How To Create A Landing Page that Converts Again and Again... and Again
Not to be confused with the all-mighty Homepage, a Landing Page is a common digital marketing tool which caters to a particular goal- usually to capture lead's with a sign-up or special promotion.
Most often it is a short-term initiative or campaign but regardless, the LP's content is always oriented to drive the visitor to behave in some way or lead them to perform a singular action. As such, everything on the page is intentional and focused.
On a landing page the conversion is not a sale, but it's a step in that direction, allowing the brand/business to capture the visitors information so that they can be tracked and guided further down the marketing funnel.
There are four main types of landing pages, each with a specific purpose.
Microsites are used share information and educate visitors about a specific promotion or event.
Lead generation pages are used to collect consumer data and convert cold traffic into leads.
Click-through landing pages are used to deliver a unique value proposition to the visitor, prompting them deeper into the company’s sales funnel.
Viral landing page are used to promote a product with word of mouth marketing and distribution/sharing through social networks.
The most common examples of these conversion-centric pages include:
OPT-IN for a free trials or limited-time offer
ENTER a giveaway/sweepstakes
STAY UPDATED on a product launch or event promotion
DOWNLOAD gated content such as an E-book or Whitepaper
RESERVE a spot for a webinar, course or masterclass
SUBSCRIBE to an email newsletter
Now that we know the types, let's look at the various characteristics most landing pages share:
CONTENT
Make every word count on your landing page to communicate your message in the most efficient and direct way possible. Text that is short, simple and skimmable has the widest appeal.
Headlines & Subheadings (clear, concise, catchy, click-worthy)
Readability (short sentences, bullet-points, varied sizes and boldness)
Persuasive Copy (power words to motivate, inspire, create urgency)
SEO
To ensure your website ranks higher in search queries you should optimize the specific elements on your page that search engines are known to "crawl". Getting your page in front of the people who are already looking for it requires keyword-research and basic understand of search marketing tactics. This can increase your click-through rate
Keyword-Rich (headlines, URL, descriptions, tags, content copy)
Alternative Keywords (secondary key phrases and terms)
Meta Titles & Descriptions (key snippets for search engines, CTA forusers)
Domain & Slug (short, relevant, only pivotal words, separated with dashes)
Image Alt Text (for vision impaired users and crawlability)
CONVERSION
Focusing your page around one single marketing goal will keep customers from getting distracted, confused and ultimately prevent the desired conversion from unfolding. Capturing essential information about your visitors/customers will allow you to track demographics to better understand your audience, and contact info to reach them later)
Single-Offer (one specific call to action)
Effective CTA Buttons (brief, action-oriented, above the fold, eye-catching)
Lead Capture Form (partially above the fold, minimal fields, optional or multi-step fields)
DESIGN
The design of a landing page is vital to increasing leads and conversions. Pages with powerful visual appeal, using compelling and professional imagery and other media types above the fold, create the best and most memorable first impression and increase dwell time on the page.
Images (high quality/high-res, product photos, stock photos, people-based)
Color (psychology and emotional response)
Videos (GIFs, product demos, digestable yet info-packed, no auto-play)
Typography (simplicity in font, size, lining, kerning, tracking, type-face)
LAYOUT
The layout of the page- the arrangement of text, images, buttons, and more sets the tone for how your visitors absorb the information and make their decisions of where to go next in the customer journey. It's always better to remember 'less is more' when it comes to copy, images and links, as a simple and minimalist style page generally has higher conversions.
Long-form (thorough info but not overwhelming - broken in parts)
Contrasting Colors & Clean Backgrounds (eye-catching, easy to digest)
White Space Optimization (enhance readability, elegant looking, desirable)
Thank-you Page (show appreciation and human-ness, explain more, trackable traffic)
Reminder: Most people scan a page using an "F" pattern - reading across from left to right and then down
That’s why Headings, Subheadings and Whitespace are so important in creating a skimmable flow
USER EXPERIENCE
Usability should be the top priority for effective landing pages as it is important for both SEO and brand reputation. A speedy, efficient and positive user experience ensures that visitors stay on the page and giving you more opportunity to persuade them to complete a specific action.
Loading Speed (under 3 seconds, compress images, avoid plug-ins)
Mobile-Friendly (more than half of visitors using a portable device)
Live chat (create connection, address customer questions or concerns)
TRUST
Brands and businesses have mere seconds to gain the trust of a potential customer visiting your website for the first time. Customers naturally feel vulnerable giving their personal contact and payment information, so placing subtle reminders of your legitimacy and security can provide peace and comfort in the mind of your audience.
Badges & Icons (payment safety, data secuity professional affiliations, third-party certs)
Social Media Proof (increase visibility and credibility)
Testimonials (customer reviews and ratings, industry awards and accolades)
Privacy links (terms/conditions, unsubscribe options, create reassurance)
And don't forget...
PAGE ANALYTICS
Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) tools come in handy to measure the performance of the landing page and maximize your conversions. By helping to determine which elements of the page are the most successful, and which have the most room for improvement, these tools have a proven return on investment.
User engagement (views, traffic, clicks, dwell time, bounce rate, exit rates)
A/B Testing (compare two versions of headlines, layouts, forms, CTAs, etc)
Heatmap Tracking (visualize where users spend most time on page through clicks, scrolls or mouse movement)
To summarize, the content of a landing page need to be unique, action-oriented and attention-grabbing. The page must be crafted in a way so that every visitor understands your key message, has a desire to learn more, and ultimately wants to engage and take action. Optimizing your landing page to its fullest potential will help bring more traffic, which eventually means more conversions, and more sales.
Need help building the perfect landing page for your next campaign? Let's chat!
Erin Ratliff is a certified feng shui consultant, holistic business coach, and organic growth marketer for earth and energy-based businesses.
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