Quick answer: Directional cues are visual elements that point a visitor’s attention towards something, usually your headline, form or call to action. They can be explicit, such as arrows and pointing hands, or implicit, such as a person in a photo looking towards the button, lines and shapes that lead the eye, or white space that isolates the thing that matters. Used sparingly, they make the next step obvious. Used everywhere, they cancel each other out. Choose one main target per page, point cues at it, and check with heatmaps and A/B tests that it helped.
A landing page has one job: get the visitor to take a single action. Everything on the page either helps with that or distracts from it. Directional cues are one of the simplest ways to tip the balance, because they work on how people naturally scan a page rather than asking them to read more.
Why cues work
People do not read web pages from top to bottom. They scan, looking for anything that seems relevant, and their eyes are drawn by contrast, movement, faces and shapes that suggest direction. A directional cue takes advantage of that habit. It does not persuade anyone of anything; it simply makes sure they notice the part of the page you most want them to see.
That distinction matters. A cue can make a strong offer easier to act on. It cannot rescue a weak one.
Explicit cues
Explicit cues are obvious. Visitors know they are being pointed somewhere.
Arrows
The simplest cue of all. An arrow beside or above a form, pointing at the first field or the button, makes the next step hard to miss. Arrows can be hand drawn for a friendly feel or clean and geometric to match a more formal design.
Tips:
- Point at the action, not just in its general direction.
- Keep arrows close to their target.
- One or two arrows is plenty. A page full of them looks like a cheap advert.
Pointing hands and gestures
A photo of someone pointing towards the form works in a similar way, with the added warmth of a human being. Make sure the gesture looks natural rather than staged.
Lines and paths
A dotted line or path that leads from the headline down to the call to action can guide the eye through the page in sequence. This works well on longer pages that tell a story before asking for action.
Visual “continue” cues
On long pages, a small downward arrow or chevron near the bottom of the first screen tells visitors there is more below. It helps when a large hero image might make the page look finished.
Implicit cues
Implicit cues work more quietly. Visitors may not notice them consciously at all.
Eye gaze
People tend to look where other people in an image are looking. It is a commonly reported pattern in eye tracking tests on web pages: when a model faces straight out at the viewer, attention lingers on their face; when they look towards the headline or form, attention tends to follow.
If you use photos of people:
- Choose images where the person looks towards your call to action, not away from it or off the page.
- Flip the image horizontally if needed (check there is no visible text that would end up reversed).
- Avoid generic stock photos where the subject stares at the camera with a fixed smile.
Body position
Even without a clear gaze, the direction a person or object faces suggests movement. A car facing into the page draws the eye inwards; facing out, it pulls attention off the edge.
Shapes and composition
Triangles, diagonal lines, roads and rivers in background images all suggest direction. Designers can use these to lead towards key content. Even the angle of a product photo can help.
White space
Space around an element isolates it, which makes it stand out. A call to action surrounded by clutter competes with everything near it. The same button with generous space around it becomes the obvious focal point. This is sometimes overlooked because white space feels like “nothing”, but it is one of the strongest cues on the page.
Contrast and colour
A button in a colour used nowhere else on the page draws the eye. The specific colour matters far less than how it contrasts with its surroundings.
Encapsulation
Placing the form inside a box, panel or shaded area frames it, a little like a window. It separates the action from the rest of the content and signals “this is where you do something”.
Putting cues together
The best pages combine a few cues, all pointing at the same target. For example:
- A hero image with a person looking towards the form.
- The form inside a lightly shaded panel.
- Plenty of space around the button.
- A button in a contrasting colour.
Each cue on its own is subtle. Together they make the action unmistakable.
One target per page
Cues only work when they agree. If the hero image points at a newsletter sign up, an arrow points at a video and the button colour draws the eye to a social share bar, the visitor gets mixed signals. Decide what the main action is before designing, then make every cue support it. This is part of the wider principle of focus covered in our landing page optimisation guide.
Common mistakes
- Too many cues. Arrows, flashing badges and bright colours everywhere turn into noise.
- Pointing at the wrong thing. Cues aimed at a logo or decorative element waste attention.
- Faces looking away. A model looking off the edge of the page can pull attention away from your content.
- Cues that break on mobile. An arrow pointing right at a form on desktop may point at nothing once the layout stacks on a phone. Check every breakpoint.
- Ignoring what comes first. If the headline is unclear, guiding people towards the button sooner does not help. Fix the message first.
Mobile considerations
On a phone, the layout is usually a single column, so the natural direction is down. Cues that work well on mobile include:
- Downward arrows and chevrons that encourage scrolling.
- Strong contrast for the button.
- Space above and below the call to action.
- Images cropped so faces still look towards content below rather than off the side.
Test every landing page on real devices, not just a resized desktop browser.
Measuring whether cues help
Cues are design choices, and design choices should be tested.
Heatmaps and scroll maps
Click and scroll maps show whether visitors interact with the area you are pointing at. Heatmaps are not eye tracking, but they show where attention turns into action.
A/B tests
Run a test with and without a cue, or with different cues, and measure the conversion rate. Change one thing at a time where traffic allows, so you know what made the difference. Our A/B testing guide explains how to run tests that give reliable answers.
Visitor feedback
Ask visitors what they found confusing. If people still miss the form after you have added cues, the problem may be the offer or the copy. Our guide to onsite surveys shows how to ask.
FAQ
Do arrows look unprofessional?
They can if overused or poorly designed. A single, well styled arrow fits most designs. For more formal brands, implicit cues such as gaze and white space may suit better.
Should every landing page use a photo of a person?
Not necessarily. A relevant product image or illustration can work just as well. If you use a person, make sure they look towards your content.
Can directional cues help on a homepage?
Yes, but homepages usually have several goals. Use cues to guide visitors towards the most important routes rather than a single button.
Make the next step obvious
Small design choices can decide whether visitors notice your call to action at all. We design and test landing pages so every element points in the same direction. See how we help businesses turn visitors into customers.
