Optimizing your landing pages is probably the most significant activity you can do to increase conversion rates for your pay per click advertising. Just a small improvement in your conversion rate can lead to a significant increase in profits. In fact, a good landing page is usually the difference between making or losing money in paid search.

While there are many elements you should continually test to beat your control, I’ve listed just a few elements that typically impact your conversion rate – upward or downward. Keep in mind, there are very few “truths” on the Internet. What I mean by that is just because one element works on someone’s website, does not mean it will have the same impact on your website.

Always be testing!

Here are five different elements you can test:

Headline
The headline on your landing page is probably one of the most important elements to test on your landing page. We’ve seen significant jumps in conversion rates simply by adding or changing a headline.

Testimonials
Generally, testimonials on your landing page or during the conversion path are a good idea. However, it is very important that testimonials are written so they are believable and verifiable. There are so many unethical internet marketers today that you must be really careful how the testimonials are phrased on your landing page. In addition, it is critical that testimonials are placed in the proper position to garner the best conversion.

Price
This will be more difficult for some, but if you have a manageable way of adjusting your product or service pricing, then try different price points to see which brings you the most profits. Don’t assume a lower price will generate more conversions. There are studies that show a higher price can sometimes lead to increased conversions – and profits. A higher price point can sometimes result in a better perception of quality and utility.

Button Text
We’re all used to the standard action buttons on websites like “Submit.” Try testing more descriptive text on your action buttons to see if you can move the needle on conversions. A few examples include, “Download Now,” “Request Free Quote,” “Sign-Up for Newsletter,” etc.

Credibility Logos
There are a lot of unethical individuals and businesses on the Internet. If someone has not experienced this first hand, they surely have heard the stories. Credibility logos or seals as they’re typically called, can help build trust with visitors. Studies have been done which show they can improve conversion rates. There are seals for a variety of purposes such as privacy, secured site, secured transactions, verified businesses, testimonials and more. The combination of credibility seals you select and positioning of the seals is very important.

While these five elements are not the only important variables you should test, these should be enough to get you started and could make a significant impact if you haven’t tested these elements in the past.