Instapage ebook LandingPageDesignTrends Win more conversions with strategic landing page design
In digital advertising, good design is more than a pleasing aesthetic-- it's strategic and outcome-oriented. And on landing pages, outstanding design can be the determining factor in achieving marketing goals.
But design isn't static. While the fundamentals remain true, trends change. Up-to-date landing pages are a cue to visitors that your brand is relevant. In this e-book, we highlight the top five 2021 aesthetic and UX/UI landing page design trends to keep your landing pages looking fresh while driving conversions.
2021 Landing Page Design Trends That Inspire Visitors to Convert
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Trend #1: Minimalist design
Minimalism isn't a new concept--it traces back to 12th-century Japan, stemming from the philosophy of Zen Buddhism. Minimalist design principles made their way to Europe and America in the early to mid-20th century and has played a continuous role in architecture, design, and art since. It's endured over time, and as a design philosophy, it's as relevant in 2021 as it ever was.
Minimalism is a design language that emphasizes simplicity in all aspects--simple shapes, clean lines, limited colors, and plenty of negative space. It stems from a "less-is-more" philosophy. While it requires discipline, it makes for a much more effective landing page design. The fewer elements that exist to distract users, the more likely they are to pay attention to the elements that matter--the ones that most influence conversions.
To break it down further, here are the basic principles of minimalist web design...
2021 Landing Page Design Trends That Inspire Visitors to Convert
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Less is more
You don't have to put a lot on the page for it to be effective. Let the few elements (logos, copy, buttons, etc.) on the page speak for themselves.
Eliminate unnecessary elements
If an element isn't essential to messaging and goals, cut it. The aim is to only include features that serve a purpose--nothing extra.
Every detail counts
Because you're being frugal with what you put on the page, every detail counts. Be deliberate in every design decision, no matter how small.
Be specific and intentional with your color choices
Pay close attention to color. Because minimalist design includes fewer elements, their color is even more crucial.
Though it may sound like minimalism means using only one or two colors, that's not the case. The specific colors you use aren't as important as your reason for choosing them--and how they work together on the page.
Negative space draws attention to what's important
Negative space--or white--is any empty area on the page. Leaving visual space allows your visitors to focus on the crucial details.
2021 Landing Page Design Trends That Inspire Visitors to Convert
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Minimalist design: Zendesk
Let's take a look at an example of a minimally designed landing page from help-desk software Zendesk.
Zendesk does an excellent job of following the basic principles of minimalism. The use of negative space and limited information draws the viewer's attention to relevant details without distraction. The information on the page is all necessary--everything else has been removed.
Notice the use of contrasting colors that draw the eye to the CTA, which, in this case, is the email field.
Finally, the use of well-known logos is an efficient visual cue that communicates credibility, which helps drive conversions.
2021 Landing Page Design Trends That Inspire Visitors to Convert
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Trend #2: Contrasting colors
The term "contrasting colors" describes the relationship between multiple colors. If you look at the color wheel, colors directly across from each other have the highest contrast. Contrasting colors don't have to lie directly opposite one another, but those that do will have the highest contrast. In 2021, we're shifting away from the pastel palette that has been popular over the past few years. Pantone's Colors of the Year are a testament to this.
For only the second time in 22 years, Pantone chose two colors of the year for 2021. As Pantone explained in their announcement, the contrast of Illuminating Yellow and Ultimate Gray represents a message of strength, hopefulness and happiness supported by fortitude. The year's selection is a statement on the cultural mood and speaks to the current design trend of contrasting colors.
Pantone has a reputation as the "definitive language of color" and is the system designers use to differentiate one color from another--or further, separate one yellow from another.
2021 Landing Page Design Trends That Inspire Visitors to Convert
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Contrasting colors: Heap
In landing page design, contrasting pops of color--particularly when used as an accent color against a plain background--steer your audience's attention toward essential elements like your call-to-action button.
When using contrasting colors, stick to a limited color palette to avoid the design becoming too busy. While the use of two to three contrasting colors can be powerful, using more than that can overwhelm your site's visitors.
Here's an example from the product analytics software company Heap.
Heap uses contrasting colors to make relevant elements pop--a dark shade of purple for the background, a bright white for the form and copy, and a vibrant pink for their call-to-action button. Notice how the form and the CTA button jump off the page, attracting your attention, and in turn, leading to a conversion.
2021 Landing Page Design Trends That Inspire Visitors to Convert
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Trend #3: Frictionless forms
In design, "friction" is anything that prevents users from accomplishing their goals. Whether you're trying to capture emails, sales, or something else entirely, a frictionless experience is crucial throughout a visitor's experience on your site, as it helps drive conversions or other marketing goals. Commbox states a frictionless experience is all about creating a seamless buying and signup process. While there are many components to a smooth, uniform experience, frictionless forms are one of the most pivotal, and most often overlooked.
A frictionless form only includes the necessary fields. Most landing pages include a form, as it enables your company to collect vital information about your potential customers. Without these details, it would be challenging to qualify leads, assign them to the appropriate salesperson, transform them into valuable opportunities, and eventually convert them into customers.
Lengthy forms, or forms that have a cumbersome UX, provide a frustrating experience that deters visitors from converting. Visitors may become overwhelmed, distracted, or unwilling to share as much information as the form is asking them for.
Let's see how this comes to life in an example from the team behind Twilio's customer data platform, Segment.
2021 Landing Page Design Trends That Inspire Visitors to Convert
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Frictionless forms: Segment
With one form field, potential customers are much more likely to share their contact information--and because Segment's goal is to generate leads through collecting email addresses with the promise of an ebook, one field does the trick.
Some situations may require a lengthy form to capture necessary details In this case, you can follow some best practices:
· Keep everything in a single column. Merging everything into one column allows the eye to flow naturally down the form, reducing friction.
· Combine fields when possible. If possible, combine first and last name into one field and omit other unnecessary fields. Depending on your marketing objectives, you may only need a first or a last name--or just an email.
Instead of introducing bulky forms, opt for frictionless forms. These forms require only essential information, such as an email address, making it much more likely that visitors will convert. While frictionless forms have fewer fields, you should still have enough fields to achieve your business objectives.
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Trend #4: Mobile-first design
Mobile-first is a design methodology that involves designing for the limitations of the mobile experience first, then expanding functionality for the tablet or desktop experience. This philosophy prioritizes small-screen usability over functionality or breadth of features. Because people increasingly use their mobile devices to access the internet, a mobile-first design approach is important.
In a 2021 study published by Perficient, data reveals that 68% of website traffic came from a mobile device, whereas that number was only 63% in 2019-- showing the growth of mobile access. This spike demonstrates the increased importance of designing for mobile.
Users expect the mobile experience to feel like a native app--not a clunky and disorganized web page. As our Chief Design Officer Uldis Leiterts notes, "Good design establishes trust, which is why well-designed mobile landing pages result in stronger conversions."
To create an effective mobile-first landing page, remember a few key principles: · Keep everything linear. Side-to-side scrolling isn't a practical, user-friendly option on mobile devices or tablets. Keeping the design vertical is pivotal, so users only have to scroll up and down. · Design for touch. Mobile devices conveniently fit in the palm of your hand-- and therefore have limited screen space. Buttons and other clickable or fillable assets should be correctly sized so a visitor can easily click the button or fill out a field.
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Mobile-first design: Instacart
Grocery delivery service Instacart designs for mobile first. Their website's landing pages feel and act exactly like an app would.
Instacart App
Instacart also gives visitors the option to auto-fill their address or ZIP code by enabling location services--making the experience even more enjoyable.
You can see their website has a very similar look and feel to their native app. The text is large, the buttons are appropriately sized, and if you handed your mobile device to someone, they likely wouldn't notice that they're looking at a web page, rather than an app.
Instacart Website
2021 Landing Page Design Trends That Inspire Visitors to Convert
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Trend #5: Lightweight copy
You might not think of page copy as a design element, but it is one of the most substantial design elements on most web pages.
When designing a landing page--especially one that directly follows a click-- keeping copy to a minimum makes a stronger first impression. Heavy blocks of copy will feel overwhelming, and use of buzzwords will have a dampening effect on conversions. If visitors don't understand the jargon, it will deter them from completing the desired action.
To avoid visitors bouncing from your site, keep the copy simple and welcoming, and use inclusive terminology. Once you've engaged your audience, there is ample opportunity to direct them to another page for additional content--but first you have to draw them in, and they landed on the current page for a reason. Heavy copy risks intimidating your visitors, and they may leave the page before taking the time to learn more or complete the desired action.
If the landing page is the result of clicking on an ad, the page copy should match the ad copy with continuity, and carry out the message in a brief, easy-tounderstand way.
Following is an example from the website-building company Wix.
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Lightweight copy: Wix
Wix's landing page features very little copy--and what it includes gets straight to the point. This example from Wix is about creating websites. Any visitor will be able to quickly understand what Wix is offering--a custom website that's easy to create. Wix chose to focus on a singular point. The "start now" button signals that the visitor will learn more once they click. Wix recognized the "less-is-more" opportunity and decided to follow the best practice of being concise and to the point.
While other design principles are important, these five design trends-- minimalism, contrasting colors, frictionless forms, mobile-first design, and lightweight copy--are leading the way in 2021. Stand out from the competition and gain conversions by implementing these trends into your landing pages.
2021 Landing Page Design Trends That Inspire Visitors to Convert
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Are your post-click landing pages on trend?
Whether you're creating post-click landing pages to drive a transaction, promote a free trial, or get attendees for your next webinar, design each page strategically. Encourage your audience to stick around long enough to
take the action you want.
Start creating professional, high-converting post-click landing pages by signing up for an Instapage Converting Plan demo today. With 100% customizable templates, a designer-friendly builder, and InstablocksTM, our platform empowers you to scale your post-click landing page production
faster than ever.
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