Why Thank You Page Optimization Matters

Thank You page optimization is a critical component of your conversion rate optimization (CRO) strategy.

What can it mean for your business?

More clicks, leads, and revenue. (So yeah, CRO is pretty important!)

Getting website visitors to the Thank You page is a big step for our clients, but it’s not a guarantee that a lead will become a signed case or paying customer. Thank You page optimization matters because it transforms a frequently overlooked website page into a secret lead magnet.

Our in-house team of data scientists and analysts help boost conversions on key parts of sites, including the Thank You page.

Thank You (Page), Next

The Thank You page is a perfect opportunity to make a small but meaningful impact on how users remember you. As visitors go about the rest of their day, the Thank you page is the last thing they’ll see on your website.

So how do you optimize your Thank You page to create a memorable experience for visitors?

There are several high-impact, low-effort strategies to increase the ROI of your Thank You page. These strategies help businesses gain trust and brand awareness as well as create opportunities for cross-selling.

The key to the Thank You page is to continue to provide value to visitors. To this end, we’ve rounded up our top tips to maximize the effectiveness of your Thank You page and included some real-world examples.

Tips for Thank You page optimization

Be human

(Here’s a little secret: we’re all really good at this.)

When the Thank You page has a human touch, it helps visitors feel like a part of your brand. We have law firm clients who include videos of their partners and owners with a personal “thank you” message. This goes a long way to establish a connection with people and make your firm or brand memorable.

Photos of your company’s employees and interactive graphics help humanize the page and encourage users to hang out a little longer on your site.

Personalize your Thank You page messages if possible. (We’ve included examples of what this can look like later in this post.)

Spell out next steps

Set clear expectations for what’s next after a user has submitted a lead form or taken the action that brings them to the Thank You page.

Next steps can be communicated through a video or a written checklist and should answer the questions that users may already have. Let visitors know what happens next after they’ve sent their information and provide resources for where they can go if they have questions.

Emphasize commitment and certainty

This tip goes hand-in-hand with the previous tip.

If users are uncertain about what their next steps are, they will also be uncertain about converting from a visitor to a paying customer or qualified lead.

To build certainty and establish authority on your Thank You page,  avoid using terms like “as soon as possible,”  “shortly,” or “soon”  that can come across as noncommittal. Weak language like this can leave users feeling uncertain about their decision, confused on next steps, and ultimately, hesitant to become a paying customer.

We recently helped a client with this by adding a message to their Thank You page that clearly informs visitors about the turnaround time for inquiries. If same-day follow-ups are already something you strive to do, make leads feel prioritized by telling them.

Don’t be afraid to brag a little

Our clients trust us with their business, and we want to keep it that way.

Reassure users who submit their information that they’ve made the right choice by connecting their decision with a desirable outcome. This can be accomplished by adding awards, recognitions, testimonials from previous clients, or successful case verdicts after the Thank You message or video.

Provide “anticipatory content”

After they’ve contacted you, give users something while they wait for someone to reach out.

Are there recent news articles or videos you can share that might persuade them to sign with you and not one of your competitors? Are there informative blog articles that may answer some of their questions?

Try removing the contact form

Use this area for content that benefits the user.

By clearing space, you leave room for content that really matters. A promotion, a video thanking subscribers, or an invitation to follow you on social media helps form a connection between your brand and your customers.

Have a unique URL for the Thank You page

Thank You pages are more than just a confirmation page. Assigning a unique URL to the Thank You page helps you gather more insights into the user journey.

With a unique URL, you can see if they continue their session, visit a blog or FAQs page, or exit from the Thank You page. Basically, it means a new page to provide curated content post conversion that provides you another opportunity to nudge your users further through the sales funnel.

Examples of great real-world Thank You pages

We implement the above strategies in our clients’ Thank You pages and A/B test these elements to maximize conversions. And because inspiration is everywhere, here are some examples of our Thank You page tips at work with names you might recognize.

Be human with personalization

Salesforce uses personalization by referring to the user by name. This makes a powerful statement and helps create a human connection with prospective leads and customers.

Commit to users with clear next steps

Hubspot leaves nothing to the imagination and shows commitment by explaining what happens next. Users know what to expect in the immediate future (24 hours) as well as what will happen in the long term.

Brag using client testimonials

Best Fitness uses testimonials to show that their service really works and to support the users’ decision to reach out.

Leverage anticipatory content

Optimizely includes specific user-based content to nurture the relationship while keeping the user engaged.

And Groove links to their most popular blog articles for users to start exploring while their content is curated specifically for their interests.

Why Thank You page optimization matters

If you’re like our law firm clients, “on-site conversion” is a lead form submission or phone call. And while the user has technically converted, there is still work to be done. This type of conversion is just the first step in the sales process and another way to turn a new lead into a signed case.

For us, the Thank You page content is important because it has the potential to encourage a “converted” user to make that bigger commitment and choose our client instead of going and filling out another lead form on another law firm website.

It’s our job to create an engaging, memorable experience on the Thank You page and to answer any questions the potential client may already have. When we explain what happens next and what to expect while being represented, we can help nurture that lead—and put money in our clients’ pockets.

Get creative, test, and learn

In general, a “good” website conversion rate is around 3-4%. Conversion rates are impacted by a multitude of factors including page speed, messaging, contact forms, sign-up pages, and more.

Here is a short list of items for you to consider as you begin your optimization journey. When you’re testing, analyzing, and iterating on your site, remember to apply these efforts to the Thank You page as well:

• Long-form versus short-form content
• Landing page copy
• Calls to action
• Page layout, colors, and design elements
• Navigation organization
• Mobile-specific user experience (UX)
• Personalization

Each of these elements should be tested if possible. If traffic concerns prevent you from testing, do your best to collect data, analyze your results, and make a data-driven decision before implementing any changes. (Basically, don’t just guess.)

Your Thank You page and your website are specific to your business and your brand. As mentioned before, these tips aren’t a “one size fits all” solution, so keep testing and improving elements to see what works for you.

Happy optimizing, friends!