13 Delicious Landing Pages Get Critiqued for Conversion

Finding good landing page examples is the hardest thing in the world. Okay, perhaps second hardest compared to making the nasal snorting sound Brad Pitt made in Kalifornia…

Point is, they’re scarce. And when good, they’re often guarded closely to avoid competitors from copying them.

Luckily, Unbounce customers are amazing and they’ve surrendered some of their awesome designs for you to enjoy – and for me to critique (who doesn’t like a good roast!)

Enjoy these super fresh examples of designing for conversion…

1. Hootsuite University

What I like

• Obvious CTA’s: Strong contrast and and consistency make the 2 buttons stand out like a clickable sore thumb.
• Clear Value Proposition: Learn how to do social media like a pro is essentially the message they are stating. There’s plenty of value and anyone would get the purpose of the page instantly.
• Appeals to Collectors: The page shows the accreditation badge you can earn, which appeals to the cub scout collector type that likes to be seen as an authority on a subject.
• Cute Icon Change: The mascot adds to the flavor of the page with a simple graduation style hat.

Things I’d change or test

• Sample Video: As they are asking you to pay to join, I’d suggest adding a sample video to show people the quality of what they’ll be getting for their money.
• Value: Attaching a number to it (30 videos etc.) would help balance the value against the cost.
• Enhanced Benefits: I’d add a title above the last 2 screenshots, identifying them as benefits of membership. I’d also explain a bit more about the value of being added to the directory.
• Testimonials: Lastly, I’d add a testimonial from a current user that explains the benefit they or their company has attained from the educational series.

Site*: Hootsuite

2. Chilis – Kids Eat For Free

What I like

• Core Value Proposition Has Strong Appeal: Parents immediately know that they can get a family bargain, with the ‘Kids Eat Free’ statement, and the ‘Parents Feel Cool’ reminds them that their kids will like them for taking them out to eat.
• Physical Coupon: The action is physical due to the brick and mortar aspect of the conversion goal – to get a family to eat at Chili’s.
• Locations: There is a ‘Find Your Chili’s’ button that allows you to find a location suitable to you, which saves the time barrier of having to look it up elsewhere.

Things I’d change or test

• Who is this?: Add the name of the restaurant next to the logo – as not everyone will be familiar with the brand and the few references that do exist are very small.
• Context of Use: I’d like to see a photo of a kid with the crayons (and using them) – rather than just a stock image of crayons. This would ram home the fact that it’s a family event.

Site*: Chilis

3. Monetate – Live Chat Case Study

What I like

• Directional Cue: The arrow through the report makes it clear that you will get some kind of written document by completing the form, while leading your eye to the conversion area.
• Strong Headline: It’s strong in that you immediately know it’s about live chat. But it could be better as I’ll discuss in the change/test section next.
• Informative Bullet Points: The bullets separate the important benefits from the rest of the copy, and let you know what you’ll be getting in the case study.

Things I’d change or test

• Access What Now?: I’d change the CTA to ‘Access Case Study’.
• Make the Headline Clearer: Although good, it does cut right to the core of what the page is about. It could be improved with a very simple change: “Is Live Chat a Winner or a Loser on Your Site?” This lets people know that Monetate has the answer to the question and that it’s for your website.
• Supporting Paragraph: I’d make this more prominent (larger font). I’d also consider making the rest of the text large to better balance the left side of the page with the right. This would make it more readable, and you could add a second directional cue to lead them to the CTA after reading the text.
• Social Sharing Buttons: To remove unnecessary distractions, I’d move the social buttons to the confirmation page.
• Add a Preview: To ensure your visitors are confident in the quality of your case study, add a preview of a chapter or segment to let them ‘Look Inside’ – to use the Amazon model.

Site*: Monetate

4. GiviGiv

What I like

• Tugs at Your Heartstrings: The photo is emotive, especially with the dog staring you directly in the eye to make a connection and keep you on the page.
• Guided Process: The 3-step process at the bottom makes it very clear how it all works.

Things I’d change or test

• What’s the Form For?: There is no heading to the form area to describe the purpose. The description of the purpose of the page is actually right at the bottom of the page – bring this up and make it part of the main header – or connect it to the form so people know what they’ll get for entering.
• Weak CTA: The CTA doesn’t help matters by simply saying ‘Submit’.
• No Privacy Policy: If you are collecting an email, always have a privacy policy and ‘no spam’ statement. Ideally stick the privacy policy link beside the email form field.
• Weak Sub-Header: The sub-header makes you feel good but doesn’t explain the brands’ purpose (which is not obvious from the brand name).
• Description is Small: The description of what the service (in the grey stripe) is quite small – I’d make this more prominent so that people get the concept right off the bat.

Now I’m going to go and cry for being so mean to GiviGiv. For the record – GREAT idea!

Site*: Falcon Social

5. Falcon Social

What I like

• Clear Value Proposition That Identifies Target Users: The primary headline explains what the product does, and the secondary header explains the level of users it’s for – teams and enterprise companies.
• Well Stated & Designed CTA: Tells you exactly what you’ll get – a free trial. It also stands out with stark contrast and stays nicely above the fold.
• Testimonials & Endorsements: Quotes and logos from big name companies establish trust and the level/size of company the product can handle.
• Feature/Benefit List Leads to Second CTA: After reading what the product does, you are again prompted with a nicely placed CTA, to sign up for a free trial.

Things I’d change or test

• Leaks: Remove the link leaks from the footer. The destinations are not comparable to the main CTA and shouldn’t give visitors the chance to wander.
• Learn More Links: this is a weird one. The CTA’s load in a lightbox, where I would expect them to move you on to another page to sign up. Yet the 6 feature links take you away from the page (more leaks) – when THEY should be the one using lightboxes to expand on the feature details without moving away from the page. I’d reverse this.

Site*: Falcon Social

6. Got Gout?

What I like

• Perfectly Executed Headline: The question format and clarity of the headline is perfect. ‘Do you have Gout & heart disease?’ – if you do then you’re going to stick around – and you have to assume that people coming here are very targeted having come from ads that speak to the same issue. I’d bet on high conversions.
• Great Lead in With the Form Header: The statement ‘Find out if you qualify’ is a great teaser. Like those IQ quizzes, your curiosity makes you want to know.
• Clear CTA posed as a Question: This is followed perfectly by the CTA which will take anyone who has completed the form and give them the extra nudge required to click.

Things I’d change or test

Nothing! It’s a great landing page. Covered with enticing questions that make you feel like you are in the right place (hope) or comfortable that you shouldn’t be there (if the questions on the left don’t apply to you).

Site*: ClinEdge

7. Yoga In The Park

What I like

• Social Proof: Usually I recommend that people put their social widgets on the confirmation page, but in this instance, this actually is a confirmation page.

Things I’d change or test

• Confusing Page: The page makes your eye wander all over the place for the most important elements. The title is pretty clear, but nowhere on the page is the city mentioned. It may be a very geo-targeted campaign, but if not, I’d include the city in the title.
• Social Proof: I’d give precedence to the Facebook button as it has the highest number, and place it on the left, then encapsulate them in a surrounding box with an instruction for people to interact.
• Hidden CTA: Make the ‘Add to Calendar’ CTA much bigger and place it closer to the top, right beneath the ‘You’re on the List’ title.

Site*: Flavor Pill

8. PPC Analyzer

What I like

• Use of Copy Highlighting: Highlighting the word inefficient is good, but it draws your attention away from the headline. Which is actually a good thing in this case, as the sub-header is where the meat of the headline is.
• Encapsulation: The form area is nicely highlighted by the box that draws your eye to it through the use of contrast and encapsulation.
• Benefit Statements: the page is kept simple in terms of copy, and the 3 points at the bottom of the page focus on benefits, which generally appeal to people more strongly than features.

Things I’d change or test

• Headline: The headline starts by triggering a psychological fear not to waste money, but it’s only saved by the sub-header to give it any context. Even saying ‘Stop Wasting Money on PPC’, would make it more instantly clear to an impatient visitor.
• Get the Analysis: Implies that the analysis has already been explain to the visitor. But really, they have to guess what analysis they are going to get. Is it a general analysis? Is it a report based on your website?
• Beta: After reading that I can get the analysis, the CTA paints the picture that, in reality, I can’t. ALL you are able to do is sign up for the beta – which could imply that you’re just being added to a list and won’t receive an analysis at this time.
• Highlight: Try highlighting the entire sub-header.

Site*: PPC Analyzer

9. SocialMouths Contest

What I like

• The Tagline: this is probably the best part of the page, as it explains what you can get by entering the contest.
• Bullet Lists: There are 2 lists; One based on how-to’s and what you will learn, the other dedicated to the finer details of what the price contains.

Things I’d change or test

• Confusion Over the Source: I know (electronically) Francisco from SocialMouths, and the page is branded with his sites name. Yet, you have to click away from the page to find out who he is. There is nothing else on the page to back up the connection. If he is being used to endorse/provide the content or contest, then he should have some primary page real-estate dedicated to showcasing his profile.
• Timeline: How long does the contest run? There is nothing to tell me this.
• CTA says ‘Submit’: Grrrr. My biggest pet peeve. This should describe what will happen when you click the button! Just write ‘Enter the Contest’. It’s that easy. And include a statement close by that says that winners will be notified by email. Better yet, have a winners page, where people can check back to on the final date (that isn’t supplied) to see if they won. This is a second chance for engagement that’s being missed out on.

Site*: Contest run by StartupPlays

10. Wedding Films

What I like

• Simple Headline: the headline is clear and action oriented.
• Clear Package Descriptions: The page is so simple that it’s easy to see what you get for your money.
• Form states it’s Purpose: The header explains that you are checking availability.
• Practice What You Preach: I like the fact that they use video to showcase their talents. After all, it’s video you are buying. If it were a wedding photographer, then photos would be more appropriate.

Things I’d change or test

• CTA: This is the only thing I’d play with and it’s very minor. It’s okay, but would be better if it said something like ‘Check Availability Now’.

Site*: Created by Get Found First

11. Opus Lounge & Hotel

What I like

• Sense of Experience: The background immediately puts you in a good mood, and shows the hotel as the boutique experience that it is. Coupled with comfortable-looking living setting in the suite, it does a good job of making you want to explore more, especially to see the bedroom.
• Visually Strong CTA: The CTA is the most obvious thing on the page (+1 for that). It balances use of the color palette of the page, while making it stand out vibrantly from the background.
• Exclusivity: The subtext on the CTA makes sure you use this as your portal to book by saying it’s the only way to get the discount.

Things I’d change or test

• Lack of Obvious Branding: I live in Vancouver and have been at this hotel on several occasions so I got it right away, but for the uninitiated, there should be a stronger sense of what Opus is: a hotel & lounge. The title ‘Be Scene,’ is wasted space, and could say something more specific to entice visitors to stay and read on.
• What’s the Offer: What are you saving 15% on? Assuming it’s for a room in the hotel (the free wifi hinted at that), then is it for the entirety of your stay?
• Show the iPad: There’s an iPad 2 in every room. Show it off with an image.
• Include a photo gallery: Let people take a virtual walk around the hotel. This will give them the information they need to make an informed decision.

Site*: Opus Hotel

12. Backupify

What I like

• Bold Claims Backed up By Testimonials: I like how the powerful headline is followed up quickly with two testimonials.
• Trust: The 3 bullet points in the header show that this is a well used service.
• Plans: Users are nicely segmented by the size of your company.

Site*: Backupify

13. Photo Merchant

What I like

• Clarity of Purpose in Headline: The headline tells you what you can do (build a site quickly) and the sub-header lets you know that it has an ecommerce component for selling your prints.
• Designed With Target Market in Mind: As a photographer, I find the design appealing as it reminds me of some of the software I use.
• Low Barrier to Entry: No credit card required removes any reason NOT to continue. May as well right?

Things I’d change or test

• Make the Sub-Header Bigger: The ability to sell prints from the site is a BIG selling point and distinguishes it from the average site builder. Let this feature shine.
• Repeated CTA: If you click the image, you’ll see that it’s a long page, and they nicely repeat the CTA at the bottom after showing you who uses the product.

Site*: Photo Merchant

So, did you learn anything? Hopefully the examples and critiques will help you when you do your next landing page design. Let me know in the comments if you agree/disagree with anything I’ve said. Let’s talk.

— Oli Gardner