You can build a landing page with clean React components, blazing-fast Lighthouse scores, and modern animations…
…and still get zero conversions.
I’ve seen it happen more times than I can count.
Here’s why most landing pages fail — even when the code is great.
1. They Talk About Features Instead of Outcomes
Developers love features:
- “Built with Next.js”
- “Uses Tailwind”
- “Server-side rendered”
Users don’t care.
They care about:
- Saving time
- Making money
- Reducing stress
- Solving a problem
Fix:
Replace:
Our app uses AI-powered analytics
With:
See exactly what’s killing your conversions — in under 60 seconds.
Outcome first. Tech second.
2. Cognitive Overload Kills Momentum
Too many landing pages look like this:
- Huge hero section
- 6 buttons
- 4 fonts
- 10 animations
- Walls of text
Users don’t “explore.”
They scan.
Fix:
Use:
- One primary CTA
- Short sections
- Clear hierarchy
- Lots of whitespace
Your goal: make the next step obvious.
3. No Clear Value in the First 5 Seconds
You have about 5 seconds to answer:
Why should I care?
If your hero section doesn’t instantly communicate value, you’ve already lost.
Fix:
Your hero should contain:
- Who it’s for
- What problem it solves
- What outcome they get
Example:
Convert more visitors without redesigning your site.
Simple. Direct. Outcome-driven.
4. Zero Trust Signals
If I’ve never heard of you, why should I give you my email?
Most landing pages forget this part.
Fix:
Add:
- Testimonials
- Real screenshots
- User counts
- Logos
- Founder photo
- Social proof
Humans trust humans.
5. No Feedback Loop
Teams ship once and move on.
High-converting pages evolve.
Fix:
Track:
- Scroll depth
- Clicks
- Drop-off points
Run A/B tests.
Small tweaks compound.
Great Code Is Just the Starting Point
Performance matters.
Accessibility matters.
Clean architecture matters.
But conversion is psychology — not engineering.
Your landing page should feel like a guided conversation, not a feature dump.
Final Thought
A successful landing page answers one question:
What’s in it for me?
Do that well, and the code finally gets to shine.
If you found this useful, feel free to connect — I write about web dev, UX, and building products people actually use.
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