In the world of digital marketing, your landing page can be a silent salesperson — or a silent killer.

If you're driving traffic through Meta ads, email campaigns, Google search, or YouTube pre-rolls, you already know how much time and money it takes just to get someone to click. But what happens after that click is make-or-break. Your landing page is where people decide if they're interested enough to give you their contact info, schedule a call, or pull out their wallet.

And yet, most businesses treat landing pages like a throwaway form. They slap together a headline, drop in a form, hit publish — and then wonder why their conversion rate is under 5%.

At Brandsbyday, we work with small businesses, local service providers, and solopreneurs who are tired of burning money on marketing that doesn’t lead anywhere. And we see these same mistakes over and over again.

Let’s walk through 7 of the most common landing page mistakes you’re probably making — and how to fix them so you can turn more clicks into leads and more leads into paying customers.

Mistake #1: No Clear Offer Above the Fold

Why It’s a Problem:

First impressions matter. You have about 3–5 seconds to tell someone:

• What you do
• Who it’s for
• What they should do next

If you don’t immediately deliver that clarity “above the fold” (i.e., before the user has to scroll), your bounce rate will spike.

What This Looks Like:

• A vague headline like “Your Partner in Growth”
• No image or visual cue
• No subheading that explains the benefit
• A button that says “Learn More” but leads to a sales form

The Fix:

Create a clear, benefit-driven headline followed by a simple subheading. Add a bold call-to-action (CTA) button that aligns with the user’s intent. If possible, use a relevant visual — a short video, a photo of your service in action, or a product mockup.

Example:

• Headline: “Get 25+ New Leads a Month With Our Proven Facebook Ad Funnels”
• Subheading: “Built for local businesses ready to grow — no tech skills or huge budget needed.”
• CTA Button: “Book Your Free Strategy Call”

Mistake #2: Too Many Distractions

Why It’s a Problem:

Your landing page has one job: convert the visitor.

The more distractions you include — nav menus, footer links, social media icons — the more escape hatches you provide. Every unnecessary link is a leak in your conversion funnel.

What This Looks Like:

• A full website menu across the top
• “About Us” and “Blog” links in the footer
• Social media buttons that lead users off-site
• Multiple CTAs (e.g., “Buy Now” and “Download Guide” on the same page)

The Fix:

Use a dedicated landing page — not a generic webpage. Strip away all navigation, links, and sidebars. Make it painfully obvious what the user should do next. One page, one offer, one action.

Tip: If your site is on WordPress, use a landing page builder like Elementor, OptimizePress, or Unbounce to create clean, distraction-free pages with drag-and-drop editing.

Mistake #3: Weak or Generic CTAs

Why It’s a Problem:

A strong CTA moves people from passive interest to action. A weak CTA blends into the background.

What This Looks Like:

• “Submit”
• “Click Here”
• “Send”

These are buttons without meaning or motivation.

The Fix:

Your CTA should:

• Reinforce the benefit of taking action
• Match the funnel stage (e.g., “Start My Trial” vs. “Get the PDF”)
• Use action-oriented language that builds momentum

Better CTAs:

• “Get My Free Estimate”
• “Reserve My Spot”
• “Start the 5-Day Challenge”

Also — repeat the CTA throughout the page. Don’t rely on just one button at the top.

Mistake #4: Asking for Too Much, Too Soon

Why It’s a Problem:

Your visitor is interested, but not yet committed. Asking for too much upfront kills conversions.

What This Looks Like:

• A 12-field form for a free download
• Asking for a phone number on a top-of-funnel lead magnet
• Forcing account creation before they’ve even seen your offer

The Fix:

Match your ask to the value being delivered. For cold traffic, name and email might be plenty. You can always gather more info on the thank-you page, via a follow-up form, or during a consultation.

Bonus: If you're using Facebook Lead Ads or LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms, reduce friction even further by using pre-filled contact info.

Mistake #5: Long, Clunky Forms That Kill Momentum

Why It’s a Problem:

Even if someone is interested, a long or complicated form creates resistance. Every extra field is another chance for someone to abandon the page.

What This Looks Like:

• Long blocks of text input
• No visual formatting (just a wall of form fields)
• No idea how many steps are involved

The Fix:

• Use multi-step forms with progress indicators. This reduces psychological load and increases perceived ease.
• Group related questions.
• Use dropdowns, radio buttons, and toggles to make completion easier on mobile.

Pro tip: “Micro-conversions” (e.g., Step 1: email → Step 2: phone + details) tend to perform better than one big form.

Mistake #6: No Social Proof or Trust Signals

Why It’s a Problem:

Most visitors are skeptical. They need proof that your offer works — and that others like them have benefited.

What This Looks Like:

• No testimonials or reviews
• No client logos or media mentions
• No guarantee or risk-reversal element

The Fix:

Add real, specific, relevant proof:

• Star ratings from Google or Yelp
• Headshots + names with testimonials
• Video testimonials from past customers
• Trust badges (BBB, Google Partner, HIPAA Compliant, etc.)
• "As seen on" media placements

Don’t have testimonials yet? Add mini-case studies or anonymized screenshots of results (e.g., “This campaign generated 72 leads in 14 days”).

Mistake #7: Slow Load Times + Poor Mobile Experience

Why It’s a Problem:

Your landing page might look great on your laptop — but most traffic today is mobile. A slow, broken, or hard-to-navigate mobile layout is a deal-breaker.

What This Looks Like:

• Pages that take 5+ seconds to load
• Tiny buttons that are hard to tap
• Popups that don’t resize correctly on mobile
• Layouts that stack out of order

The Fix:

• Test your page with Google PageSpeed Insights
• Compress images
• Use mobile-responsive templates
• Avoid heavy scripts, auto-play video, or too many animations

Rule of thumb: If your page doesn’t load in under 3 seconds on mobile, you’re losing conversions.

Bonus Tip: A/B Testing Isn’t Optional

Even if your page seems to be working, you don’t know how well it could be working until you test.

What to Test:

• Headlines (clarity vs curiosity)
• Button text
• Images vs. video
• Short vs. long-form
• Testimonials placement
• Lead magnet formats (PDF, video, challenge, etc.)

Tools like Google Optimize (now sunset), VWO, or Unbounce’s built-in A/B tools make testing simple.

Real Talk: Most Landing Pages Are Just Lazy

And not because the business owner is lazy — but because landing pages are often rushed.

They get thrown together after the ad campaign is already live… or duplicated from a competitor… or handed off to a junior designer with zero marketing background.

At Brandsbyday, we build marketing systems that actually convert — not just pretty websites or templated pages. Our landing page audits often uncover 3–5 simple fixes that immediately boost lead volume, even without increasing ad spend.

Want to See the Difference a High-Converting Page Makes?

Let’s be real — the difference between a 3% and 18% conversion rate could mean:

• 5 extra booked calls a week
• 30 more leads per month
• A lower ad budget with better ROI

If you're running ads, driving traffic to a blog post, or pushing a lead magnet… but conversions are sluggish, it might be your landing page that's holding you back.

Click below to schedule a free 15-minute strategy call.
We’ll review your current page and give you specific feedback — no strings attached.