7 best practices for highly effective landing pages

That takes more than good copy. High-converting landing pages combine sharp messaging, strong design, visible calls-to-action, and trust-building elements that guide visitors toward a single decision. When every section works together, landing pages become one of the most powerful tools in a marketer’s conversion strategy.

Landing pages help marketers convert website visitors into leads and customers. A well-designed landing page captures visitor information in exchange for a relevant offer. HubSpot’s landing page builder helps marketing teams create landing pages that are optimized for conversion, easy to customize, and designed to turn traffic into qualified leads.

This article describes what makes an effective landing page and seven best practices web designers and marketers should follow to get the most out of each page.

Table of Contents

• What makes a good landing page?
• 7 Landing Page Best Practices
• Frequently Asked Questions About Landing Page Best Practices
• The landing page is the takeoff point.

What makes a good landing page?

A strong website is essential for reaching business goals. And the landing page provides important information for an audience along with a clear call-to-action (CTA) These seven landing page elements will help make landing pages as effective as possible.

1. Structure & Design

Not every visitor will make it to the bottom of a landing page, so the top section needs to do the heavy lifting. Focus the page on the elements that help people convert right away:

• Follow lead form best practices and place the form above the fold.
• Keep the primary CTA visible without scrolling.
• Remove navigation links that could pull visitors away.

This keeps visitors’ attention on the action marketers want them to take.

2. Compelling Headline

The largest text on a landing page should be something that makes visitors want to learn more. Saying “We are Georgia’s largest marketing agency” isn’t as captivating as “We helped businesses earn $10 million in profit this year.” Any additional copy on the landing page should maintain the momentum of interest initiated by the headline.

3. Call-to-Action

Each landing page should guide visitors to one specific action, such as booking a demo or downloading an offer. Clear CTA copy tells visitors exactly what to do next. HubSpot’s landing page builder helps marketing teams test CTA placement and messaging so more visitors convert.

4. Testimonials and Case Studies

A first-time visitor to a site may not have done any business with the company before. They will be more encouraged to take action by seeing what the company has accomplished for a similar client and not just a general description of what it does.

5. Trust Symbols

A well-designed website isn’t enough to prove to visitors that a business is a credible organization, especially in today’s world. Social proof builds credibility, while elements like trust seals and a privacy policy create trust with visitors.

6. Media

A headline can be a powerful motivator, but a photo or video can also communicate the desired message. Choose a media format that promotes either what the brand does or what the audience should feel when they land on the page.

7. Quick Loading Pages

Large images and videos slow landing pages down and increase the chance that visitors leave before converting. Fast landing pages with optimized videos and images keep visitors engaged and support higher conversion rates. HubSpot’s landing page builder helps teams create landing pages that load quickly and stay easy to update.

Pro tip: HubSpot’s landing page builder features built-in templates, drag-and-drop editing, CTA testing, fast-loading pages, and CRM integration, helping marketing teams launch and improve landing pages without relying heavily on developers.

7 Landing Page Best Practices

Follow these landing page best practices to ensure a high-converting, easy-to-navigate webpage.

1. Pass the blink test.

Visitors to a site will often make the decision of whether or not they’re going to fill out the form before the page even finishes loading. Make sure the page and form immediately appear professional and easy to fill out. In other words, make sure they can understand the offer and what is being asked for in the time it takes them to blink.

2. Keep it simple.

Every visitor to a landing page clicked on something to get there, like a CTA button for a free trial, webinar, or other offer. So, theoretically, marketing and sales teams already know something key about these folks. If they clicked to download a whitepaper on blue widgets, for instance, then they must be interested in blue widgets. Armed with that information, teams should be able to plan their page layout accordingly. Keep everything on the page simple and aligned with its purpose.

3. Keep it concise.

Marketers need to pinpoint the most important things they want to communicate with their landing page. Avoid including a long company history or elaborate explanations that can go on a different page. A visitor should be able to take a quick look at a landing page and receive the desired message.

4. Graphics and endorsements matter.

When a brand asks visitors to share personal information, credibility matters. Put trust-building elements where people can see them quickly:

• Testimonials from relevant customers.
• Social proof, such as client logos or results.
• Privacy language that explains how information will be used.

These signals can make visitors more comfortable converting.

5. Go naked.

Landing page visitors are a few keystrokes and a click away from becoming a bonafide lead. In other words, marketers have them right where they want them! The last thing marketers would want to happen is for them to get distracted. “Going naked” refers to the practice of making the landing page deliberately sparse.

Customize the page so that it has zero navigation, that is, no menu, no link back to the homepage, and no other places to click. This page needs to be devoid of any and all hyperlinked distractions. Let the form and “submit” button be their singular point of focus, and usher them through to completion.

6. Restate value.

The landing page will be hyperlinked to the CTA button on the website, but make sure the two are also logically linked. Use a simple, bulleted list near the top of the page to restate what the offer is and why it’s valuable. Doing so will ensure prospects know exactly what they’re getting and will ensure a qualified lead for the sales team.

7. Eat your own dog food.

Before publishing, review the page the way a first-time visitor would. Ask:

• Would I fill out this form?
• Would I find this page confusing?
• Would I feel comfortable sharing my information here?

Use the answers to improve the page before launch, then keep A/B testing after it goes live.

Frequently Asked Questions About Landing Page Best Practices

How many elements should a landing page have?

A landing page should include only the elements needed to support one conversion goal, such as a headline, supporting copy, CTA, form, and trust signals. If an element does not help the visitor take that action, it should usually be removed.

What is the ideal landing page length?

The ideal landing page length depends on the offer and how much information a visitor needs before converting. Simpler offers can work with shorter pages, while higher-commitment offers often need more copy, proof, and context.

How do I know if my landing page is working?

A landing page is working if it converts visitors at a healthy rate for the offer and traffic source. Marketers should also look at bounce rate, form completions, and CTA clicks to see where visitors lose interest.

Should a landing page have navigation?

Usually, no. Removing navigation helps keep visitors focused on one action instead of sending them to other pages before they convert.

What’s the difference between a landing page and a homepage?

A landing page is built around one specific offer or conversion goal, while a homepage serves multiple audiences and points visitors to many parts of a website. In short, a homepage helps people explore, and a landing page helps people act.

The landing page is the takeoff point.

A landing page is often the first meaningful interaction someone has with a brand. In just a few seconds, visitors decide whether to engage, convert, or leave. That’s why every landing page should focus on one clear goal, communicate value immediately, and remove anything that distracts from the desired action.

The strongest landing pages combine compelling messaging, streamlined design, trust-building proof, and fast performance to create a seamless conversion experience. Marketers should continually test headlines, CTAs, layouts, and forms to improve results over time.

Tools like HubSpot’s landing page builder make that process easier by giving teams customizable templates, built-in analytics, A/B testing capabilities, CRM integration, and fast-loading page infrastructure — all designed to help marketers create landing pages that convert more visitors into leads and customers.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in May 2010 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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