How do I avoid common landing page mistakes that waste PPC budget?

Mismatched messaging between ad and page

If your ad emphasizes price but the page emphasizes features, visitors feel bait-and-switched. They leave. Always ensure your landing page's primary headline and opening message match the ad's core claim.

Too many options and pathways

Landing pages with multiple navigation menus, several different CTAs, or links to other products confuse visitors. They click away instead of converting. Remove navigation to other parts of your website. One clear action per page.

Form fields asking for unnecessary information

Don't ask for phone number, company name, and employee count if you only need email. Each field you add reduces completion. Start with the minimum and add fields only if you have data showing they improve subsequent conversions.

Slow page load times

People abandon pages that take more than 3 seconds to load. Large images, unoptimized code, and poor hosting all slow pages. Test your page speed on mobile and desktop. Optimize images. Use a CDN if serving globally.

No clear value proposition above the fold

Visitors should understand your offer in the first 3 seconds without scrolling. If they scroll expecting clarity and find nothing, they leave. Lead with what they get and why they should care.

The fix

Audit your current page against each point. Fix one thing at a time and test its impact.