Why be concerned with landing page user experience? A landing page is a big deal. When consumers look for a new product or service, they go straight to the internet. If a company is lucky enough to outrank its competitors or catch the consumer's eye first, they're one step ahead of the rest. After that moment, they only have one opportunity to make a lasting impression. That's where the user experience becomes an integral part of a business's success.

94% of first impressions can be related to web design. That's because the visual format of a landing page is often the first step in a customer journey.

If you have a well-planned, design-focused landing page, you can convert prospects into paying customers and help facilitate action. 

A seamless user interface helps a brand build trust and credibility with its target audience. If all of your UX and UI elements work together effortlessly, it helps eliminate any possible friction and creates opportunities to turn any customer into a returning one. 

We put together a list of seven tips to help you optimize your landing page by making small improvements that leave a big impact.

Let's dive in.

1. Don’t make people search 

When a customer arrives on a landing page, it should be easy to navigate and understand. A customer chose that landing page from search engine options for a reason, and they want their questions answered almost instantaneously.

To accommodate user preferences, make sure everything is clear, concise and easy to navigate on your pages. Start by having a vision for your customer experience strategy. Plot out your copy, be strategic with the CTA placement and include all of the critical elements a successful landing page needs.

Consider the following:

• What is the purpose of your content?
• Who is the target audience?
• What action do you want customers to take?
• What is the offer you’re making?

A clear understanding of your vision and goals for your target audience can help you effectively build out the user experience to meet their needs. These and other strategies can help you optimize your customer experience strategy.

2. Keep it simple

Too much of anything is too much. When it comes to landing pages, the simpler, the better.

We know you want to show off your design skills or stand out from your competitors with something daring and bold. However, if it’s too overwhelming and hard to read, your customers won't stay on your landing page for long.

Consider the essentials your brand needs, and design the visual aspects around the necessities.

For example, if the purpose of your landing page user experience is to generate newsletter sign-ups, make sure that's clear. Add a bold CTA, keep your newsletter sign-up front and center and only use visual components that complement your overall goal. 

3. Stay true to your branding

Stick to your colors, fonts, styles and aesthetic. This can help you build credibility with your customers and improve brand visibility. Stay away from colors that aren’t within your branding guidelines, and don’t go too font crazy.

Typically, we don't recommend using over three fonts or three colors. Consider sticking with the 60-30-10 rule. The 60-30-10 rule means 60% of your page should be the dominant color, 30% should be the secondary color and 10% should be the accent color.

This rule will help you visually organize your landing page and give you a foundation that won't take away from the user experience.

4. Understanding visual hierarchy

Every element on a landing page needs a different purpose or priority. An eye-tracking study done in the 1980s shows how users experience design in two main patterns.

An F-shaped pattern is when individuals read horizontally. They’ll read the first section horizontally, then the second, then the third and slowly move down the web page vertically. 

The second design pattern is a Z pattern. This is when individuals consume more visual-focused content. They’ll move horizontally across the screen, diagonally, and then horizontally again, creating a Z shape.

The web designer can decide which formatting works best for the landing page by utilizing a heatmap to see where your customer's eyes tend to experience your landing page.

5. Make sure your page is mobile-friendly 

Optimizing your website to be mobile-friendly has always been important; 57% of online traffic comes from mobile devices or tablets. Everything you do from a design perspective should be optimized to accommodate a mobile device, or you won’t be able to make a lasting impression on every web visitor you receive.

As you test out layouts and build landing pages, check the mobile experience and make changes as you see fit to make all assets mobile-friendly.

6. Never forget a CTA

Every web page needs a call to action. You’ll want to make sure your call-to-action correlates with the headers on your page. This will help you build trust with customers and eliminate unwanted confusion.

For example, if the landing page user experience is for a product demo, and you have "Get a free demo today," written at the bottom of the page next to the CTA button, make sure it’s also written somewhere in your headline. 

7. Don’t be afraid of white space 

If you didn’t know, white space is a tool designers use to improve readability and prioritize landing page UI elements. The white space is a tool to keep everything looking clean and crisp. As a rule of thumb, envision new web assets within this context: less is more. White space can be a tool to help you create a simple, easy-to-navigate experience for visitors. 

8. BONUS: Enroll in a UI/UX Bootcamp

Whether you’re an aspiring UX/UI designer who wants to take your education to the next level, or a current professional in UI/UX, there’s a better way to stay up to date on industry evolution.

With ourUI/UX Design Bootcamp, you’ll be able to take a deeper dive into UI/UX design and sharpen your skills to improve user experience for any landing page you design.

Connect with our Admissions team today, for all the information you’ll need to get started.