.9% via personal laptop or desktop. So like it or not, everything you do should be mobile-friendly. 

Give mobile users the same smooth experience, and you’ll see your conversion rates climb.

Need to make tweaks? That’s what testing is for. Keep an eye on your numbers and adjust as you go. The best landing pages are never really “done”—they just keep getting better.

How to create a landing page in WordPress

Now that you see the value in creating landing pages for your marketing campaigns, let’s get to the how of creating a high-converting landing page for your WordPress website. 

For the sake of this tutorial, we’ll assume you already have a WordPress website. 

You have several options to build your page. 

• Hire a programmer to build one from scratch. This option can get costly if you plan to build multiple pages, plus it takes time to find the right developer who understands the needs of your business. 
• Use the default WordPress block editor. You’ll need to learn some basic HTML code and a programmer to make significant design changes.
• WordPress landing page builder. A visual drag-and-drop builder is the easiest option that requires zero coding and will give you access to hundreds of customizable templates.  

Depending on scope and scale, all options have their value. But if we’re good mind-readers, we know which one you’re eyeing by now.

Create a WordPress landing page with Unbounce’s landing page builder

Since we like to hit the easy button around here as much as possible, this tutorial will show you how to create a landing page in WordPress using the Unbounce templates and drag-and-drop page builder. We might be biased, but we do think it’s one of the best WordPress landing page plugins around.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating a WordPress landing page.

Step 1: Install the Unbounce WordPress plugin

First things first, head on over to your WordPress site, login and navigate to your dashboard. 

On the left side of the page, find “plugins” and click on it. This will open up a drop-down menu and also take you to the plugins page.

Next, click on “add plugin.” In the search bar, type in “Unbounce Landing Pages,” and it will bring up the plugin to install. You can also navigate directly to it here.

Once you’ve clicked “install” and then “activate,” you’ve successfully installed the plugin, and you’re ready to build your first WordPress landing page. Congrats.

Step 2: Create an account with Unbounce

If you haven’t already, sign up for an Unbounce account. There’s a free trial period, so you can explore its features and decide if it meets your needs.

Next, log in to your Unbounce account and click on “Create New.”

Step 3: Customize your landing page

From here, you can comb through over 100 WordPress landing page templates and pick one that matches your campaign goals, or you can answer a few questions about your page goals with Smart Builder, and our AI will suggest the best WordPress landing page template for you.

Change colors and fonts, swap out images, and update the heading and text to match your branding and campaign goals. 

Step 4: Publish your WordPress landing page

It’s time to take your awesome new WordPress landing page live. Here are the quick-fire steps:

1. Click the “Publish” button in Unbounce.
2. Since you’ve already installed the WordPress plugin on your website, you need to add your landing page to WordPress to connect your domain to Unbounce. From your Unbounce dashboard, select “Domains” on the left side of your screen. Once you click that, you’ll be prompted to select “Connect a WordPress Domain.”
3. With the Unbounce WordPress plugin installed and connected, you can embed your Unbounce landing page into your WordPress site. Head back to your WordPress dashboard and click “Pages” on the left-side menu.
4. Then, click “Create a new page” or edit an existing one where you want to display your new landing page.
5. In the page editor, you should now see an “Unbounce” button or section. Click it.
6. Select the Unbounce landing page you want to embed from the list of your Unbounce pages. 
7. Customize the settings if necessary, and click “Insert.”
8. After embedding your Unbounce landing page into your new WordPress page, you can publish it on your website. Click “Publish” or “Update” to make it live.

Step 5: Test your WordPress landing page

Always test your landing page—always test everything, for that matter—before sending traffic to it. The last thing you need is to spend money promoting it only to discover it’s full of glitches. 

Check form submissions, links, and mobile responsiveness. Be sure to test it on a few different browsers, and make sure it functions as expected within your WordPress site. 

Step 6: Promote your new WordPress landing page

Now that your Unbounce landing page is embedded into your WordPress site and you’ve tested it to ensure everything works (phew), it’s time to start driving traffic to it. 

Although landing pages are typically used in PPC ad campaigns, nothing is stopping you from promoting them on your other channels, as well. Think email marketing, social media, retargeting campaigns, and more.

Here are a few ideas to get your WordPress landing page around:

• Email marketing: Leverage your email list by sending targeted email campaigns that direct subscribers to your landing page. Use your superior copywriting skills (or Smart Copy) to craft catchy copy and subject lines that entice people to click through to your page.
• Social media: Share your landing page on your social media profiles directly in a post that highlights the benefits of your offer. Include a clear CTA or add it to your bio with a link to the landing page. 
• Content marketing: If you have a blog or create other types of content, promote your landing page within your articles or blog posts when relevant. For example, if you’re offering an e-book, include a CTA to the landing page in related blog posts.
• Retargeting: Implement retargeting or remarketing campaigns to reach visitors who have previously interacted with your website but did not convert. Show them tailored ads that encourage them to return to your landing page.

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Conversion optimization

Lead generation

SEO landing pages vs SEO for landing pages

Same thing, right?

Not quite.

One refers to dedicated landing pages created to rank in Google, first and foremost. The other refers to optimizing your not-just-for-SEO landing pages to rank better in organic search. Let’s break it down a bit.

What is an ‘SEO landing page’?

SEO landing pages are website pages designed to perform well in search engine results while simultaneously persuading visitors to take specific actions, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.

These pages are optimized for particular keywords, delivering relevant and valuable content to users who discover them through organic searches. Unlike regular web pages, landing pages streamline the user experience by focusing on a singular call-to-action (CTA), simplifying the path for users to take the desired action.

What does ‘SEO for landing pages’ involve?

The basics are simpler than you might think. Want your landing pages to bring in traffic from Google while still converting visitors? Here’s what matters:

• Smart keyword choices: Understand what your ideal customers are typing into Google.
• Helpful content: Create content that answers real questions and provides value (not just sales pitches).
• Technical details: Get your URLs, page titles, and meta descriptions right—these small tweaks can make a big difference.
• Search intent alignment: Match what people actually want when they type in those search terms.
• Internal linking: Connect your pages in a way that helps both visitors and search engines find their way around.

Here’s the best part: you can “add” these elements to any landing page, even ones you’ve already built for other purposes. No need to start from scratch.

We’ll cover all of this in more detail later on, but for now—hopefully that helps frame things.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. SEO landing pages vs SEO for landing pages
2. Why do you need SEO landing pages?
3. SEO vs PPC landing pages
4. Why doesn’t your landing page rank
5. How to create an SEO-focused landing page
6. What to do after creating a SEO landing page?
7. Should your page be SEO or conversion-focused?

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Paul Teitelman

Paul Teitelman is an SEO expert based in Toronto, Canada. Get in touch with Paul for a consultation to lead your eCommerce business to SEO success. He will assess your landing pages and other key pages of your website to determine the best course of action for increasing traffic and conversions.

» More blog posts by Paul Teitelman

Josh Gallant

Josh is the founder of Backstage SEO, an organic growth consulting firm that helps B2B SaaS companies capture demand from search. He’s a self-proclaimed spreadsheet nerd by day, volunteer soccer coach by night (and weekends), and wannabe fantasy football expert every fall.

» More blog posts by Josh Gallant

Why do you need landing pages for SEO?

Simple answer: Because you enjoy being successful!

Longer (and more useful answer): There are a few reasons why landing pages are pretty  pivotal in the realm of SEO:

• Precision targeting: Landing pages enable precise targeting of niche audiences by aligning content with specific keywords, enhancing the overall relevance of your website.
• Enhanced user experience: Well-structured landing pages streamline the user journey, improving user engagement, reducing bounce rates, and improving key SEO metrics.
• Conversion catalysts: Landing pages are purpose-built to encourage conversions, whether it’s signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase, or filling out a contact form. SEO-friendly landing pages will further help in capturing more leads by targeting organic traffic.

SEO landing page vs PPC landing page

While SEO and PPC (Pay-Per-Click) landing pages both aim to convert visitors, they go about it in different ways and with different purposes:

• SEO landing page: These pages primarily target organic traffic and are designed for long-term sustainability. They are meticulously optimized for specific keywords and provide valuable content. SEO landing pages may take time to achieve high rankings but offer enduring benefits.
• PPC landing page: Tailored for paid advertising campaigns, such as Google Ads, PPC landing pages emphasize immediate conversions. They are often linked to ad campaigns, offering a more direct path to conversion for paid traffic.

Common SEO landing page challenges (AKA why your page isn’t ranking)

In an ideal world, all of your landing pages would rank well for their targeted keywords in Google and convert people like crazy. But that’s not guaranteed to happen. In fact, it rarely does.

Why not? Well, in some cases, your ideal keywords are already dominated by other sites that have entrenched SEO efforts and backlink profiles. In others, technical issues associated with landing pages keep people from reaching your content.

Ultimately, though, a landing page that’s laser-focused on conversions will have a particularly hard time ranking. For this reason, it’s best to distinguish between landing pages you want to rank well in the search engines and those you’ll design purely to convert. (Later on, we’ll cover how you can use both together to great effect.)

First, let’s explain: What’s a conversion-focused page?

Conversion-focused landing pages are all about what happens when a person gets to the page. While a high word count is essential for ranking in search engines, too much wording can actually detract from getting that final conversion or capturing that lead. Notice how little there is to distract visitors in the examples below:

Here’s why your landing page doesn’t rank

In an ideal world, all of your landing pages would rank well for their targeted keywords in Google and convert people like crazy. But that’s not guaranteed to happen. In fact, it rarely does.

Why not? Well, in some cases, your ideal keywords are already dominated by other sites that have entrenched SEO efforts and backlink profiles. In others, technical issues associated with landing pages keep people from reaching your content.

Ultimately, though, a landing page that’s laser-focused on conversions will have a particularly hard time ranking. For this reason, it’s best to distinguish between landing pages you want to rank well in the search engines and those you’ll design purely to convert. (Later on, we’ll cover how you can use both together to great effect.)

First, let’s explain: What’s a conversion-focused page?

Conversion-focused landing pages are all about what happens when a person gets to the page. While a high word count is essential for ranking in search engines, too much wording can actually detract from getting that final conversion or capturing that lead. Notice how little there is to distract visitors in the examples below:

How to create an SEO-focused landing page

Creating a landing page that ranks isn’t magic—it’s a method. Let’s walk through the exact steps you can use to build pages that both Google and real people love.

Step 1: In-depth keyword research

A solid SEO strategy begins with comprehensive keyword research. Identify relevant, high-traffic keywords that resonate with your target audience. These keywords should align with the intent of your landing page. 

After that, seamlessly integrate your target keywords into various elements of your landing page, such as headings, subheadings, body text, and image ALT text, while making sure it’s still readable.

Step 2: Draft high-quality content

Above the fold, the page should include the key selling points and a call to action. There should be few other distractions here. This is established best practice for conversion-focused landing pages as well, but that’s where the similarities end.

Because we’re trying to rank in search engines, you’re also going to need plenty of content further down the page. It’s gotta be legitimately useful content (not just an extended sales pitch) and it should attract editorial links. Without this, you’re going to struggle to rank well for any popular keywords.

Using a simple vertical design and repeating the call to action as you scroll down, you’ll want to add as much value for the reader as possible

Additionally, consider incorporating multimedia elements such as images, videos, infographics, and charts to enhance the user experience and effectively convey information.

Looking for some sweet examples of long-form landing pages for your newly inspired SEO content? Take a look at this post about converting with extra copy to see how it’s done.

Step 3: Optimize the on-page SEO elements

Next, you’ll want to optimize your URL, page title, meta description, headings/subheadings, and image alt text for your target keywords.

When it comes to your URL, a custom domain does have some advantages for landing pages, but you might instead prefer to leverage the SEO of your existing domain.

Either way, ensure your URL is concise, descriptive, and relevant to the page’s content. Use hyphens to separate words, and avoid special characters or excessive parameters. Additionally, incorporating target keywords into the URL can improve search engine visibility.

Step 4: Make sure the page is mobile-friendly

Here’s something most marketers miss: search engines understand when your page looks bad on phones. And these days, that’s a deal-breaker.

Making your page mobile-friendly isn’t rocket science. Pull up your page on your phone. Can you read everything easily? Do images fit the screen? Are buttons big enough to tap? If you spot any issues, fix them before your search rankings take a hit.

Step 5: Optimize the page to load quickly

Nobody likes a slow page—especially search engines like Google. Think of page speed like a first impression. A slow page sends visitors running back to the search results.

Here’s what actually moves the needle:

• Resize your images before uploading them
• Remove any fancy features you don’t need
• Pick a good hosting company
• Keep your design clean and simple

Step 6: Add internal links from other pages that point to your landing page

Here’s a secret most people miss: Google follows links like breadcrumbs. If you want search engines to find and rank your landing page, you need to create paths that lead there.

Think of your website like a city. Every internal link is a road that helps visitors (and search engines) find their destination. The more roads that lead to your landing page, the more important it seems.

Here’s what really works:

• Link from your high-traffic blog posts when relevant
• Add your landing page to key navigation menus
• Include it in your resource lists or related content sections
• Drop a link from your homepage (this carries serious weight with Google)

Just remember—keep it natural. Link when it makes sense for your readers, not just for SEO. After all, if humans can’t follow your logic, search engines will struggle too.

Pro tip: pay special attention to links from your most popular pages. These carry extra SEO juice and can give your landing page a serious boost in search engine result pages.

Step 7: Build (relevant) backlinks from other websites

Quality backlinks are like votes of confidence from other websites. But here’s the truth: you can’t force them. Instead, create content so helpful that other sites want to link to it.

Share your page with people who might find it useful. Write guest posts for industry blogs. Join relevant conversations online. The best links come from real connections.

The more useful and interesting the content, the more likely you are to attract backlinks and boost your rankings. You should also make use of link-building strategies, just like you would for any blog post or product page. 

Step 8: Test, test, test, then test some more

Landing pages perform better when you keep improving them. Watch your organic traffic numbers. See which search query brings in the best visitors, then A/B test different headlines, images, and layouts.

Small changes can make a big difference in your search engine result pages. Keep what works, fix what doesn’t, and never stop testing.

What to do once your SEO landing page is published

After the page is published, add internal links across your website that point to your SEO landing page. This’ll help boost its SEO value, as well as drive people to your landing page from other pages on your website and set them on the road to becoming customers. For instance, you could add a call to action to the end of every blog post on your website, encouraging visitors to visit the page to learn more about your offer.

Promote the landing page using the same strategies that you would do for a blog post that you want to rank well in Google. Share it on social media or reach out to contacts in your industry asking for a link. (This guide includes ten things you should do to help boost initial traffic to new content.)

Tracking your page’s performance

Once the organic traffic starts to flow in, it’s important to track what happens after they land on the page. The Unbounce Conversion Benchmark Report revealed that the average conversion rate for landing pages is just under 10%, so if yours is lower, consider tweaking your call to action or the design of your page to encourage more conversions.

At this point, it’s OK to start sacrificing SEO factors to help you convert traffic better. After all, what’s the point in ranking well if you fail to convert?

Be sure to track what keywords people are typing to land on your page, too. Are they what you expected? By keeping an eye on this, you’ll be able to spot areas that you can tweak as well as opportunities to rank better.

Keep it up (even after your promotion ends)

If you sometimes create landing pages for promotions that last a limited amount of time, you might be in the habit of taking them offline afterward. However, you should keep your SEO landing pages online even after the promotion has ended.

Many retailers make the same mistake of closing their landing page too early and missing out on traffic that would have converted. By deleting your page, then putting it back online, you’re essentially pouring any SEO juice you built down the drain. Don’t make things harder for yourself by starting from scratch.

An excellent way to get around this is by using a 301 redirect to make sure that the traffic you create will at least go to some use. It may even help to create a new page explaining how the promotion is over, but showing what other offerings you may have.

So, which should take precedence: an SEO-focused or a conversion-focused landing page?

Trick question, because you don’t have to choose between ranking and your conversion rates. Nothing stops you from creating an SEO-focused landing page and a conversion-focused landing page further down the funnel. Perhaps the former could push people to the latter?

Let’s say you wanted to create an SEO-focused landing page to sell personal finance software, for instance.

In this situation, have your conversion-focused page target purchase-focused keywords, such as “personal finance software,” “budgeting software,” and “accounting software.” These are the type of keywords that people pretty much already looking to buy would type. Just look at the search results:

People who search for “personal finance software” are looking to buy, and Google knows it.

With your SEO-optimized landing pages, though, you can also target more inquisitive keywords like “how to budget” or “how to save money,” and then direct these visitors down the funnel toward more conversion-focused pages. You can see the difference in the search results, which are much more oriented toward answering questions than selling something:

As your SEO-focused landing page will naturally have more content, it’ll be easier to target multiple long-tail keywords—and even local SEO keywords if your business operates only in certain areas.

Your choice of keywords will also determine how ready your SEO traffic is to convert. This can get pretty granular, too. For instance, somebody searching for “how to save money” will likely be less qualified to buy your software than somebody searching for “how to budget” because the former is a little broader than the latter.

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Landing pages

Digital marketing

Conversion optimization

AI marketing

Ever found yourself in a coding maze when building a landing page, desperately wishing for a shortcut? In other words, have you ever felt like Robert Pattinson as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter?

Or even worse, you’re still stuck in website mode, building janky new pages on top of old platforms with hidden extra work waiting at every corner.

The maze walls closing in on you as you try to code from scratch.

If you’re one of those budding digital sorcerers, ahem, marketers, then we’ve got good news for you. Turns out there is a secret passage out of that digital labyrinth:

You can create a landing page much quicker than a developer with no coding skills required.

All you have to do is follow 10 easy steps, and you’ll have a high-converting landing page that will leave your audience spellbound. And hopefully, you’ll have a better time coming out of that maze than poor R-Pattz.

What exactly is a landing page?

Picture this: You’re scrolling through Instagram and spot an ad for a cool product. You click, and boom—you land on a single page that’s laser-focused on one thing: getting you to try that product.

That’s a landing page in action.

A landing page is a standalone web page with just one job: turning visitors into customers (or subscribers, or leads—you get the idea). Unlike your regular website pages that let people wander around and explore, a landing page is like a skilled salesperson who knows exactly what they want you to do next.

Key elements of high-converting landing pages

The best landing pages share some common DNA. Here’s what makes them work:

• A headline that grabs attention—and keeps it. Think “Get more sleep starting tonight” instead of “Welcome to our mattress company.”
• One clear call-to-action (CTA). When you give people too many choices, they often choose none. Pick one action you want visitors to take and stick to it.
• Social proof that builds trust. Reviews, testimonials, logos of companies using your product—show visitors they’re in good company.
• Benefits, not just features. Don’t just list what your product does. Show people how it makes their lives better. “Save 5 hours every week” hits harder than “Automated scheduling features.”
• Zero distractions. No navigation menu, no footer links, no “related articles.” Just you and your visitor, focused on one goal.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Start with these landing page templates
2. 10 essential steps to create a landing page
3. What exactly is a landing page?
4. Your page is live—here’s what to do next

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Banafshe Salehi

Banafshe is a writer and creator who loves long walks on the beach (kidding?). When she’s not selling you on her puns or her pop-culture analogies, she can be found at the busiest intersection in her city with her headphones. Which are totally not falling apart.

» More blog posts by Banafshe Salehi

Josh Gallant

Josh is the founder of Backstage SEO, an organic growth consulting firm that helps B2B SaaS companies capture demand from search. He’s a self-proclaimed spreadsheet nerd by day, volunteer soccer coach by night (and weekends), and wannabe fantasy football expert every fall.

» More blog posts by Josh Gallant

Ready to build? Here are 10 essential steps to build landing pages that convert

Before you dive into building your landing page, let’s make sure you’re setting yourself up for success. A little planning now saves a ton of headaches later.

Step 1: Plan your landing page strategy

Just like our friend in the Triwizard maze, you need a game plan before you start running. A little strategy now keeps you from hitting dead ends later.

When to use a landing page vs a website

Picture this: You’re back in the maze, and you have two paths ahead—your website and a landing page.

Think of your website as the scenic route, perfect when you want visitors to explore and learn about your brand. But when you need leads, sign-ups, sales or you’re starting a Harry Potter book club? Landing pages are your golden ticket—fewer distractions, more focus, and better conversions.

Here’s exactly when to use each:

Use your website when:

• You want to show off your full brand story
• Visitors need to explore different products or services
• You’re building general brand awareness
• People need to find specific information

Use a landing page when:

• You’re running specific marketing campaigns
• You need to capture leads for a particular offer
• You want to test different messages
• You’re launching something new
• You need clear campaign tracking

Added bonus too—simple landing pages are far easier to build (and experiment with) than an entire website.

Set clear campaign goals

Before you take your first step, answer this question: What’s the one thing you want visitors to do?

Your goal might be to:

• Generate leads for a software product
• Get email signups for your newsletter
• Drive sales for a specific product
• Book demo calls with your sales team
• Register people for your upcoming webinar
• Download your latest ebook

If you want to drive more e-commerce sales 

If you’re an ecommerce marketer on the quest to transform casual browsers into enthusiastic buyers, landing pages are like the retail equivalent of a shop window, beckoning customers with its charm.

Think of it as your digital storefront where the magic happens. Start out by choosing one particular product you want to promote—or a group of related products. So, gear up for some e-commerce extravaganza because, with landing pages, you wanna turn browsers into bona fide buyers with a sprinkle of online retail magic.

If you want to get more conversions for clients

For agency marketers, landing pages are a great multitool for boosting conversions. With the distraction-free nature of landing pages, turning clicks into conversions becomes almost guaranteed.

Whether you’re showcasing your agency or crafting client-specific pages, think of creating landing pages is your tailored approach to getting more of those conversions. 

If you want to generate more SaaS leads 

For SaaS marketers (like the killer folks at Procurify), landing pages can help fuel growth.

By designing landing pages with a clear vision in mind—like getting visitors to sign up for a free resource, product demo, free trial, or consultation with your sales team—can bring you the leads you need to impress the ol’ boss.

Pro tip: Make your goal specific and measurable. Instead of “get more leads,” try “get 100 qualified leads for our new HR software demo this month.”

Understand your target audience

Wait, here’s where a lot of folks lose their way—they try to speak to everyone instead of someone specific. Your target audience shapes everything about your page, from the words you pick to the images you use.

Ask yourself:

• What problem keeps them up at night?
• What’s stopped them from solving it before?
• What would make them take action right now?
• What objections might hold them back?
• What words do they actually use to describe their challenges?

Quick example: Say you’re selling HR software. A small business owner might care most about saving time on paperwork, while an enterprise HR director might focus on compliance and scalability. Same product, different story.

Got your map? Great—let’s pick the right tools for your journey.

Step 2: Choose your landing page builder

Look, building a landing page from scratch used to be a nightmare. You’d need a developer, a designer, and enough caffeine to fuel a small city. Good news? Those days are over.

Now, you just need a good landing page builder—and hey, we just happen to know a really good one. (Spoiler alert: it’s Unbounce. We’re not exactly subtle.)

But here’s what you should look for in landing page builders no matter who you choose:

• Easy drag-and-drop editing: If you can make a PowerPoint slide, you can build a landing page. No coding required.
• Mobile-friendly by default: Because close to 80% of your visitors are probably on their phones right now.
• Built-in testing tools: So you can figure out what works (and what bombs) without breaking a sweat.
• Templates that actually convert: Why start from scratch when you can build on what works?
• Integrations with your tools: Your landing page should play nice with your email tools, CRM, and analytics.

Why are we so confident in Unbounce being the best landing page builder you can use? We’ve got everything on that list and then some, and you can test drive Unbounce free for 14 days. (Plus, our support team is pretty much the Hermione Granger of landing pages. Just saying.)

Step 3: Write your copy

Before you get ahead of yourself and search “How to design a landing page” on TikTok, you should know that landing page copy is twice as important to conversion rates as design. So crank up the lo-fi hip hop writing beats, open a fresh Google Doc, and flex those typin’ fingers. 

Landing pages are concise by design, so it’s important to nail every word. Here are some tips on how to write your lading page to the best of your ability: 

Nail the headline

You’ve got less than 15 seconds to grab a visitor’s attention on a landing page—which means the headline is probably the most important thing you will write. Make sure it’s memorable, clear, and solves the problem your visitors care about most. This is your 15 seconds of fame as a copywriter, so get in there and pump out some great headlines

Focus on the benefits

Remember: your landing page visitors want to hear about how you’ll solve their problems—like how your product will help make their lives easier and why this will benefit them.

Don’t just list a bunch of features and call it a day (snoozefest!), try to think about things from your ideal visitor’s perspective, and craft them some copy they can’t resist. Gotta say our guide to landing page copywriting is a great place to learn how to exactly pull that off. 

Keep it simple

In general, landing pages tend to convert better when they’re easy to read and not overly long.

Avoid sounding like a business textbook, keep your sentences short ‘n sweet, and try to cut out any unnecessary copy that you don’t actually need on the page. (Long-winded founder stories can go, the benefits your service brings to folks can stay.)

Step 4: Craft your CTA

Your CTA (call to action) is the MVP on your landing page. Put simply, it’s what you want visitors to do. Whether it’s filling out a form or hitting a button, take a moment to decide the action you want your visitors to take and figure out the best way to convince them.

It’s like orchestrating the highlight of your landing page while putting on your best Lydia Tar hat—simple, effective, and all about getting your audience to make a move (and hopefully not get cancelled in the process.)

CTA buttons might be small, but they’re mighty, you see. Learning how to get your call to action right is pretty key, and can be a make-it-or-break-it moment for your landing page. Here are some tips on how to really get those CTAs right and stick the landing (page.)

Make your CTA specific

While CTA buttons like “Learn More” or “Get Started” can work—they’re also pretty vague (and not in a mysterious and cool way.)

Visitors won’t know what to expect when they click a button like that. Try to be more specific and descriptive to get better results. (“See Pricing” or “Start Your Free Trial” might work better.)

Make your CTA simple for forms

Alright, let’s talk forms: If you’re including a form on the page, consider how you can make it shorter and easier for visitors to fill out.

Longer forms with more fields tend to have lower conversion rates. They’re kind of feel like the equivelent of internet paperwork, and eesh, who wants that?

The best-converting forms tend to just have one field—email address. We’re past the need for lengthy questionnaires as a society. (On that note, this is a great blog to check out if you’re lookin’ to avoid more rookie landing page mistakes)

Make your CTA singular

A great landing page works by cutting out the clutter found on regular websites. It gives visitors a single, clear path forward.

You basically need to be Marie Kondo when you build a landing page, saying no to whatever doesn’t spark joy—in this case, that’s navigation links, headers, footers, or other calls to action. Keep it straightforward and focused, and guide visitors directly to where you want them to go. 

Step 5: Select your images 

Now that you’ve got your copy written like the wordsmith you are, it’s time to bring out that inner Picasso to work on the visuals of your landing page (but seriously, no pressure.)

Before you get thrown into full design mode, you can start out by selecting what images you want to feature—whether those are product images, stock photos, or custom illustrations. Here are a few starting points to think about: 

Choose a hero image

You wanna come in hot. Most great landing pages start out with a big, beautiful image to show their visitors what the offer is all about.

With Unbounce, you can choose from over 1,000,000 free, professional-grade images right inside our landing page builder. One of our customers, Jeff Taylor, has a pretty inspirational story on how he uses hero image variations to see results.

Visualize the benefits

What does getting to enjoy your offer look like? Look for more images that convey that to support the rest of your landing page copy.

Most visitors won’t actually read every word you write (we can blame our declining attention spans for that) so you may want to get creative with different product images or custom illustrations to help tell a visual story on the page as well.

Step 6: Design your landing page

Now that most of the content of your landing page is in order, you may be wondering: “How the heck do I actually design and build this thing now?” 

First, the good news is that landing page design isn’t as complex and technical as it used to be. You don’t need to mess around with HTML and CSS coding blocks anymore, that’s for sure. With Unbounce’s landing page builder, you’ll be able to put together a landing page as easily as a grilled cheese sandwich (no designer or developer required). Let’s show you how to get ‘er done. 

Start with a landing page template

Save yourself the creative grind because designing a landing page doesn’t have to be a Herculean task. With every Unbounce account, you hit the jackpot with access to over 100 high-converting templates for free. Unleash your inner designer without the fuss—pick a template, and let the creative vibes flow.

Lay out your content

Next, you’ll want to drag and drop your text and visuals onto the landing page. This is a good time to see what it all looks like together and which sections you might need to trim. Remember the Marie Kondo method

Match your brand

It’s important to give your landing page the same look and feel as the rest of your brand. Bring in your business logo, update the fonts, and match your brand colors precisely. This way, your landing page becomes a visual extension of your brand, creating a cohesive and immersive experience that resonates with your audience and increases your brand awareness. So, don’t just build a landing page; craft an experience that screams your brand’s identity loud and clear.

Step 7: Make it mobile-friendly

Mobile optimization should not be an afterthought—it’s part of your core design process. If your landing page looks funky on phones, you’re basically throwing away more than half your potential conversions. Yikes.

Mobile design best practices

Here’s how to nail the mobile experience:

• Think thumb-friendly: Make your buttons big enough to tap without zooming. Nobody’s got time for the pinch-and-zoom dance.
• Stack your content: What looks great in two columns on desktop needs to flow naturally in a single column on mobile. Your layout should adapt automatically.
• Keep forms short: Typing on phones is annoying. The fewer fields, the better. Ask yourself: “Would I fill this out on the bus?”

Testing across devices

Got an iPhone? Great. Android? Perfect. But don’t stop there. Here’s a quick checklist:

• Test on multiple screen sizes
• Check your load time (slow pages = sad visitors)
• Make sure images scale properly
• Double-check that forms work smoothly
• Verify all your buttons are easy to tap

Speed optimization for mobile

Fun fact that’s not actually fun: 40% of people will bounce if a page takes more than 3 seconds to load. Here’s how to speed things up:

• Compress your images (but keep them sharp)
• Remove any unnecessary scripts
• Keep your design clean and focused
• Test your page speed regularly

Pro tip: Use tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check your work. Or better yet—just build your page with Unbounce. Our templates are automatically mobile-responsive, which means less headache for you and better experiences for your visitors.

Remember: A mobile-friendly page isn’t just nice to have—it’s the difference between capturing leads and watching them disappear faster than you can say “page not optimized.”

Step 8: Connect your landing page

A landing page all by itself won’t do ya much good. Now that it’s fresh out the kitchen, you’ll want to connect to your business domain, set up analytics, and integrate any other tools in your marketing stack. How, you ask? We’ve got you covered. 

Set your landing page URL

Your URL is a reflection of your brand experience too. Connect your landing page to your domain and customize the URL. If you’re using Unbounce, you can set up custom domains and URL paths easily.

And if you’re using Unbounce with WordPress, you can do this in just a few minutes—no DNS or CNAME required…phew.

Add tracking and custom scripts

After putting in all this hard work on your landing page, you’ll wanna know who’s visiting your landing page and what actions they’re taking. Not in a creepy way. Embed tracking for scripts like Google Analytics (or any other analytics software) to gather data as you go.

Integrate your marketing tools

Want your landing page and marketing tools to actually talk to each other? Easy. Connect your page directly to your CRM and watch those leads flow right into your system.

The good news?

Unbounce plays nice with all your favorite tools. We’re talking Salesforce, Mailchimp, Hubspot, Hotjar—the whole crew. And if you need to connect with something else? Zapier’s got your back, linking you up with thousands of other tools.

Step 9: Preview and publish

This right here is the moment you’ve been waiting for.

But before you pop the champagne and hit publish on your landing page (ad hopefully not spilling any champagne on your laptop in the process), give it one more look-over to make sure you’re ready for a world debut. 

Double check the copy

Do a quick spot-check to make sure there are no typos or grammar issues on your page. You wouldn’t want to make a bad first impression.

Check the page title and meta data

Make sure you’ve set a proper page title, description, and featured image, then select whether or not you want your page to be visible to search engines.

Test your forms

Is everything working the way you want it to? Did you set up a “Thank You” page after someone submits? Go through the page as a visitor would to see if there’s anything you missed. Do it right now, we’re watching.

Step 10: Set up your A/B tests

Here’s a wild idea: Set up your A/B tests before you start driving traffic. Why? Because data from day one means faster learning and better results.

Choose what to test

First up, pick your battle. What’s most likely to move the needle for your specific goals? Maybe you’ve seen a landing page example in the wild that inspired you. For now, any idea is one worth considering.

Think about:

• Your main conversion barrier (what stops people from saying yes?)
• Your biggest traffic source (what matters to these folks?)
• Your gut feelings (what’s been bugging you about the page?)

Pick ONE thing to test. Seriously—just one. If you change three things and see better results, you won’t know which change made the difference.

Create your variants

Now for the fun part. Let’s say you’re testing your headline (good choice—headlines can make or break your page). Here’s how to do it right:

• Version A: Your current headline
• Version B: Try a completely different angle

Some tried-and-true elements worth testing:

• Headlines: Benefits vs curiosity (“Save 5 hours a week” vs “The weird trick that…”)
• Hero images: People vs product shots (hint: people usually win)
• CTA buttons: Color, text, and placement
• Form length: Sometimes longer forms actually work better
• Page length: Long-scroll story vs short, punchy pitch

Set up tracking

Data makes all the difference—but only if you’re tracking the right stuff. Here’s what to watch:

• Conversion rate: Obviously, right?
• Time on page: Are people actually reading?
• Scroll depth: How far do visitors make it?
• Button clicks: Are they at least considering it?
• Form starts vs completions: Where are people dropping off?

Remember: Testing isn’t about proving yourself right—it’s about finding what works. Sometimes the “ugly” version converts better. Sometimes longer forms beat shorter ones. Sometimes the test variant that you would’ve bet your house on winning actually loses in the end (this is still a good thing—knowledge is power).

Let the data surprise you.

Your page is live—here’s what to do next

Awesome work getting your page up! But don’t kick back just yet. Now’s when the real fun starts—getting eyes on your page and turning those views into results.

1. Drive quality traffic

Your landing page is ready to convert. Now let’s fill it with the right people. Here’s how to drive traffic that actually converts:

Launch PPC campaigns

Want to show up at the top of Google tomorrow? PPC (pay-per-click) campaigns through Google Ads is your fast track to visibility. The key is matching your ad copy to your landing page—when someone clicks an ad about “easy social media templates,” they better see those templates front and center on your page.

A few quick tips for better PPC results:

• Target keywords with clear buying intent
• Write ads that match your landing page headline
• Set up conversion tracking from day one
• Start small, then scale what works

Social ads

Social media ads can be one fo the best tools for reaching cold audiences. Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn—each platform has its sweet spot. The trick? Meeting your audience where they already hang out.

This isn’t an exact science, but in general, here’s how you can think about each platform:

• B2B offer? Start with LinkedIn.
• Visual product? Instagram’s where it’s at.
• Want all the targeting options? Facebook’s got you.
• Need the Gen Z crowd? TikTok time.

In the 2024 Conversion Benchmark Report, we also dug into the actual data to see which channels led to the highest conversion rates at the industry level. It’s free, so take a peek before you allocate your ad budget.

Email marketing campaigns

Got an email list? Use it! Email marketing still crushes other channels for ROI across most industries (again, check the Conversion Benchmark Report). Plus, these folks already know you—they’re more likely to convert.

Here’s how to make your emails work harder:

• Segment your list based on interests
• Test different subject lines
• Keep emails short and focused
• Make that CTA button impossible to miss

2. Get your page ranking in search

Want more “free” traffic? Here’s how to get your landing page showing up in search results. (Yep, landing pages can rank too.)

Landing page SEO fundamentals

First things first: Not every landing page needs to rank in search. If you’re running a two-week promo? Skip the SEO. But for long-term campaigns and core offers? Let’s get those search engines loving your page.

Quick wins to start with:

• Pick a main keyword that matches your offer (like “social media template” or “marketing automation demo”)
• Use that keyword naturally in your headline and first paragraph
• Add relevant links to and from other pages on your site
• Make sure your page loads fast—speed matters for SEO

Meta descriptions and page titles

Here’s where a lot of folks mess up. Your page title and meta description are like your search result ad copy—they need to make people want to click.

Your page title should:

• Include your main keyword
• Be under 60 characters
• Actually describe what’s on the page
• Make people curious enough to click

For your meta description:

• Keep it under 155 characters
• Include a clear benefit
• Add a call to action
• Make it sound natural—no keyword stuffing

Technical SEO tips

Don’t let the word “technical” scare you. Here’s what actually matters:

• Mobile-friendly: Google checks your mobile version first
• Fast loading: Aim for under 3 seconds
• Secure: Make sure you’ve got that SSL certificate (the little lock icon)
• Clear structure: Use proper heading tags (H1, H2, H3)
• Alt text: Describe your images for accessibility

Pro tip: Using Unbounce? A lot of this stuff happens automatically. Your pages are mobile-friendly by default, load fast out of the box, and come with SSL built in. Plus, you can edit your SEO settings right in the builder. (We told you we had your back.)

Friendly remember: Good SEO takes time. Focus on making your page genuinely useful for visitors first—the rankings will follow.

3. Keep optimizing for better results

The work’s not done when traffic starts flowing. Now’s when you put on your scientist hat and start tweaking for better results.

Analyzing your data

Numbers tell stories—if you know what to look for. Here’s what matters:

• Where’s your traffic coming from?
• Which sources convert best?
• Where do people drop off?
• What patterns show up in your winners?

Making smart improvements

Found something that works? Double down on it. See something that’s not working? Fix it fast. The key is making one change at a time so you know what moved the needle.

Scaling what works

When you find a winner, it’s time to pour gas on the fire. Up your ad spend, expand to similar audiences, or create variations of what’s working. Just keep a close eye on those conversion rates—sometimes what works small doesn’t work big.

Want a shortcut? Start with these landing page templates

Why start from scratch when you can build on what works? We’ve got over 100 landing page templates that are ready to go—each one built from real conversion data. No more guessing what works.

Lead generation landing page templates

Need more leads for your business? These templates are conversion machines, built specifically to get visitors to share their info. From simple email capture to detailed contact forms, we’ve got you covered.

Check out our most popular lead gen templates:

• Wanderwise travel guide download
• Nexus law firm lead gen page
• Bright Insurance lead generation

Sales page templates

Ready to sell? These templates follow proven sales psychology to turn browsers into buyers. Whether you’re selling products or services, we’ve got layouts that work.

Top picks for closing more sales:

• Orbit SaaS sales page
• InvestIQ financial sales page
• Online cooking course sales page

Product launch landing page templates

Building buzz for something new? These templates help you nail that crucial launch period with pre-sale pages, waitlists, and launch announcement designs.

Launch templates worth checking out:

• TaskPilot SaaS product page
• Brilliant dental product page
• Cooper sterling product launch page

Webinar registration landing page templates

Running a webinar? These templates are built to boost signups and reduce no-shows. Each one’s designed to highlight the value of your session and make registration a breeze.

Fan favorites for webinar success:

• LaunchPad webinar registration page
• Smart investing webinar page
• Counselling webinar registration page

Pro tip: All these templates are mobile-friendly, tested for conversions, and ready to customize. Just swap in your content, match your brand colors, and you’re good to go.

Want to browse all 100+ templates? Check out our template directory and filter by your industry or goal.

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Technically, sure. The tree will make sound waves, but nobody will experience the impact.

When you use the wrong keywords for your PPC campaign, people will see your ads—but not the folks you want to get to click on them. You can’t expect your campaign to perform if your ideal audience doesn’t see it.

Instead, you need to create a solid foundation for your campaign with well-researched keywords to get your ads in front of the right eyes. This guide will teach you the basics of PPC ads, how to do PPC keyword research, and how to tweak your budget as you go.

What is PPC keyword research?

PPC advertising is the internet’s version of “you only pay when it works.” Every time someone clicks your ad—whether it’s on Google, social media, or a random website—that’s when you spend money.

But before you jump in and start throwing ads everywhere, you need to know about keywords.

Think of keywords as your treasure map. When you build an ad in Google Ads, you pick specific phrases that match what you’re selling. Google then plays matchmaker, connecting your ad with people searching those exact terms.

The real magic? It’s all about matching.

You’re aiming for two perfect matches (and yes, they both matter):

1. Message match: Your ads and landing pages need to feel like two parts of the same story. When someone clicks through, everything should make sense. (Trust us—this goes way beyond basic marketing rules.)
2. Audience match: Your ads pop up in front of people who actually care about what you’re offering. Better targeting = more clicks and real customers.

Here’s the scary part: pick the wrong keywords, and you might as well throw your money away. Your ads will look about as natural as a penguin in the desert.

Pro tip: Want to squeeze every drop of value from those keywords? Create a dedicated landing page for your PPC traffic. Your website’s great, but a focused landing page works even better.

How to do PPC keyword research for your Google Ads campaigns

Here’s how to do PPC keyword research in five easy steps:

1. Establish your PPC campaign objectives

First things first—define your campaign goals before you research a single keyword. You might already have them on hand. But if you don’t, consider:

• Conversion goals: What action do you want visitors to take to move down the conversion funnel?
• Metric goals: How many clicks or conversions do you want to gain in a set time?

These objectives help you understand your visitor’s search intent—the purpose people have in mind when they first click on your ad. When your keywords, your objectives, your visitors’ objectives are all aligned, everybody wins.

Take a look at this PPC ad and landing page from Webistry. Their client wanted to bring in new leads interested in buying a new house, so Webistry included the keyword “new house for sale” in their ad headline.

Plus, you’ll notice that the landing page copy aligns with those keywords. It mentions single-family homes and starting prices so customers know they’re in the right place. (It sounds simple enough, but marketers often get it wrong.)

2. Use PPC keyword research tools

You don’t have to guess at the right keywords until you get ‘em right. There are a variety of tools out there (both free and paid) you can use to aid you in building your keyword list, like:

• Ahrefs (Paid: $$$)
• Spyfu (Paid: $$)
• Keywords Everywhere (Paid: $)
• Google Keyword Planner (Free)

Each tool will show you metrics like search volume and estimated cost per click (more on that below), and each will also give you keyword ideas based on related keywords, long-tail keywords, what competitors are bidding on, and more.

Let’s quickly explore Google Ads Keyword Planner since it’s free and so many folks use it. After you click “Discover new keywords” on Keyword Planner’s main page, you’ll see this tool:

You can plug in keywords or a website, and Google Keyword Planner will give you some relevant keywords with estimated bidding costs and competition. Pretty neat, huh?

3. Look into keyword metrics

Speaking of bidding costs and competition, let’s talk about two important keyword metrics.

Not all keywords are built the same, even if they relate to your ad subject. You’ll have to look at monthly search volume and cost per click to determine their potential value and cost. Let’s break down these concepts:

• Monthly search volume: The number of keyword searches that happen each month. High-volume keywords give your ads more exposure, but they also give them more competition.
• CPC: Cost Per Click, or the cost you pay when someone clicks on an ad using that keyword. Keywords with higher CPC often work well, but, of course, they’ll cost you more. According to Statista, Canada has an average CPC of $0.57 and the United States has an average CPC of$1.05.

So, when you pick your keywords, you’ll want to find the right balance of volume and CPC to bring in clicks within your budget.

4. See what’s already working

While you rack your brain for PPC keywords, remember that you already have tons of inspiration available in your market.

Try checking what keywords your competitors use with one of the paid tools we mentioned above or Ahrefs’ quick and dirty Keyword Planner trick. Plug your competitor’s website into Keyword Planner, filter out their brand name, and snag some keywords from them. WordStream recommends using Google AdWords Auction Insights to see which keywords your competition uses.

You can also look for keywords in high-ranking content using a paid tool or some careful deduction. Search for your keyword as if you’re a visitor, then look through top-ranking pages for the major words and phrases they use. Pay extra attention to the headers and first few paragraphs—those are popular places to use keywords.

5. Target using your data

Now that you have your keywords, it’s time to learn how to target them at the best searches. Google AdWords (now called Google Ads) has three keyword match settings, as covered in a previous Unbounce PPC guide:

• Broad match: This default matching option targets ads at your exact keyword and any phrases related to it.
• Phrase match: Phrase match uses narrower targeting than broad match by matching phrases in the order you specify. For example, phrase matching “eat tacos” would bring back “how to eat tacos,” but not “what to eat with tacos,” or the alarming “what if tacos ate us.”
• Exact match: What it says on the tin. An exact match keyword will only target searches identical to it.

Generally speaking, you want to get more exact with your keyword matching as your customers go down the conversion funnel. As your leads get more specific with their searches, you should get more specific with your targeting.

How to build your keyword strategy

Ready to turn your keyword research into a real PPC campaign? Here’s the thing about keyword research: finding the terms is just step one. The real magic happens when you organize those keywords into a strategy that makes sense.

Creating your master keyword list

First up, you need to build your master keyword list. Think of this like creating a playlist—you want all your potential keywords in one place before you start organizing them into smaller groups.

Start by combining keywords from all your research sources:

• Keywords from your research tools
• Search terms from Google Analytics
• Competitor keywords you’ve gathered
• Related keywords and variations
• Long tail keywords that fit your goals

Pro tip: Create a spreadsheet with columns for search volume, cost per click, and search intent. This makes it way easier to sort and filter your keyword list later.

Sorting keywords into ad groups

Here’s where most PPC campaigns either shine or fall apart. Your ad groups need to be tight, focused, and super relevant to get the best quality score possible.

Picture this: You’re running a coffee shop. Instead of dumping all your keywords into one big group, you’d want separate ad groups for:

• Coffee beans (whole bean, ground coffee, arabica beans)
• Brewing equipment (french press, pour over, espresso machine)
• Ready-to-drink options (cold brew, iced coffee, lattes)

Each ad group should focus on keywords with similar search intent. This way, you can write ad copy that perfectly matches what people are looking for.

Quick tip: Keep your ad groups small and focused—aim for 10-20 keywords per group. Any more than that and you’ll struggle to write relevant ads that work for all the keywords in the group.

Adding negative keywords to your campaigns

Let’s talk about one of the most overlooked parts of PPC keyword research: negative keywords. These are the search terms you don’t want your ads showing up for.

Think about it: If you’re selling high-end coffee machines, you probably don’t want your ad showing up when someone searches for “cheap coffee maker under $20.” That’s where negative keywords come in.

Here’s how to build your negative keyword list:

1. Look at your search terms report to find irrelevant queries
2. Add obvious terms that don’t fit your business model
3. Include competitor brand names (unless you’re targeting them on purpose)
4. Add terms that indicate different search intent (like “free” or “DIY” if you’re selling premium products)

The more targeted your negative keywords are, the less money you’ll waste on clicks that never convert. Plus, your ad relevance scores will thank you for it.

Remember: Your keyword strategy isn’t set in stone. Keep an eye on your search terms report and regularly update both your keyword lists and negative keywords. PPC campaigns work best when they evolve based on real data from your target audience’s searches.

Want your ad groups to perform even better? In the next section, we’ll dive into some advanced keyword research techniques that can give you an edge over your competition.

Advanced keyword research techniques

You’ve got your keywords researched and organized. Your campaigns are running. Now it’s time to turn those good PPC campaigns into great ones with some advanced strategies that actually move the needle.

Using search intent for better targeting

The same keyword can mean different things to different people. Take “coffee maker” as an example:

• “How to use coffee maker” isn’t ready to buy
• “Best coffee maker 2024 reviews” shows clear buying intent
• “Coffee maker near me” needs location-specific ads

Match your ad copy and landing pages to the exact stage of the buying journey your keywords suggest. When you nail search intent, your conversion rates naturally increase.

Long-tail keywords vs broad match

Broad match keywords cast a wide net, while long-tail keywords work like a fishing spear. Both serve different purposes in your campaigns.

Long-tail keywords get less search volume but often convert better because of their specificity:

• Broad match: “coffee maker”
• Long-tail: “automatic pour over coffee maker under $200”

The long-tail version reveals exactly what the person wants, and these keywords usually cost less per click because fewer advertisers compete for them.

Competitor keyword analysis

Your competitors have already done tons of keyword testing. Learn from their work:

1. Use tools like Semrush or Ahrefs to see which keywords drive traffic to their sites
2. Look for gaps where they’re not advertising
3. Check which keywords they bid on consistently
4. Study their ad copy to understand their keyword strategy

Remember to look for ways to improve on their strategy rather than just copying their keyword list. You can use their current setup as a shortcut to get you started, but the goal shouldn’t be to blindly copy/paste their exact approach.

Optimizing your landing pages for PPC success

A stellar PPC campaign needs an equally strong landing page. Conversion-centered design makes the difference between clicks and customers.

Your landing pages need:

1. Message match: Your landing page should reflect your ad’s promise exactly. An ad for a “Free coffee guide” shouldn’t lead to an espresso machine sales page.
2. Clear call-to-action: Give visitors one obvious next step. Multiple CTAs create confusion and lower conversion rates.
3. Social proof: Include testimonials, reviews, or trust badges relevant to the specific keyword that brought visitors to your page.
4. A/B testing: Different keywords might need different landing page approaches. Test variations based on your traffic sources.

Our guide to conversion-centered design breaks down the exact process for building high-converting landing pages for PPC traffic.

After all, a high click-through rate means nothing without conversions. Focus on aligning your landing pages with keyword intent, and keep testing until your pages convert consistently.

Smart budget management for advanced campaigns

Your keyword choices affect more than just campaign performance—they shape your entire PPC budget. Advanced campaigns need smart budget management to stay profitable.

Start with Google Keyword Planner’s cost projections to map out baseline costs, but dig deeper into three key metrics:

1. Cost per click (CPC)
2. Cost per conversion
3. Overall conversion rate

A good PPC budget calculator helps you plan more accurately. Drop in your target metrics to see exactly what you’ll need to spend to hit your goals.

Then, set a weekly schedule to review your campaign costs. Look for:

• Keywords eating too much budget without converting
• High-performing keywords that need more budget
• Seasonal trends in keyword costs
• Competitor bidding patterns

The goal isn’t to spend less—it’s to spend smarter. Move budget away from underperforming keywords and into the ones driving real results. Your campaigns will naturally become more efficient over time as you spot and react to these patterns.

Pro tip: Keep historical data on keyword performance and costs. Monthly and quarterly reviews help you spot long-term trends that weekly check-ins might miss.

Common PPC keyword mistakes to avoid

Running PPC campaigns isn’t rocket science, but small mistakes can tank your results. These are the most expensive keyword research mistakes—and how to fix them.

Ignoring search intent signals

Too many marketers focus on search volume while missing the intent behind those searches. A keyword with lower search volume but higher purchase intent beats a high-volume keyword with no buying signals.

Common intent-related mistakes:

• Targeting informational keywords for sales pages
• Using the same keywords across different stages of your sales funnel
• Ignoring seasonal shifts in search intent
• Missing location-based intent signals

Fix this by mapping your keywords to specific stages in your customer journey. Your paid search campaigns will convert better when ads match user intent.

Poor keyword organization

Google Ads accounts fail when their structure looks like a junk drawer. Quality scores drop, ad relevance suffers, and you waste money showing ads to the wrong people.

Signs your keyword organization needs work:

• Stuffing too many keywords into one ad group
• Using the same keywords across multiple campaigns
• Mixing search intent within single ad groups
• No clear system for categorizing keywords

Create a clear organization system based on themes, products, or services. Each ad group should tell a cohesive story to both Google and your target audience.

Overlooking negative keywords

The fastest way to burn through your ad spend? Letting your ads show up for irrelevant searches. Your PPC campaign needs strong negative keyword lists from day one.

Watch out for:

• Brand names you don’t sell
• Related but irrelevant search terms
• Words indicating different price points
• DIY or free alternatives to your product

Review your search terms report weekly to catch and block irrelevant traffic before it eats your budget. Your quality score will thank you.

Chasing the highest search volume

High search volume feels exciting, but it’s often a trap. These keywords typically have:

• Higher costs per click
• More competition
• Lower conversion rates
• Less specific user intent

Focus on finding the right keywords for your specific goals instead of just picking the most popular ones. Sometimes a handful of targeted keywords outperforms dozens of broader terms.

Set-and-forget keyword management

PPC keyword research isn’t a one-time task. Your campaign needs regular maintenance to stay competitive and efficient.

Common oversights:

• Not updating keyword lists with new market trends
• Ignoring changes in search behavior
• Missing new keyword opportunities
• Keeping outdated negative keywords

Set a monthly calendar reminder to review your keyword strategy. Fresh keyword ideas and updated negative keywords keep your campaigns current and cost-effective.

Pro tip: Your PPC campaigns should evolve with your business. What worked last quarter might not work today, so stay flexible and keep testing new approaches.

Build a PPC campaign that actually converts

You’ve got all the pieces now—keyword research strategies, smart organization techniques, and budget management tips. But here’s what separates good PPC campaigns from great ones: what happens after the click.

Even the most targeted keywords and perfectly optimized ads need strong landing pages to drive conversions. Your PPC strategy is only as good as the experience you create for visitors who click through.

How Unbounce can power your PPC success

The most successful PPC marketers know a secret: you need different landing pages for different keywords and audiences. That’s where Unbounce comes in.

With Unbounce, you can:

• Create dedicated landing pages for each ad group
• Match your landing page copy to your ad keywords
• Test different messages for different audience segments
• Optimize your pages based on real PPC traffic data
• Launch and update pages quickly as you test new keywords

The result? Higher quality scores from better message match, lower bounce rates from targeted content, and most importantly—better conversion rates from your PPC spend.

Ready to transform your PPC keyword research into campaigns that actually drive business results? Start your 14-day free trial of Unbounce today and build landing pages that convert your PPC traffic into customers.

Remember: Great PPC campaigns don’t end with the click—they start there. Make sure you’re sending that hard-earned traffic to pages designed to convert.