ScaleStation Blog: Insights on HubSpot & Digital Marketing

14 Common HubSpot Landing Page Development Mistakes

Written by Dharmesh Porwal | 25/10/2024 8:43:46 AM

Creating an effective landing page on HubSpot can make or break your marketing campaigns. You put all this work into driving traffic to the page, so the last thing you want is to lose potential leads because of a simple mistake. 

The good news? Most of the pitfalls that can derail your landing page performance are easy to avoid once you're aware of them. Here’s a detailed guide to the common HubSpot landing page mistakes and how you can steer clear of them.

1. Overwhelming Visitors with Too Much Information

You want your landing page to be informative—but there's a fine line between providing necessary details and overwhelming your audience. Bombarding visitors with endless paragraphs, complicated graphics, and multiple offers can leave them confused and uninterested. 

Think about it: when was the last time you stayed on a landing page that looked like an encyclopedia?

How to Avoid: Keep it simple and focused. Stick to one main message and make sure that message is the star of the show. Break up the text with bullet points, headers, and subheaders. Use visuals to support your content but not clutter it. 

A well-placed image or video that conveys your offer's value can be more effective than paragraphs of text. Remember: the goal is to quickly convey your value proposition and make it easy for visitors to take action.

2. Cluttered Design and Layout

A cluttered design can make a landing page feel overwhelming and confusing to visitors. Overloading the page with text, images, or unnecessary elements reduces its effectiveness. Visitors should be able to easily scan and understand the content without getting lost in a maze of details or irrelevant visuals.

How to Avoid: Keep the layout clean, simple, and intuitive. Prioritise white space to allow content to breathe, and use clear sections or headers to break up information logically. Only include visuals that enhance the page’s message and support the CTA. Align all elements to focus on the conversion goal. 

HubSpot’s drag-and-drop editor allows you to easily manage layouts, ensuring the design remains focused and uncluttered.

3. Using Generic or Weak Calls-to-Action (CTAs)

Your CTA is the trigger for conversions. If it doesn’t grab attention and make visitors want to click, then you’re missing an opportunity. Common mistakes include using CTAs like “Submit” or “Click Here,” which fail to communicate what happens after the click, making it seem like any other button online.

How to Avoid: Make your CTAs clear, direct, and benefit-focused. Tell users exactly what they’ll get when they click and make it enticing. For example, instead of “Submit,” try “Download My Free Guide Now” or “Start My Free Trial Today.” 

Using a sense of urgency like “Limited Time Offer” can also drive conversions. Make your CTA button stand out with contrasting colours and compelling text, guiding users effortlessly toward the action you want them to take.

4. Ignoring Mobile Optimisation

Today, more than half of all online traffic comes from mobile devices. If your landing page doesn’t look good or function well on mobile, you'll lose leads. Many marketers overlook how their landing page displays on mobile, leading to issues like illegible text, images that don’t resize, and CTAs that are hard to click.

How to Avoid: Always use HubSpot’s mobile preview feature to see how your landing page looks across different devices. Ensure text is large enough to read, images resize properly, and buttons are large enough to tap easily on a touchscreen. 

A responsive design ensures that elements on your page automatically adjust to fit various screen sizes, keeping your visitors' experience smooth.

5. Skipping A/B Testing for Page Elements

You might think your landing page looks great, but your visitors could see it differently. Assuming your first draft will hit the mark can be a costly mistake. Every audience is different, and what works for one campaign might flop for another. A/B testing helps you experiment with different headlines, CTAs, and even page layouts to see what performs best.

How to Avoid: Use HubSpot’s A/B testing feature to test different versions of your landing page. Change one element at a time—like the headline, image, or form field length—and compare the results. 

It’s crucial to let each test run for a sufficient period to gather enough data before making a final decision. Consistent A/B testing helps you optimise every aspect of your landing page for maximum conversions.

6. Long and Complicated Forms

When visitors land on your page, they’re interested—but not committed. Asking them to fill out a long form with multiple fields can be intimidating and deter them from completing the action. The fewer fields you require, the more likely they are to hit submit.

How to Avoid: Only ask for the essentials. For example, if your goal is to get someone to sign up for a newsletter, just ask for their name and email. You can gather more information as they progress through your funnel. If you need more details upfront (like for a sales inquiry), explain why that information is necessary and what the user will gain in return.

7. Not Placing Forms Above the Fold

The placement of your form can greatly impact your conversion rate. If the form is hidden below the fold (the section of the page that requires scrolling), you risk losing potential leads who might not scroll down to find it. Studies show that the higher the form is placed, the more likely visitors are to interact with it.

How to Avoid: Place your form above the fold, or at least ensure it's immediately visible when a visitor lands on the page. If that’s not possible, add a jump link or anchor button that directs users to the form. In HubSpot, you can easily place forms in the hero section or use buttons that scroll the page to the form, ensuring users don’t have to search for it.

8. Neglecting Consistent Branding

Imagine landing on a page that looks nothing like the brand you’re familiar with. It's disorienting and instantly reduces trust. Consistency in branding—from the logo and colours to the tone of voice—builds credibility and makes your page feel like an extension of your business.

How to Avoid: Use the same branding elements as the rest of your website or marketing materials. This includes colours, fonts, tone of voice, and visual style. HubSpot allows you to create themes for your landing pages, making it easy to keep everything on-brand. Remember, a landing page is not just about conversions; it’s also about leaving a memorable impression.

9. Using Low-Quality Images

Visuals play a significant role in how users perceive your landing page. Poor-quality images can give off a negative impression, making your business seem unprofessional or unreliable. Additionally, heavy, unoptimised images can slow down page loading times, frustrating visitors and increasing the likelihood of them leaving.

How to Avoid: Always use high-quality, optimised images that align with your branding and message. HubSpot provides tools to compress and resize images without losing quality, ensuring they load quickly without compromising visuals. Stick to visuals that resonate with the tone and goals of the page, and make sure they support your main CTA

10. Ignoring Page Load Speed

A slow-loading landing page can be a death sentence for conversions. With each second your page takes to load, the chances of a visitor bouncing increase dramatically. Imagine putting all that effort into designing a perfect landing page, only to have users abandon it before they even see what you have to offer.

How to Avoid: Use optimised images that aren’t too large, enable browser caching, and consider using a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to improve load times. Avoid overloading the page with videos or animations that can slow it down. HubSpot provides an SEO recommendations tool that can identify any elements affecting your page speed, allowing you to make adjustments as needed.

11. Ignoring SEO Best Practices

Without proper SEO, your landing page might not be visible to potential leads through search engines. Missing out on organic traffic could severely limit the number of visitors and, by extension, conversions. Moreover, SEO also improves the overall user experience, such as through faster loading times and mobile optimisation, which are both key ranking factors.

How to Avoid: Implement basic SEO strategies like using target keywords, optimising meta descriptions, and adding alt text for images. HubSpot provides SEO recommendations for your landing page, helping you optimise for both search engines and user experience. Regularly update and monitor your SEO performance to ensure your pages are discoverable.

12. Missing a Clear Value Proposition

A visitor has landed on your page—great! But do they instantly know what's in it for them? If your value proposition isn't clear within seconds of landing on the page, users are likely to leave. The value proposition should immediately communicate the benefits of your offer and why it’s worth their time.

How to Avoid: The headline is crucial—it should grab attention and hint at the value being offered. Follow it up with a supporting subheading or a brief description that builds on the promise. Use visuals like icons or images to highlight the benefits quickly. Make sure that the value proposition is prominent so visitors don't have to scroll or hunt for it.

13. Distracting Elements and Unnecessary Links

Every element on your landing page should guide visitors towards completing your main goal, whether it’s downloading a guide, signing up for a demo, or making a purchase. Including too many links, navigation bars, or competing offers can create distractions and reduce your conversion rate.

How to Avoid: Limit your landing page to one offer and one main CTA. Avoid adding external links, navigation menus, or unnecessary buttons that could lead visitors away from your page. Streamline the page design to maintain focus on the intended action and make sure every element contributes to the overall objective.

14. Not Using Social Proof or Trust Signals

People are naturally sceptical, especially when asked to provide their information. If your landing page lacks credibility or fails to show how others have benefited from your offer, visitors may be reluctant to convert.

How to Avoid: Incorporate elements like customer testimonials, trust badges, industry awards, or user-generated content that vouch for your brand's credibility. HubSpot makes it easy to add social proof sections to your landing pages. Even a few sentences from satisfied customers can make a huge difference in persuading others to convert.

Dominate Your Market with Conversion-Focused HubSpot Landing Pages

ScaleStation creates landing pages on HubSpot that aren’t just visually appealing—they’re designed to convert. With every page, ScaleStation focuses on blending a seamless user experience with cutting-edge design, ensuring that your visitors are not only engaged but also driven to take action. 

Our approach is rooted in using data-backed strategies, mobile optimisation, and continuous testing to fine-tune every element, from persuasive headlines to high-impact CTAs. Whether it’s maximising lead generation or enhancing your brand’s online presence, ScaleStation ensures every landing page delivers results that matter, helping your business grow exponentially.

Let ScaleStation develop HubSpot landing pages that drive real results. Contact us today and turn more clicks into customers!

Conclusion: Drive Results by Avoiding These Mistakes

Avoiding these common mistakes when developing HubSpot landing pages can significantly impact your conversion rates. A successful landing page boils down to making sure your message is clear, your CTA is compelling, and the user experience is seamless. Keep testing, refining, and optimising to create landing pages that not only look great but also deliver the results you want.

Take a moment to assess your landing pages—are you making any of these mistakes? Making small adjustments can lead to a significant boost in performance and ensure that more of your hard-earned traffic turns into leads and customers.

If you’re ready to take your HubSpot landing pages to the next level, start implementing these best practices today!