![www.MusicMagpie.co.uk – Landing Page Review [video]](http://www.goodsignal.com/wp-content/themes/parallelus-unite/includes/timthumb.php?src=/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/musicmagpie.png&w=556&h=133&zc=1)
Because your website landing page is quite often the first thing that people have ever seen or heard from your business, you need to make sure that it looks smart, professional, and all the other things you feel your brand should represent.
To achieve this, you’ve probably spent loads of money on a new logo, some branding, and of course – a new website 
The problem is however, that unless you carefully consider EVERY element that finds its way onto your landing page, you risk un-doing all of this hard work by including unnecessary page elements which will have a negative effect on your conversion rate.
In this Landing Page Review of Music Magpie, you’ll see how easy it is to turn an otherwise awesome design, into a probable under-performer. Take a look…
2 Minute Review Items |
Ticks are good, Crosses are bad! |
|---|---|
| Website identity and purpose is obvious | |
| Look and feel matches target audience expectations | |
| Navigation is obvious and intuitive | |
| Site controls look like controls with obvious functions | |
| Feedback is appropriate | |
| Hints, help, and error recovery match requirements | |
| Images enhance communication | |
| Language matches User roles and tasks | |
| Legibility, font styles, sizes, consistency, formatting | |
| Content prominence supports Key Micro Conversion |
Summary of the video
What a great looking site, don’t you think? But why have they included the unnecessary animations?! There are four page elements moving on this landing page, and only 1 is associated with the main conversion tool. The others do not enhance the informational value of the page, and only serve to distract the user from their key conversion task.
Main points from the video:
- Strong sense of branding. You will notice that this site only uses 4 colours, and that these colours have been used consistently to enhance the communicative value of the page. Headings are clear, content areas are well bounded, and everything is very easy on the eye.
- Excellent information hierarchy and prominence. The relative positioning of each page element is consistent with the key bits of information and primary tools required by the User to take action. The most important page item is in the centre of the page, and is well designed to attract attention.
- Beware of using animations. Your landing page has one job to do – propel visitors through to the next stage in the conversion process. You need to attract attention, and persuade people to take a single and specific course of action. Animations attract attention, so avoid using them unless they are attracting attention to your key conversion tool! Otherwise, they’re a distraction that is limiting your conversion rate.
What do you think about using animations on websites?
Like them or hate them? Leave a comment below with your opinion on website animations, and whether they’re a good thing to include on landing pages.
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