Performance marketers generally use landing pages to generate leads, usually through forms or calls. Although there’s agreement on the need for landing pages, the optimal design for maximizing leads is debated, particularly regarding using links.

Industry experts like Unbounce, nexus-security, and Kissmetrics have written extensively about best practices for landing page design, with varying recommendations on using links. Eric Sloan from Unbounce suggests you should “drop the useless footer links,” explaining that links can divert visitors from the page’s objective. Megan Marrs from nexus-security emphasizes the need to minimize exit points, including links, to guide visitors toward the desired action. Similarly, Kissmetrics’ Beginner’s Guide to Landing Pages highlights that, unlike regular websites, landing pages should primarily have clickable links for “call to action” and potentially additional information.

Do Marketers Follow Landing Page Link Guidelines?

We analyzed over 5,000 landing pages using Crayon’s data to see how marketers are using links. Our findings offer insights into current practices, which don’t always align with theoretical best practices.

Data Insights:

• We examined 5,000+ landing pages from the Alexa top million websites
• All analyzed pages are actively used for direct response marketing
• Consistent paid media drives traffic to all these pages
• Data covers over 35 industries

Key Findings:

• A surprising 96% of landing pages include at least one outbound link – TWEET THIS STAT
• 14% of landing pages have 10 or more outbound links – TWEET THIS STAT
• 33% of links on these pages direct visitors to social media – TWEET THIS STAT
• Logo, Privacy, Contact, About, and Twitter are the most common links – TWEET THIS STAT

Interpretation:

A significant 96% of landing pages have at least one link leading visitors away. The distribution is as follows: 40% have 1-3 links, 28% have 4-6, 13% have 6-9, and 14% have 10 or more. Clearly, there’s no consensus on the ideal number of links.

• 0 links – Landing pages aim to generate on-page responses, typically form submissions or calls. Off-page links can be distracting. It’s notable that only 4% of landing pages are link-free. Is there something they know that the majority don’t?
• 1-9 links – 81% of marketers fall within this range. While the most popular links will be discussed later, it’s interesting that there’s an almost even split between those using 1-3 links and those using 4-9, indicating a lack of clear best practices.
• 10+ links – Given the primary goal of lead generation, it’s unexpected that 14% of pages have 10 or more outbound links. While this might seem excessive, some industries require numerous links, and social media encourages them. There’s significant room for testing here.

Most Used Landing Page Links:

The most common links are the Logo (typically top-left, leading to the homepage) and the Privacy link. The logo, a standard website element, might affect conversion attribution on a landing page. For instance, if a visitor clicks the logo, goes to the homepage, and then calls a number there, can the lead be correctly attributed? Marketers who struggle with accurate attribution due to off-page navigation and conversions should consider testing to improve conversion rates and attribution. Privacy links are often mandated by legal teams and non-negotiable in some sectors. If you haven’t discussed links with your legal team, doing so is advisable. Could a footer with specific wording replace a link? Testing this could lead to policy adjustments if conversion rates improve.

Top 15 Landing Page Links:

The most frequent links on landing pages are: Logo, Privacy, Contact, About, and Twitter. Interestingly, for those facing insistence on privacy links from legal teams, 52% of landing pages don’t include them.

Logo and Privacy links alone make up 46% of all links. Social media links are less common: Twitter appears in 6%, Facebook in 5%, and LinkedIn in 4%.

• Site links – 67% of links lead to other pages on the same site, such as the privacy policy. Reasons for these links include building credibility, offering additional information, or complying with legal requirements.
• Social links – Unlike site links that keep users somewhat focused on the company, social links lead them to entirely different platforms. Clicking a Facebook link, for example, takes the visitor to their personal profile, introducing a host of distractions. However, in some industries, social links can enhance credibility or brand perception.

Conclusion

Landing pages are designed to generate leads, primarily through forms or phone calls, with the aim of achieving this on-page. Although off-page links seem counterintuitive, testing is crucial. A privacy link in the footer might not affect conversions, while a social media link might even improve them. Landing page links can enhance conversions, distract, or have no impact. The key is continuous testing. If you haven’t tested your link strategy recently, now’s the time! This article is brought to you by Crayon, the most comprehensive source for marketing design inspiration. Visit Crayon.co for free access!