7 Ecommerce Landing Page Best Practices (With Examples)

When it comes to ecommerce, first impressions matter. Research shows that users form an opinion about a website within milliseconds of landing on it. Why let all the hard work you’ve put into your brand go to waste so quickly, or at all, for that matter? Products can be great, but getting people to purchase them requires a compelling landing page. 

This article will help you supercharge your conversion rate success with a comprehensive breakdown of landing page best practices, tips, and strategies geared specifically toward ecommerce stores. 

The Role of Landing Pages in Ecommerce

Landing pages act as virtual salespersons, showcasing a product’s benefits and features with a goal in mind. The main objective of these pages is to guide visitors toward a desired action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or downloading a resource. Ecommerce landing pages tend to be geared towards sales, which is what we’ll focus on today. 

The idea behind creating landing pages that cater to a specific interest is that it makes finding and converting qualified visitors into customers easier. The referring content of a landing page – usually a paid advertisement, email marketing campaign, or social media post – sets the context of who users are and what they want to see. 

For example, say someone clicks on an ad featuring a plant-based skin cream. Sending them to a home page would effectively start their journey all over, requiring the user to go into the website navigation bar and pick out “Plant-Based Skincare” under a menu of options. By then, most people will have lost their impulse to buy. A landing page specifically about plant-based skin cream, however, seamlessly continues that target audience's buyer journey by providing more detailed and compelling information about that individual product. 

What's the Difference Between a Landing Page and a Home Page?

It’s important not to confuse landing pages with home pages. Every website has the latter – it’s where users land upon visiting the core domain address (e.g., Shipfusion.com). Home pages should be general in nature, presenting a high-level overview of a business’ offerings without getting into too much detail. Each section can then link to the specific offering, feature, or resource it highlights.

Landing pages are usually kept out of main website navigation bars and are instead accessed through a direct link embedded into a paid advertisement, email marketing campaign, or social media post. While most websites only have one home page, there's no limit to the number of landing pages a business can create. You could conceivably make one for every item you sell. 

Unlike home pages, landing pages focus solely on one product, marketing campaign, or target audience. 

For instance, say you own a skincare company. Search data reveals many women aged 45 and above are searching for "anti-aging skincare," which is just one type of product you offer. A landing page specially made for this demographic’s concerns would capture more traffic and likely see more conversions than a general product page. 

Key Elements of an Ecommerce Landing Page

Although landing pages should always be unique, every effective one has a few things in common. Here’s a rundown of everything that should be included in yours and why:

Digestible Design and Layout

Creating a landing page starts with considering the big picture. It isn't immediately about what you'll include but how you'll structure that content. Clean, well-organized layouts are key to making an effective landing page. Remember, this page exists to convert visitors into customers. Its layout should, therefore, be put together in a way that seamlessly guides users through each element, all the way down to the call to action.

When designing your landing page, prioritize simplicity and clarity. A grid system may be helpful in planning which content goes where. Grids strategically spread content and white space out in patterns that are easy to scan and digest. Their logical structures can be applied to any type of content, from text blocks to images and interactive elements, on any scale. If you aren't sure where to start with grid design, Unbounce has tons of landing page templates showcasing the power of planning in practice. 

Here’s an example from the online shoe retailer GREATS. Notice how every selling point is confined to its own section on the page with a consistent balance of space in between. Alternating image and text placement keeps the left and right sides of the screen equally interesting for the eyes. 

Compelling Copy

If design and layout are the skeleton of a landing page design, content and copy are the muscle. They do the actual work of compelling people to continue their journey through the sales funnel.

Your content should be concise, engaging, and focused on the benefits your product or service offers. What does that mean? Using fewer words instead of more. Every sentence on a landing page has a purpose, whether that's telling visitors what the product does or what makes it so special. Short and snappy headings do a better job of grabbing attention than long-winded explanations.

Focus on the 'why' rather than just the 'what'. Instead of simply listing features, explain how your product or service will improve the customer's life. Use active voice and power words to create a sense of urgency and excitement.

Take a look at the two following headings for a pair of shoes. Which one is more of a compelling headline? 

Option A: "Introducing our new running shoes."

Option B: “Run faster, longer, and pain-free with our revolutionary footwear.”

New running shoes are good, but they aren't any different from every other new pair of shoes out there if you don't explicitly state what makes them special. Prospective buyers come to landing pages subconsciously asking, “What's in it for me?”. Whether online or offline, sales pitches must make a case for why they should spend money on a specific product.

High-Quality Visuals

Copy goes hand-in-hand with visuals. Landing page design prioritizes simplicity, and as such, images should take center stage. Incorporating strong visuals into your landing page will catch visitors' attention while simultaneously speaking for themselves. The key is to select photos that reflect what you want to say to the right audience in a visually appealing, on-brand way.

For example, a landing page targeted towards young adults should contain images of people in that age group, ideally ones who are actively using and enjoying the product, to create an immediate connection with page visitors.

Visuals should complement your copy, not overpower it. Use them strategically to break up text, illustrate key points, and guide the user's eye down the page toward your call to action.

Quality is just as important as selection, and yet one-quarter of ecommerce sites don’t have product images with sufficient resolution. That’s a significant slice of the competitive landscape you can differentiate yourself from with relatively little work. 

Here’s a real-world example of how great images can create a high-converting landing page. Briogeo Hair gives visitors an up-close and intimate view of its Hair Repair Collection so that it’s the main focus of the page. Every photo was obviously carefully selected to be both aesthetically pleasing and well-representative of the bottles of high-powered, deep-reaching formula featured. 

A Clear Next Step

All of the effort you poured into grabbing prospective buyers’ attention will be wasted if your landing page lacks actionable next steps. CTAs are important, but they must be placed next to a button, link, or other clickable element that allows visitors to take the next step in their buying journey. 

Don't overwhelm your visitors with too many options. A single, focused CTA button is often more effective than multiple competing calls to action. If you must include secondary CTAs, make them visually less prominent than your main one. Consider using directional cues like arrows or images of people looking towards your CTA button or text to subtly guide visitors' attention. 

Ecommerce Landing Page Best Practices for Conversion-Focused Ecommerce Businesses

Ecommerce business owners know that including the above components in a landing page doesn’t guarantee sales. Converting visitors into buying customers comes with both extra work and potential pitfalls. 

Consider a scenario where a user clicks on an ad for a clothing brand and lands on a poorly designed landing page. The page is cluttered with excessive text, confusing navigation, and slow-loading images. Frustrated by the lack of clarity and professionalism, the user quickly leaves the page without making a purchase. In this case, the clothing brand not only loses a potential customer but also tarnishes its reputation and bounce rate.

To help you prevent that from happening, we’ve put together these additional landing page best practices worth trying:

1. Incorporate Social Proof

Great copy alone isn’t always enough to convert potential buyers into paying customers. Some people approach online shopping with more hesitancy, often due to negative past experiences or a fear of paying for a product that doesn’t meet brand promises. In such cases, a business’ best hope of convincing these visitors isn’t its own words but those of real customers.

There’s an extremely vast body of research to validate the connection between social proof and sales. A PowerReviews survey of 8,153 U.S. consumers conducted in April 2023 found that nine in 10 consumers say they consider reviews when making a purchase decision.

A landing page is one of the best places to showcase social proof because it's inherently sales-focused. Trust signals can be incorporated into designs in a number of ways, including direct customer testimonials, review snippets, badges from third-party websites, user-generated content, and case studies. 

It’s also beneficial to feature testimonials in other parts of the buyer’s journey. Thoughtfully placed reassurances from first discovery to checkout help reduce cart abandonment rates and therefore increase conversions at large. 

This landing page by Perfect Keto offers an excellent example of diverse forms of social proof in action. Right at the top, visitors see the logos of several well-known publications that have featured its products. The second half of the landing page includes direct quotes from high-profile individuals and reviews from everyday users. 

2. Follow Visual Hierarchy

Large brands' websites don't look aesthetically pleasing by chance – what you're seeing is the work of professional designers with a firm grasp of visual hierarchy. Visual hierarchy is the principle of arranging elements to show their order of importance. It guides the visitor’s eyes to what you want them to see first, second, and so on. This is crucial for landing pages, where you need to quickly convey your message and drive action.

Note how Drizzle Honey uses text size to organize the contents of its landing page below. 

For ecommerce landing pages, the largest elements should be those that immediately capture attention and drive conversions. Your headline, which might showcase your unique value proposition or a compelling offer, should be the biggest text element. For example, "50% Off All Summer Essentials" or "Free Shipping on Orders Over $50" could be prominently displayed. 

The main product image or hero shot should also be large, occupying a significant portion of the above-the-fold area. This could be a high-quality photo of your best-selling product or a lifestyle image showing your products in use. The CTA button (e.g. "Shop Now" or "Add to Cart") should be sizable and in a contrasting color to stand out. 

Lastly, any trust indicators like customer reviews, security badges, or money-back guarantee icons should be clearly visible, though not as large as the main elements. By making these key elements the largest, you guide your visitors' attention to the most important information and actions, potentially increasing your conversion rates.

3. Put Plenty of Thought Into Your Hero Section

The “hero” section of a web page is the first section that people see, right above the fold. Lots of thought should be put into designing this part of your landing page because it’s effectively a visual first impression. Some ecommerce business owners make the mistake of assuming more is better when it comes to hero sections, but this approach can actually be counterproductive. 

Including too much information can overwhelm visitors, impede the user experience, and dilute your message. It's better to aim for a clean, impactful landing page design that communicates your value proposition in a way that makes viewers want to keep scrolling. This is done with careful selection and coordination. Look beyond words and consider how each element of the hero section brings value, and also how these pieces come together. 

The landing page by Twillory shown below seems simple enough at first glance, but there's a lot more going on than meets the eye. The bold, all-caps headline "BETTER SHIRTING STARTS HERE" immediately grabs attention and communicates the brand's unique value proposition. It's notably similar in weight to Twillory's logo in the top left corner. That clearly communicates who they are. 

The subheading, "Timeless craftsmanship, timely styles, and tailored fits. Always at a fair price," says a lot about what makes the company special in very few words. Several plaid, neatly folded shirts reinforce this hero text without overwhelming the page.

4. Break the Mold

With over 26.5 million ecommerce sites on the World Wide Web, it's safe to say that you have some competition out there. Other business owners will also use landing pages to attract customers and convert sales. Standing out in this crowded digital marketplace requires innovation and creativity with web design. Your landing page needs to be more than just functional – it should be memorable and engaging.

Think outside the box when designing your page. Use unexpected layouts, eye-catching visuals, or interactive elements that align with your brand identity. Consider incorporating storytelling techniques or gamification to create a unique user experience.

Originality doesn't necessarily mean complexity, either. Dollar Shave Club does a great job of differentiating itself with CTAs that say "Buy now" in a way shoppers haven't heard before.

5. Optimize Images and Videos for Page Speed and Usability

Images have an important part to play in driving landing page conversions. But they can also work against that goal if set up improperly. Every second counts when it comes to page load times; a delay of just one second can result in a 7% reduction in conversions. 

Remember to optimize your images for web use. Large, uncompressed images slow down page load times, which are detrimental to your conversion rates and user experience. The same level of forethought should be put into videos. Make sure yours are optimized for quick loading and don't autoplay, as this can be off-putting to some.

How to optimize your images:

1. Choose the right format (JPEG for photos, PNG for graphics with transparency)
2. Compress files without sacrificing quality
3. Implement lazy loading to prioritize above-the-fold content

6. Prioritize Mobile Responsiveness

Mobile commerce is on a meteoric rise that’s only expected to continue in the coming years. A recent survey conducted by Marketing Dive shows smartphones and tablets are now the standard – only 28% of consumers still use desktops to shop online. 

With this comes an undeniable need for mobile responsiveness. All elements – from text to images to CTA buttons – must be easily readable and clickable on smaller screens in order to effectively capture sales from mobile users.

Consider the context: mobile users are often on the go, so your page should load quickly and be easy to navigate with one hand. Simplify forms to require minimal typing and use mobile-friendly features like click-to-call buttons for easy contact. Most ecommerce platforms have pre-built mobile landing page frameworks in place for smartphones and other viewports. Even so, it's best practice to keep these constraints top of mind in landing page design.

Centered content can work well for both wide and narrow viewports when laid out correctly. Take a look at how this brand uses color in its website design to keep what would otherwise be ‘white space’ visually interesting:

7. Use KPIs to Track and Improve Landing Page Performance

Digital sales is just like real-world sales in the sense that it’s an ongoing endeavor. Both products and prospects can change with time, so landing pages need to be updated regularly to reflect that.

Just like supply chain KPIs, time on page, form completion rate, and other metrics serve as a window into performance – only in this case, they tell the story of how well your page is performing in capturing and converting the average website visitor.

Regularly reviewing these KPIs allows you to make informed decisions about what's working and what isn't. It's like having a constant focus group at your fingertips, guiding your landing page optimization efforts. For instance, if you notice a high bounce rate, it might indicate that your page isn't immediately engaging visitors or meeting their expectations. This could prompt you to revise your headline and landing page copy, adjust your value proposition, or improve your page load speed.

Similarly, a low conversion rate might suggest that your call-to-action isn't compelling enough or that there's a disconnect between your offer and your target audience's needs. That could warrant A/B testing different CTA buttons or refining your messaging.

Analytics tools like Google Analytics provide valuable insights into how users interact with your landing page and can even alert you to potential issues or opportunities. For example, heatmaps can show where users are clicking most frequently, helping you optimize button placement and content hierarchy. Session recordings can reveal user behavior patterns, highlighting any points of friction in the user journey.

Prepare for the Results of These Landing Page Best Practices with Shipfusion

Although using these landing page best practices won’t cost you much money – if any at all – it’s important to remember that they still require an investment of time. Don’t rush the process; putting thoughtful effort into things like layout, copy, and visuals now will serve you best in the long run.  With the right landing page best practices in place, it’s only a matter of time before those orders start pouring in. 

When that happens, Shipfusion will help you meet the increased demand with industry-leading 99.9% order accuracy rates. 

Count on our third-party logistics (3PL) solutions for everything from inventory management to special warehouse projects to freight forwarding services, while knowing you’ve got the unwavering support of a dedicated Account Manager. Make the efficiency of your fulfillment operations – and the potential of your landing pages – limitless through a partnership with the best 3PL in logistics by contacting us today