Be honest: what happens after someone fills out your contact form or downloads something from your website?
If you’re anything like me (up until very recently), they basically get dumped into the digital equivalent of an empty parking lot. “Thanks for your info! Good luck finding your way out!”
I’ve been preaching about strategic website experiences for YEARS, but after a mind-blowing conversation with Amanda Webb (analytics expert extraordinaire) on my podcast, I realized I had a gaping hole in my own website experience. I needed to add a warm, engaging experience after someone takes an action on my site.
Enter: the Thank You page.
Let’s examine what makes for a strategic thank you page experience, designed to welcome your visitors in and build trust.
Why thank you pages actually matter
You might think a thank you page is just digital politeness. In reality, they’re strategic as hell.
When someone fills out your form and then nothing happens, you’ve just wasted prime real estate. That person was engaged enough to give you their email address or reach out. They’re literally at their most interested in you right now. And you’re letting them bounce without a plan? That’s leaving money on the table.
But beyond the business case, there’s the human side of this. People need confirmation that their action actually worked. We’ve all been there. You hit submit, the page does a weird half-load thing, and you’re left wondering, “Did that go through? Should I fill it out again? Hello?”
And here’s the analytics piece: without a dedicated thank you page, you literally cannot track conversions properly. You have no idea if your opt-in is working, which traffic sources are converting, what’s actually moving the needle in your business, etc., etc., etc.
The good news? Most form software has a little redirect button you can tick off to send people to a specific page after they hit submit. It takes two seconds to set up. Really. And when you skip that step, you lose:
- The ability to measure what’s working (and what’s not)
- Confirmation that their action was successful (crucial for user experience)
- The engagement sweet spot (they were interested enough to convert, so don’t let that energy die)
- A chance to keep the conversation going (this is prime engagement time)
Your website exists to drive sales to your business. If people are coming to your site but not converting, you’ve got what Amanda calls a “leaky website,” and thank you pages are one of the fastest fixes.
What makes a thank you page actually work
Okay, so you’re convinced you need one. Now what actually goes ON this magical page? Let’s take this one step at a time:
1. Provide clear confirmation
First things first: tell them explicitly that their action was successful. Be specific about what happens next and when.
Instead of: a generic “Thanks for subscribing!”
Try: “Your guide is on its way to your inbox! Check your email in the next 5 minutes (and peek in your spam folder just in case our email got lost).”
See the difference? One is vague and leaves them wondering. The other gives them a clear next step and manages expectations. You’re guiding them through the experience, not abandoning them at the finish line.
2. Maintain the energy
Someone just took action on your site. They are right there, paying attention to you. This is the moment when they’re most engaged and most likely to take another step. Your thank you page should feel like part of the conversation, not a dead end. So, keep the vibe going. If your opt-in page was fun and energetic, your thank-you page should match that energy. If it was calm and professional, maintain that tone.
Whatever you do, don’t suddenly go all corporate on them. “Your submission has been received and will be processed within 48 business hours” — No. Just no.
3. Strategic next steps
Here’s where you get to be smart about the journey. Give them 1–3 clear options for what to do next:
- Connect on social media
- Book a call
- Check out your top blog posts
- Join your Facebook/Discord/Etc. community
- Listen to a podcast episode
Pro tip: Don’t overwhelm them with 47 different CTAs. I know it’s tempting to throw everything at them, but decision paralysis is real. Amanda and I talked about this on the podcast, When you give people too many options, they choose nothing and leave.
Pick what makes sense based on where they are in the journey with you. For example:
👉 If they just downloaded a beginner’s guide, maybe the next step is following you on social media so they can get to know you better.
👉 If they just filled out a contact form for your premium service, maybe it’s checking out your portfolio or process page.
Context matters.
4. Personality & brand consistency
If you use emojis in your regular content, use them here! If your brand is funny and irreverent, let that shine through! Your thank-you page is just another part of your brand experience. It should feel like you, not like you copied and pasted from a “50 Best Thank You Page Examples” article and called it a day.
When I built mine, I made sure it sounded exactly like how I’d talk to someone who just joined my community. Warm, a little funny, and giving them clear direction on what’s next. Because that’s who I am. That’s the HoneyBeBold vibe.
What’s yours?
5. Mobile-friendly design
Realistically, most people are filling out forms on their phones while waiting in line at Target or sitting in the carpool. If your thank you page looks like a hot mess on mobile, you’ve just ruined the experience.
Test it. Pull up your phone and see what it actually looks like. Are the buttons clickable? Can you read the text without zooming in like you’re 90 years old? Does everything load quickly?
Mobile-friendly is too important nowadays to leave as an afterthought
Common Thank You page mistakes
Let’s talk about what NOT to do. I’ve seen some truly tragic thank you pages in my time, and I want to save you from these mistakes:
The ghost town page
You know the one. “Thanks for subscribing!” and then… nothing. Crickets. A blank void of missed opportunity.
Why this sucks: You’ve built all this momentum getting them to convert, and now you’re just letting them leave? That’s like inviting someone over for dinner, serving them an appetizer, and then kicking them out before the main course.
The overstuffed page
On the flip side, there’s the page that tries to do EVERYTHING. Ten different CTAs, flashing buttons, newsletter signup, social links, “while you’re here, check out these 47 other things we offer.”
Why this sucks: Too many choices = no choice. When you give people too many options, they choose nothing and leave. Pick your top 2-3 priorities and let the rest go.
The broken promise
“Your download is ready!” but there’s no download link, or the link is broken. Or it doesn’t actually start downloading.
Why this sucks: Do I really need to explain why promising something and not delivering it is bad? You’ve just destroyed trust in record time.
The redirect too fast
Some forms automatically redirect you to another page before you can even catch your breath. One second you’re hitting submit, the next you’re on a completely different page, and you’re like, “Wait, what just happened? Did my form go through?”
Why this sucks: It’s disorienting and makes people question whether their action actually worked. Give them a beat to process.
The one-size-fits-all
Using the same generic thank you page for newsletter signups, guide downloads, inquiry forms, and everything else under the sun.
Why this sucks: This is a missed opportunity for personalization and smart next steps. Someone who just downloaded your “Beginner’s Guide to X” is in a different place than someone who just filled out a $5K service inquiry form.
[And I include this one with the caveat that rolling out a full-blown thank you page experience can take time, and that’s okay! At the time of this writing, I do have one thank you page for multiple action steps, but I’ll be expanding those over time].
Amanda nailed a related issue on the podcast: if you’re a service-based business, each service you offer is like a different product. So you need a product page (and a corresponding thank you page) for each of those services, not just one page that has them all on it. Different goals need different experiences.
Making it work for your business
Here’s the cool part: thank you pages can (and should) be customized based on what someone just did and what you want them to do next. So,
If you’re a coach: Your thank you page after someone books a discovery call could link to a few relevant podcast episodes or a prep guide to help them get the most out of your conversation. That way, you’re already adding value before you even meet.
If you’re a designer: After someone fills out your inquiry form, showcase a mini portfolio or link to your process page. Let them get excited about working with you while their interest is hot.
If you’re a strategist: After someone downloads your lead magnet, offer related free resources or a next-step CTA like joining your email community or booking a strategy session.
The key is matching the thank-you page to the action they just took. Don’t send everyone to the same generic page and call it a day. That’s a wasted opportunity to guide them deeper into your world.
Just build the damn thing
Look, I get it. You’ve got a million things on your plate. Adding “create thank you pages” to your to-do list feels like one more thing you don’t have time for.
But here’s the truth: this is one of those quick wins that makes everything else easier.
- Better user experience? ✅
- Clearer analytics? ✅
- More opportunities to move people through your ecosystem? ✅✅✅
I finally built mine, and it took me about an hour once I stopped overthinking it. One hour to create a better experience for my people AND make it easier to track what’s working in my business? That’s a pretty solid ROI.
You can do this. Seriously.
Now go build that thank you page! Your future self (and your analytics) will thank you.
Want to dive deeper?
🎧 Listen to the full episode with Amanda Webb (and prepare for multiple “aha!” moments)
📌 Visit Amanda’s hub for all things Google Analytics (minus the overwhelm)
🌟 Work with me to turn your website into something that actually converts!
Get Inspired
Go check out my thank you page for inspiration by dropping your email below