With landing pages becoming more popular with internet marketers due to a landing page's ability to effectively convert browsers to buyers, it's only natural for businesses to compare their results with others. So what is the industry average conversion rate for a landing page?

That's the question I got recently from a client. The answer is that you're not likely to find an answer, and here's why -- the term "landing page" has different definitions to different marketers.

Here are some of the different ways a marketer describes a landing page:

  • A page a user gets to when clicking on my search engine advertisement
  • A page a user gets when clicking on my ad banner
  • A page a user gets when they click on a link in my email marketing campaign
  • A page a user gets when they click an ad on my homepage
  • A hidden page that people get when they click a specific link on my site.
  • A hidden page that people get when they click on my link from a web directory or other web site

These are just a few definitions. Additionally, because there is no standard format for a landing page, landing pages can look significantly different. Compound that with the fact that a landing page might be doing something as complex as selling a $3,000 television or as simple as collecting an email address.

If you're trying to improve your landing page conversion rate, make sure you test different versions of the page so see which has the highest conversion rate. Here are some more landing page conversion tips:

  • Keep the page simple and uncluttered.
  • Write compelling copy.
  • Use color to highlight the most important area (the desired action).
  • For lead generation, make the form as short as possible and make it the focal point.
  • If selling a product, include a large product photo and clearly state the offer.
  • Assign tracking codes to each individual version and track sales/leads from each.
  • Make sure the landing page has only one subject/focus/product.
  • Consider not including your site navigation on the landing page and reduce the number of links off of the page.