Landing page not converting? 10 reasons and how to fix them
Short answer
A landing page usually doesn’t convert for one of four reasons: something is broken (the form, the button or the tracking), the page doesn’t continue the promise of the ad, visitors can’t tell what to do or why to trust you on the first screen, or the form asks for too much too soon. Check them in that order, because broken things cost the most and are the fastest to fix.
Key takeaways
- First rule out broken things: submit your own form on a phone and check that the conversion is recorded.
- The page should repeat the ad’s promise in its headline, in the same words.
- The first screen needs the offer, one clear button and a reason to trust you.
- Ask for less up front. A short first step beats a long form.
Reasons 1 and 2: something is broken
Before you change a word, check that the page works. It sounds obvious, but it’s the most expensive problem I find, because every paid click is wasted until it’s fixed.
- The form or button doesn’t work. Open the page on your phone, fill in the form and send it. On a solar installer’s quote page, every “Get a free solar quote” button led to a survey that only showed “Something went wrong”. Paid visitors had no way to convert except a phone call.
- The conversion isn’t being tracked. If your ad platform says zero conversions but you get emails from the form, the page may be fine and the tracking broken. Check that the thank-you page or form event fires once per real submission.
Reasons 3 and 4: the page doesn’t match the ad
- The headline doesn’t repeat the ad’s promise. Someone clicks “Your roof could be paying your power bill” and lands on “Welcome to Sunny Solar”. They wonder if they’re in the right place, and many leave. Use the ad’s words in the headline. See ad to landing page message match.
- The ad goes to your homepage. A homepage talks to everyone and links everywhere. A landing page talks to the person who clicked one ad and gives them one next step. See landing page vs homepage.
Reasons 5 to 7: the first screen doesn’t do its job
- No clear offer. In five seconds a visitor should know what you offer, who it’s for and what it costs or what they get for free.
- No button, or too many. One main action, visible without scrolling on a phone. A second option like “Call us” is fine, but it shouldn’t look the same.
- No reason to trust you. A rating, a number of customers, a short quote or a guarantee, close to the button. Smaller things matter too: typos, a tab title with another company’s name or the same reviewer name on two testimonials make a business look careless.
Reasons 8 to 10: the ask is too big or too slow
- The form is too long. Seven required fields before anyone gets anything feels like work. Start with one easy question, like a short quiz or a zip code, and ask for contact details at the end. See multi-step vs single-step forms.
- Pop-ups and banners cover the page. A discount pop-up and a cookie banner on the first screen can hide the offer the visitor came for. Delay pop-ups for ad traffic.
- The page is slow or awkward on a phone. Most ad clicks come from phones. Load the page on mobile data and watch what appears first.
What to fix first
- Fix anything broken: form, button, tracking.
- Match the headline to the ad.
- Rebuild the first screen: offer, one button, proof.
- Shorten the first step of the form.
- Measure leads or sales per visitor before and after, or run an A/B test if you have the traffic. The sample size calculator tells you how long a test needs.
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FAQ
Why is my landing page not converting?
Usually something is broken (the form, button or tracking), the page doesn’t continue the ad’s promise, the first screen has no clear offer, button or proof, or the form asks for too much too soon.
How do I know if my landing page is the problem or my ads?
If people click but leave quickly, the page probably doesn’t match the ad. If few people click at all, the ad or audience is the problem. Compare the ad’s promise with the page’s headline first.
What should I fix first on a landing page?
Anything broken, then the headline so it matches the ad, then the first screen: the offer, one clear button and a reason to trust you.
Should I A/B test my landing page changes?
If you get enough traffic, yes, because it shows the change caused the result. With low traffic, fix the broken and obvious problems first and compare leads per visitor before and after.
Sources
I’m George (Djordje) Peric, a CRO designer, CXL certified in Conversion Optimization and Ecommerce Marketing. I design websites, landing pages, funnels and ads, and A/B test them.