Landing Page Optimization Course Review Pt. 1

Landing Page Optimization

The CXL Institute Growth Marketing mini-degree program continues to provide me with extended knowledge on topics related to my field of interest. The lesson that stood out to me last week was the Landing Page Optimization course taught by Michael Aagaard. This course allowed me to gain skills and knowledge applicable not only to landing pages, but also to research, user psychology, and improving one’s optimization strategy.

When it comes to defining a landing page, we can think of it as the page users “land on.” It’s the page that provides entry into a website, the first page users see after they click an ad source. Landing pages are unique as they work independently of the site and/or app in which they are located.

Why Are Landing Pages Important?

Landing pages shorten the journey from click to conversion. They follow up on “promises” made by the source of advertising. The primary goal of a landing page is to speak to user motivation and address barriers on the side of the consumer. It achieves this goal by answering the right questions and creating a sense of clarity for the intended audience. You can think of a landing page as a clear path to the conversion goal.

The role of the Landing Page in “the landing page experience” can be seen in the image below:

Search leads to pay-per-click ads that point to the landing page with leads to a form and a confirmation. This is a simplified version of the process (this can be tailored to fit your current business model when it comes to paid advertising and landing pages).

There are multiple steps and considerations that go into designing a landing page. Psychology, users, context, device, and copy are all pieces of the puzzle when it comes to creating a successful landing page that generates leads and drives conversions.

The Optimization Process (at a glance)

The Optimization Process is as follows:

1. Conduct Research
2. Form/Validate Hypothesis
3. Create Treatment
4. Conduct Experiment
5. Analyze Experiment Data
6. Conduct Follow-Up Experiment

Research

In this article, I will mostly be talking about the psychology behind research and what can potentially motivate consumers. Research typically starts with a heuristic walkthrough to gain both empathy and understanding of our audience. 

When conducting research, it is important to consider quantitative, the “what?” and “where?” and qualitative, the “why?” An example of quantitative research is finding out that many users are leaving a landing page without filling out the lead-gen form (this could also be finding out the specific quantity of users that are leaving). Qualitative research is more so focused on figuring out why users might distrust a landing page and/or why they are leaving. The page may not look legitimate or it could read as “spammy.”

Psychology

Fast vs. Slow Thinking 

One of my favorite things about this course was the concept presented around fast and slow thinking. Intuitive thinking is fast while analytical thinking is slow. Michael presented these thinking processes as systems. System 1 represents fast thinking — it just happens to you. This is like a machine jumping to conclusions; it’s automatic, emotional, subconscious, and in the moment. System 2 is more strained. It is effortful, logical, conscious, and it takes additional planning. 

Cognitive Biases

Priming is the exposure to one stimulus impacting one’s response to another stimulus while framing is the direct impact that message delivery has on the way a message is perceived. When considering messaging and creating copy for our advertisements (and landing pages) we need to consider the cognitive load and cognitive strain on our consumers.

The greater the cognitive strain and load are on a consumer, the less likely they are to convert. When it comes to landing pages, thought processes should be intuitive and automatic. The more time a user requires to process information and make a decision, the less likely they are to follow through with a purchase. Convenience is a large part of what drives consumer behavior today.

Dopamine & Cortisol

Dopamine does not equal happiness. Dopamine is a reward mechanism that is released when we are exposed to a reward stimulus. This hormone produces the joy we feel when we find things that meet our needs - this is what we want our audience to feel. Dopamine plays a central role in motivation and habit formation; although once a habit is formed, it begins to diminish the amount of dopamine that is released. When dopamine levels dip it leads to disappointment and sometimes anger.

Cortisol helped our ancestors avoid truly life-threatening situations which is why it has such a dramatic effect on human behavior. Cortisol is known as the “stress hormone.” This serves as a built-in alarm system and it alerts us that pain will come if we don’t act fast. Even a small setback can make us feel this way. Some triggers to look out for are violating expectations, ambiguity, disempowerment, trying to solve too many problems at once, forcing decision-making, and “stop” words (like spam). Increases in cortisol translate as fear and if it is released in moderation, it translates as stress and anxiety.

Big brains imagine future pain.

We can apply this to business by making sure to deliver on our promises and decrease negative prediction errors. By being clear, transparent, and honest, we can avoid triggering cortisol and stay ahead of any potential backfires.

Conclusion

I realize that this is just scratching the surface when it comes to landing page optimization, but I wanted to give you a glimpse into the human psyche and its influence on business. Research starts with empathy and understanding. It’s about getting to know who we are targeting and why they would be interested in buying in the first place.

Next week, I plan to write more about other concepts discussed in the Landing Page Optimization course such as wireframing, information hierarchy, awareness level, and landing page copywriting and design. I hope this provides some useful insights into the foundation and importance of landing pages and the applications of human psychology on the customer journey.

If you’d like to discuss any of the concepts I’ve mentioned or what I’m currently learning please visit my website, https://posyloudurrportfolio.com or reach out to me on one of my social channels. Thanks for reading!