21 Reasons Your Landing Page Copy Doesn’t Convert

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So, you got a landing page tool and started working on the content. You’ve poured your heart and soul into writing your landing page copy. You’ve edited it with a fine tooth comb. You’ve even rewritten your landing page language into a masterpiece that any online marketer would envy.

But it’s not converting!

Here’s 21 of the top reasons your landing page copy isn’t converting – and what you can do about it.


1. You don’t know your customer


What’s the number one rule of marketing? Know your customer! If you don’t know who it is you’re trying to persuade and what it is they want, your conversion rates will suffer.

Do the basics to:

  • List out your markets and demographics
  • Segment your customers for each landing page campaign
  • Brainstorm the needs and pains for each segment

I know this is often a lot easier to say than do, and you’ll get it wrong sometimes. But, the better you understand your consumer(s) and what they desire, the better you’ll be able to write for them and convince them to convert.

2. You’re not writing for your peeps


Your landing page is often the first impression a person has of your business. When you’re writing your copy, think of what you’d say to that visitor if they were walking into your bricks and mortar store.

Write in a personal and appropriate tone specifically for your customer, your business and your offer. Use a conversational style of writing and add a person-to-person connection with pronouns like “you”, “me” and “us”.

This example from Chefs Feed speaks to their demographic of foodies who want an app that has top chefs rate the best places to eat in cities around the world. They use “I” and “you” and ask conversational questions that speak to their customers’ needs.

landing page template

3. You write too much


You might love the stuff your company does or makes. You might want to wax lyrical about it all day long. But on a landing page, people aren’t going to take the time to read everything you write.

People skim, scan and read by images these days.

Keep your landing page copy short and succinct. The more you get how your customer reads your landing pages, the more visitors you’ll get to convert.

Tip: You don’t want too much text, but you also don’t want too little text that people don’t understand what your offer is about. Test, test and test your landing page copy for your optimal word count.

4. Your words are too verbose


Don’t use words that are too wordy. A landing page is not an academic essay. It’s a marketing piece that you’re writing for one intent: to convince your customers to convert.

Keep your words short and easy to read.

If it’s part of your marketing strategy, throw in a few lesser used words to appeal to your demographic niche. Give people something to cogitate about.

5. Your sentences are too long


Use short sentences. By short, I’m talking twelve words or less. That said, try to avoid choppy, fragmented structures. Avoid run-on sentences too.

Make your sentences as clear as possible, and get to point. You generally don’t want your potential lead to get turned off because your long sentence trailed off and really went nowhere…

Tip: Write out what you need to communicate to obtain your marketing objectives. Then rewrite your sentences five times to fine tune your messages.

6. You’re not using bullet points


Again, people are skimmers and scanners. Use bullet points to optimize conversions on your landing pages.

List out your:

  • Unique selling points
  • Competitive advantage
  • List of benefits

Use bullet points to make your landing page copy skimmable and easy to read quickly, as in landing page templates like this one from Wishpond.

landing page template

7. Your title is vague


You have about five seconds (well, really less) to pique your visitors’ interest and get them to stay on your page to convert.

Your headline is the first thing people see on your landing page. If it’s unclear people aren’t going to stick around.

Make your title clear, succinct and tell exactly what your landing page is about.

8. You’re not using copywriting smarts


Your landing pages are your marketing and sales website tools. Use them as such. They are not your blog. They are not your homepage. They are part of your sales funnel to generate leads or get the sale.

Channel your inner Don Draper to bring out your best copywriting:

  • Think of McDonald’s personal and emotional: “I’m lovin’ it”
  • Use alliteration phrases like: “Drink dollar days are back”
  • Use short, catchy phrases like Subway’s “Eat Fresh”

9. You’re not showing the benefits to your customer


Your landing page needs to answer the “What’s in it for me?” customer question. If you’re not able to express how your product or service is going to make the lives of your consumers better – they’re likely not going to be interested.

For example: Don’t create a DIY newsletter sign-up landing page and simply ask visitors to subscribe. Show how your newsletter sign-up will give your customer:

  • A more beautiful living space
  • An improved lifestyle
  • More free time to spend with friends and family

Godiva shows the benefits of becoming a rewards club member on this email lead generation landing page.

landing page template

10. You’re not giving your competitive advantage


Express your unique benefits over your competition. Why would someone choose your service, download your ebook or try your free trial?

Write clear, compelling reasons for converting on your landing pages.

11. You’re not using images


It’s been said that 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual.  Or, in other words images tell a thousand words.

Use them on your landing pages to express the benefits of signing up for your free content or offer.

Colgate uses images to get its message across about healthy, bright teeth for all ages and demographics. (Ok, I don’t particularly like this landing page. It’s too busy, and the sign-up forms get a little lost, but the overall visual message is very clear.)

landing page template

12. You didn’t give the urgency


You’ve got to create an immediate reason for people to sign up for your offer. Without the fear of missing out or a time crunch, it’s likely that less people will take the quick reaction to sign up on your landing page.

Use tactics like:

  • Coupons with limited dates of availability
  • Limited products in stock
  • Exclusive offers to the first 100 sign-ups

13. You didn’t test it


A/B test, change, A/B test, change and then A/B test and change again…

You’d be surprised at what changes can increase (or decrease) your conversion rates.

At Wishpond, we’re constantly running A/B tests on our landing pages to optimize those email leads. Thinking we’d increase trust, we changed one of our product pages to include “We will not sell or rent your personal information to any third party, or spam you in any way”.

We were completely wrong. Adding this phrase actually dropped conversion rates by about 16.4%.

It pays to A/B test and cumulatively optimize your conversions.

14. You’re missing the emotion


You’re marketing, guys! It’s all about the emotional draw with your consumer. Appeal to the senses to get the reaction you need.

Use colours, emotion-based words and images that relate to your consumer, your business and your landing page campaign.

15. You’re asking too much too soon


It’s not all about the immediate sale. Don’t be super aggressive about getting your visitor to convert with you or buy from you on their first visit to your site.

Think of your sales funnel as a dating process. Start with small asks, such as to view your page. Move on to lead generation by giving away free content, then nurture your leads to eventually get the sale. Don’t scare away your hard earned viewers by spamming them to become your customer right away.

Use email lead generation tactics like giving away free ebooks (such as this example of a free Google AdWords ebook) and other content. Then set up an email automation campaign to develop relationships and nurture your leads. Once your business is known, then go for the sale to get new and returning customers.

Google Adwords Ebook

16. You think people know you


Don’t assume a visitor on your site is familiar with your business or products. If you’re marketing your page well  with Google Ads, Facebook Ads or social media tactics, you’re going to get unique page views. In fact, you want new visitors and customers, right?

Write clearly about your offer and your benefits. Don’t make your visitor search through your entire website to figure out what you do.

17. Oh, you didn’t edit that


Ok, we all do it. We make grammar mistakes, forget to make the ‘a’ an ‘an’, or even leave out a word two. But, poor syntax on a landing page is money out the door. You lose customer trust and conversions.

Take the time to circulate your pages to your work team, or read it again with fresh eyes, edit, and then read and rewrite it again.

18. You’re using the same words over and over


Change up your lingo to make your landing page copy interesting and engaging. You’ve got a limited number of words, so choose them well:

  • Use a thesaurus
  • Rewrite your copy
  • Get inspired by your company’s marketing material

Use those branded words, but wedge in a lot of those emotionally connected terms and expressions.

19. Your Call to Action doesn’t stimulate action


Your CTA needs to be clear and motivate a quick click. Use those short, action-oriented words like:

  • “Shop”
  • “Get”
  • “Save”
  • “Book Now”
  • “Free”
  • “This Week Only”

Buffer
’s landing page for a webinar sign up uses a simple yet action oriented in its CTA button, of “register now”.

landing page template

And definitely A/B test your CTA to optimally spur on your visitors to fill in your landing page form.

20. You’re not building trust


Trust is a key component in driving conversion. There’s tons of methods to increase a consumer’s confidence in your business. Test them out on your pages:

  • Include your phone number
  • Show a map of your location
  • Upload images of your customers or staff
  • Show customer testimonials (and include their name and photo)
  • Promote awards you’ve won
  • Show partnerships you’ve developed

21. You’re just not that cool


Let’s face it, some landing pages just aren’t cool. There’s no appeal, no incentive, no benefits for your customer.

Likely, you haven’t incorporated the 20 tips above. And, your haven’t targeted your unique target market in the billions online.

Reach your niche (small or large) and drive them to your page with: 

Maybe, just maybe, you can be cool after all.

Conclusion


Write your landing page copy like a marketer. Sure, having good grammar and syntax is valuable, but you’ve got to take it further. Seduce your visitor with clarity, emotion and written offers they simply can’t refuse. Motivate conversions through your captivating linguistic charm.

Try out these tips on your landing page.

Read more about writing copy that converts:

What do you think? How have you increased landing page conversions? What language changes did you make?

Written by Krista Bunskoek @ Wishpond

wishpond

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