Landing page optimization: a checklist that starts with why visitors leave

Landing page optimization checklist

The checklist goes through a landing page in the order a visitor experiences it: from the click on the ad or search result to the submitted form. Each item is a question. Answer it for your page with yes or no. Every no is something to change or to check before launch.

25 questions in 8 areas. You can tick them off here; nothing is saved.

1. 1.Message match with the ad or search

   Anyone who clicks has just read a promise. The landing page has to pick it up, recognizably, within the first few seconds.

   • Is the term from the ad or search in the headline?Someone who searched for “time tracking for contractors” looks for exactly those words in the first sentence. If all they find is a brand slogan, they have to figure out for themselves whether they’re in the right place.
   • Does the page deliver the offer from the ad?If the ad promises a price, a free trial or a download, that exact thing belongs on the first screen, not three sections further down.
   • Does every promise in your ads have a matching entry point?If a price argument and a quality argument lead to the same page, the headline fits only one of the two ads. The other one then needs its own page or its own hero.

   More on this: Message testing

2. 2.Hero and H1

   The first screen decides whether someone keeps reading. It says what’s on offer and what to do next.

   • Does the H1 say what is offered and for whom?Test it on someone who doesn’t know the project: let them look at the first screen for five seconds, then ask what they would get here.
   • Does the subheadline make the H1 concrete?In one or two sentences it explains how the offer works or what is different afterwards. If it just restates the H1, that information is missing.
   • Is the next step visible without scrolling?That includes a small laptop and a phone. A second button next to it is fine if it is a real alternative, such as “See pricing”.
   • Does the image show the product or a result?A stock photo of a team at a laptop explains nothing. A screenshot, a product photo or a before-and-after shows what it’s about.

   More on this: Free headline analyzer

3. 3.Offer and next step

   A landing page has one goal. Visitors should know what they get and what happens after the click.

   • Is there exactly one main step?A newsletter, a demo, a white paper and the careers page on the same page split visitors’ attention. Pick one step; everything else gets smaller or goes.
   • Is it clear what happens after the click?“Request a demo” leaves open whether a form, a calendar or a phone call comes next. One sentence below the button settles it, for example how long the call takes and who will reach out.
   • Does the size of the step match what the visitor already knows?People coming from a broad search rarely want a sales call right away. A smaller step, such as a pricing overview or a trial without payment details, is a better fit.

4. 4.Proof

   Every landing page makes claims. They become believable when visitors can check them.

   • Is every big claim backed by proof right next to it?“Saves time” becomes believable with a number from a customer project, or a screenshot showing the step that’s no longer needed.
   • Are testimonials specific and attributed?A quote without a name, role and company reads as if you wrote it yourself. A few real customers who name a result carry more weight than many generic quotes.
   • Do the customers you show resemble your visitors?Enterprise logos don’t help much if the page is aimed at small trade businesses. Visitors who recognize themselves in the examples are more likely to believe the offer will work for them too.

5. 5.Objections

   Visitors who hesitate usually have a specific reason. The page should know it and answer it.

   • Do you know why prospects say no today?Ask your sales team and go back through lost deals. Whatever comes up again and again needs an answer on the page.
   • Is the answer where the doubt comes up?Questions about effort come up where you describe the process; questions about price come up at the offer. An FAQ at the very bottom only reaches people who scroll that far.
   • Is the risk of the first step addressed?Say what happens if it isn’t a fit: cancellation terms and setup effort belong here, and in B2B often data protection too.

6. 6.Form

   The form is where interest turns into an inquiry, or doesn’t. Every field costs the visitor something.

   • Does the form only ask for what you need for the next step?Go through each field and ask who actually reads it after submission. Company size and budget can often wait until the first call.
   • Does the form say what happens after submission?When someone will get in touch, and whether by phone or email. Without that, submitting remains a small risk for the visitor.
   • Is the form easy to fill in on a phone?The right field types for email and phone, autofill, error messages right next to the field, and no lost input after an error. Submit it yourself once on a phone.

7. 7.Mobile

   If your visitors come from social ads or mobile search, the phone is the normal case.

   • Have you read the page on a real device?A shrunken browser window doesn’t show you the same thing. Try a small phone and a slow mobile connection too.
   • Does the first screen on a phone show the headline and the button?If a large image or the cookie banner fills the screen, visitors see neither at first.
   • Does the next step stay within reach while scrolling?Long pages need the button in several places, or as a sticky bar at the bottom. Make sure the bar doesn’t cover content.

8. 8.Page speed

   A page that’s still loading doesn’t get read. You can measure speed for free with Google’s PageSpeed Insights.

   • Does the largest element on the first screen load within 2.5 seconds?That’s Google’s threshold for a good Largest Contentful Paint (LCP). Check the value for mobile, not just desktop.
   • Are images and videos sized for the device?A hero image in print resolution or a video that starts on its own slows things down, especially on phones. Modern formats such as WebP and the right size for each screen help.
   • Do chat widgets, pop-ups and third-party scripts load only after the page itself?Every extra script costs time. Check which ones this landing page really needs.

   More on this: Source: web.dev, Largest Contentful Paint (retrieved October 12, 2026), PageSpeed Insights

Your own team often struggles to answer many of these questions because it knows the offer too well. Readers from your audience can tell you more reliably whether the H1 makes sense to outsiders, or which objection goes unanswered. The next section shows how to ask them before launch.