Directional cues are visual elements that guide a visitor's eyes toward something important — usually your CTA, headline, or form. They can be explicit (literal arrows, pointing fingers) or implicit (a person's eye gaze, a line of perspective, whitespace that funnels attention). Eye-tracking studies consistently show they work: people follow where visual cues point.
The most powerful directional cue is human eye gaze. If you have a photo of a person on your landing page and they're looking at the camera, visitors look at the person. If they're looking at your CTA, visitors look at the CTA. This has been replicated in study after study — it's one of the most reliable findings in conversion research.
Subtle beats obvious
Giant red arrows pointing at your sign-up form feel desperate. The best directional cues don't announce themselves. A background gradient that's lighter near the CTA. A row of product cards whose visual rhythm leads toward the primary action. A testimonial photo where the person is angled toward the form. These work because they guide attention without triggering the visitor's "I'm being manipulated" radar.
One thing worth testing: on long-form pages, a subtle downward-pointing chevron or "scroll" indicator below the hero can increase scroll depth by 15-25%. Many visitors, especially on unfamiliar pages, aren't sure if there's content below. A simple cue solves that.