How to create a landing page that converts in 2025 (+ templates)

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.