Is your landing page not converting? Here is 12 possible reasons

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Is your website getting a lot of clicks? But not enough conversions? You've got traffic coming to your site, but for some reason, they're not completing the actions you want them to take.

What gives? There could be many reasons why your website visitors aren't converting. And a low conversion rate means you're losing out on potential customers and revenue.

No one wants that. In this blog post, we'll go over some of the most common conversion killers so that you can avoid them on your site.

#1 Your Sales Copy is Pushy

Okay, we know that the aim or goal of most landing pages is to SELL. That's why sales copy is vital to the success of any campaign.

But there is a difference between selling and being pushy. When you're pushy, you're trying to force the sale without any regard for your potential customer's needs. And this generally comes across as desperate, which is not going to encourage anyone to buy from you.

Of course, it's essential to communicate urgency on your landing page. However, if it sounds desperate, that can turn an irresistible offer into a huge red flag for on-the-fence consumers. They will think, "If they're this desperate to make a sale, there must be something wrong. I'm not sure I want to risk it."

Poor sales copy means awful landing pages. That means fewer conversions and a lower ROI for your business. So how can you avoid sounding pushy on your landing pages?

Here are a few tips:

  • The sales copy should be relevant to the landing page it is on. For example, if you're selling a breakthrough skincare product that has been clinically proven to reduce wrinkles by 50%, your sales copy should focus on that. Ensure your copy aligns with your page's objective.
  • The sales copy must allow the product or brand to sell itself through product awards, customer testimonials, and other forms of social proof instead of exaggerated claims and overheated language.
  • The tone of the sales copy must align with the website's overall tone. It builds brand consistency and, thus, trust.
  • When in doubt, always err on being helpful instead of sales-y. Be transparent about what you're offering and what it will do for the customer.

#2 Targeting the Wrong Audiences

Another reason why your landing page isn't converting may be because you're targeting the wrong audiences. In particular, website visitors from wrong sources, geographic, income, or market. When you target the wrong audiences, you essentially set your business up for failure from the start because you're not appealing to people who are actually interested in what you're selling.

And to avoid this, make sure that you target the right audiences from the start by using market research and buyer persona development techniques. These techniques will help you determine who your target market is and what they're looking for. 

To start identifying your target audience, answer the following questions:

Q. Who are the people that'll make up your target market?

A. Collect demographic information on your current and ideal customers, such as their age, gender, location, income, education level, etc.

Q. Where are these people located?

A. It involves geographic segmentation, which is the process of dividing your market into different geographical units, such as countries, states, regions, cities, or neighborhoods. The Internet has tools that can help you with this, such as Google Analytics and other similar platforms.

Q. What do they think?

A. Psychographics can be incredibly useful in marketing, as they help you understand your target audience's lifestyle, values, and personality. This information can be gathered through surveys, interviews, and focus groups.

Q. What makes them unique?

A. If you can learn about what makes your target market unique, you can better tailor your marketing messages to appeal to them. For instance, if you're targeting stay-at-home moms, you might want to focus on the fact that your product or service can help them save time.

Remember that "everyone" isn't your target market. When you try to appeal to everyone, you end up appealing to no one. Also, your marketing budget will be stretched too thin if you try to reach everyone. So, make sure you focus on a specific group of people that you can realistically target.

By knowing and understanding who your target market is, you can focus your budget on the people who'll become repeat customers.

#3 Your CTAs Are Not Convincing

Calls to action are essential elements of any landing page optimization. They are, after all, what determines whether a user converts or not. But just because they're important doesn't mean that all CTAs are effective. In fact, many CTAs are downright ineffective, resulting in low conversion rates.

If your CTA is not convincing or motivating users to take the desired action, they are likely to leave without converting. Here are several reasons why your CTA may not be convincing:

  • it is not visually appealing
  • your users don't know what to do
  • the text is too difficult or small to read
  • the CTA doesn't match the user's needs

So, how can you make sure that your CTA is convincing and gets users to take action? Ensure your CTA is particular and action-oriented. For example, "Download our free e-book" is much more convincing than "Click here."

Additionally, your CTA should be placed in a prominent position on the page, preferably above the fold. And make sure it stands out from the rest of the content on the page by using a different color or font.

#4 Your Site Visitors Don't Trust You

Most people are skeptical and hesitant when they visit a website for the first time. That's because people inherently distrust information on the web unless the information comes from authoritative sources.

And when they don't trust you, you won't be able to capture their attention or persuade them to take action. Would you give up your personal information to a website that doesn't look trustworthy?

Of course not! So why would you expect your site visitors to do the same? If you want to build trust with your site visitors, you need to show them that you're a credible source of information. You can do this by ensuring that your website is designed and written in a way that instills confidence.

Some ways to build trust with your site visitors include:

Use positive customer reviews and testimonials

People trust recommendations. In fact, before they purchase, 92% of consumers read online reviews. So, if you have happy customers, showcase their positive experiences on your website.

Make sure your website is up-to-date

An outdated website can make you look untrustworthy. If your website is full of outdated information, your site visitors will think that you're not keeping up with the latest trends.

Use security seals

If your website is secure, display security seals from reputable organizations. It will show your site visitors that you're taking the necessary steps to protect their personal information.

Make it easy for visitors to contact you

If you want people to trust you, you need to be accessible. Make it easy for visitors to contact you by prominently displaying your contact information on your website.

Personalize your sales copy

Use your sales copy to connect with your site visitors on a personal level. When you personalize your sales copy, you show your site visitors that you understand their needs and concerns. Ensure to use conversational language and a friendly tone.

Building trust with your site visitors is essential if you want to persuade them to take action. By following the tips above, you can show your site visitors that you're a credible source of information and that you're worthy of their trust.

#5 Lack of Guarantees 

Your website visitors won't convert if they don't see any guarantees. They're likely to leave your site and never come back. So, what are guarantees? Essentially, guarantees are promises that you make to your website visitors. They're designed to give visitors a sense of security and assurance that they're making the right decision by doing business with you.

There are a few different types of guarantees that you can offer, but not all of them will be appropriate for every business. Some common types of guarantees are:

  • Money-back guarantees
  • Satisfaction guarantees
  • Shipping guarantees
  • Price match guarantees

Think about what type of guarantee would be most appropriate for your business, and then make sure to prominently display it on your website. For example, say you're running an internet marketing agency. In this case, a satisfaction guarantee would be most appropriate. You could promise your website visitors that they'll be satisfied with the results of your services, or they can get their money back.

Or, let's say you run a web design business. In this case, you could offer a money-back guarantee because it would show visitors that you're confident in your ability to deliver high-quality work. 

Guarantees are essential, but so is the way you present them. You don't want your guarantee to come across as pushy or sales-y. Instead, make sure it's prominently displayed on your website in a way that's easy for visitors to find. 

You also want to make sure your guarantee is clear and concise. Visitors should understand what your guarantee is and how it works with just a glance. If you don't prominently display guarantees on your website, you're likely losing out on potential customers. 

So, take the time to figure out what type of guarantee would be most appropriate for your business and make sure it's prominently featured on your website. Doing so could make all the difference in whether or not visitors convert into customers.

#6 Lack of Urgency

Businesses need urgency in their landing pages. Without it, potential customers will move on to the next thing. Urgency creates a sense of importance and gets people to act now.

Some ways to create urgency are scarcity, giving a deadline, or using strong language. Scarcity happens when there is a limited supply of something. And this could be time, quantity, or availability. For example, if only a few items are left in stock, that creates scarcity. 

You could say, "Only a few spots left!" or "Hurry before it's too late!" These create a sense of urgency that would prompt someone to take action. Another way to create urgency is by giving a deadline. It could be an expiration date, like on a coupon. Or it could be time-sensitive, like an event that's happening soon. 

Using strong language can also create a sense of urgency if you use strong language. For example, instead of saying "Sign up now," you could say "Join us today!" or "Get started immediately!" Using words like these will prompt people to take action right away. 

Another way you can create urgency is by using a countdown timer. It lets people know that they only have a certain amount of time to take action. And it creates a sense of urgency that can prompt someone to buy now.

If you want your business to succeed, you need to create urgency in your landing pages. Use scarcity, give deadlines, use strong language, or a countdown timer. Doing this will help you get more sales and grow your business. 

#7 Your Landing Pages may Not be Optimized for Mobile

Over 90% of the global population uses a mobile device. That means that a huge portion of your website's visitors is using a mobile device. So, if your website is not optimized for mobile, you're missing out on a lot of potential customers.

People are more likely to take the desired action if they can see what information they click on any device. Otherwise, you may lose a customer to a competitor who has optimized their website for mobile. If you want to keep up with the competition, you need to make sure your website is mobile-friendly.

Here are a few things you can do to make sure your website is optimized for mobile:

  • Use a responsive design
  • Use large fonts and buttons
  • Simplify your navigation
  • Include only the most important information
  • Boost site speed

We can help you out with all of these things. We are a local Marketing agency specializing in website design and development. We can help you get more traffic to your website and convert more of that traffic into customers.

#8 Your offer Doesn't Provide Enough Value

Here's the thing: you can have a professionally-designed landing page with the best sales copy globally, but if your offer doesn't provide value, nobody will buy it.

If your offer doesn't live up to your customer's expectations, you will have a hard time making any sales. No matter how great your sales pitch is, if your offer doesn't provide value, people will not buy it.

For example, let's say you're selling a course on starting a web development business. Your customer is expecting to learn valuable information that will help them start their own business.

If your course is full of fluff and filler content, your customer will not be happy. They'll feel like they wasted their money, and they'll be unlikely to buy from you again in the future.

And this happens when you push your brand or company too much in the offer.

So what's the solution?

The solution is to make sure that your offer provides value. That means giving your customers what they want and then some. It means going above and beyond their expectations to give them an offer they can't refuse.

When you create an offer that provides value, you'll find that making sales becomes much easier. For example, you're selling a course on social media marketing.

Your customer is expecting to learn valuable information to help them grow their business. If you give them that, plus additional bonuses like templates and cheat sheets, you will make a sale.

People are more likely to buy from you when they're getting a good deal. So make sure that your offer provides value, and you'll be well on your way to making more sales.

#9 Your Landing Pages Have Too Much Clutter

No one wants to see cluttered landing pages. They're confusing and overwhelming, making it difficult to focus on the task at hand: conversion. So what does a cluttered web page look like? Here are some common examples:

  • Too many form fields: Landing pages should only have the minimum number of form fields required. Any more than that, and you're likely to see a significant drop-off in conversion rates.
  • Links to other pages: Internal links on landing pages can be distracting and lead visitors away from converting. If you must include links, make sure they're clearly labeled and easy to find.
  • Social media icons: Social media icons on landing pages can be a great way to connect with potential customers, but only if they're used correctly. Make sure the icons are placed in a prominent location and link to the correct social media profiles.
  • Ads: Ads can be a great way to generate revenue, but they should never be placed on landing pages. They're distracting and can take away from the conversion goal.

There's a simple solution to the problem of cluttered landing pages: keep them clean. A clean, well-designed landing page will be more effective at converting visitors into customers or leads.

Remove all unnecessary elements and distractions. Instead, focus on emphasizing the one action you want visitors to take. If you do that, you'll see a significant increase in your conversion rates.

Also, create separate landing pages for multiple products or offers. That way, you can ensure that each page is focused on a single conversion goal.

#10 Intimidating Checkout Process 

Perhaps one of the reasons why your customers are not converting is because your checkout process is not easy. People have short patience when it comes to online shopping, and if they find the process too complicated, they will leave without buying anything.

And to avoid this, you need to have a user-friendly checkout process. That means having a one-page checkout process and not making your customers go through too many steps. You also need to ensure that the form fields are not too long and that the buttons are big and easily visible.

Last but not least, having a progress bar during checkout is also essential as it will let your customers know how far along they are in the process. These things are essential if you want to have a successful online store. 

So, if you find that your conversion rate is not where you want it to be, take a look at your checkout process and see if there are any improvements that you can make.

#11 Your Landing Page Doesn't Answer your Customers' Objections 

Another reason your landing page isn't converting could be because it doesn't answer your customers' objections. What are objections, you may ask? They're the reasons why someone wouldn't want to buy your product or sign up for your service. And trust me, people have a lot of them!

Some common objections are:

  • I don't have enough money
  • I don't have time
  • I'm not sure if this is right for me
  • I'm not sure if I can trust you

Objections can be a tough nut to crack, but you'll be that much closer to conversion if you can address them head-on. One way to do this is to create a FAQ section on your landing page. It will allow visitors to get their questions answered before they even have to ask them.

Another way to address objections is by using testimonials from happy customers. Hearing from people who have already had success with your product or service can be a powerful motivator for someone on the fence.

If you're not sure what objections your visitors might have, take some time to do some market research. You can talk to people in your target market and find out what's holding them back from buying. Once you know what their objections are, you can start working on addressing them.

#12 Your Landing Page Don’t Match Your Message

People will leave a business website if they can't trust it. If your website's language, design, and digital marketing don't match the local business you're representing; potential customers will quickly become frustrated and move on to a competitor's site.

Ensure that your local business is trustworthy online, and ensure all the components are consistent. That means using the same language across your website, social media accounts, and marketing materials. The design of your site should also reflect the branding of your business.

If you want to appeal to a global audience, it's essential to consider how cultural differences can affect how people perceive your brand. Make sure that any images or videos you use are appropriate for your target culture.

By ensuring that all aspects of your online presence are consistent, you can create a trustworthy and appealing brand that will attract customers from all over the world.

It can be challenging to keep track of everything, but by creating a style guide for your business, you can make sure that all your content is on-brand. A style guide should include your company's mission statement, a list of approved colors and fonts, and examples of the tone and voice you want to use in your writing.

Conclusion

Landing pages are crucial for any digital marketing strategy, but you're missing out on potential customers if they're not converting. So we looked at twelve possible reasons why your landing page might not be performing as well as you want it to and offered tips on fixing them. Hopefully, this information was helpful and gave you some ideas on how to improve your conversion rate.

If you need help, we can work with you. We are a local digital marketing company and we offer local digital marketing services in Los Angeles, CA. We'd be happy to chat with you about your specific needs (like search engine optimization, brand strategy, email marketing, and social media advertising) and see how we can help you meet your goals for business growth. Contact us today!