Creating Landing Pages that Convert
Landing pages play an instrumental role in converting your website visitors into customers. What should a landing page look like? How do you use one? And what key features should it include? To help answer these questions and to provide a whole host of hot tips, we have created this guide to creating landing pages that convert, which will hopefully aide both you and your website visitors!
When to Use Landing Pages
Landing pages are like beacons guiding potential customers to specific actions, products or services. But when should you roll out the red carpet with these dedicated pages? Let’s look at a few prime examples.
Promotional Campaigns: Whether you’re launching a new product or promoting a seasonal offer, a landing page gives visitors a direct path to what you’re advertising.
Lead Generation: If you’re offering downloadable content, webinars, or free trials, a landing page is ideal for capturing lead details.
Product or Service Information: For specific products or services, a separate landing page can offer in-depth details without distractions.
Event Registration: Organising a workshop or seminar? Direct potential attendees to a dedicated landing page.
Paid Advertisements: Ensure your pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns achieve a good return on investment (ROI) by directing traffic to a dedicated landing page, optimised for conversion.
A landing page can be created for almost any kind of marketing activity, but they are not without cost. So logically the next thing we need to consider is…
Do I Need A Landing Page?
Deciding whether to use a landing page often depends on specific goals, the audience you’re targeting, and the nature of the content or offer you’re presenting. Here’s a structured approach to help you make that decision:
Define Your Objective: What’s the primary goal? Whether it’s lead generation, sales conversion, event registration, or data collection, having a clear objective can guide your decision.
Evaluate Your Current Pages: If your existing web pages are cluttered, have multiple CTAs, or aren’t focused on a single goal or audience, a more targeted landing page can prove beneficial.
Consider the Traffic Source: If you’re investing in PPC campaigns, social media ads, or affiliate marketing, landing pages are often essential to ensure that the message matches the ad and that there are no disconnects for the visitor.
Look at Your Audience: Are you targeting a specific segment of your target market? Tailored landing pages can resonate better with particular demographics or interests, providing them with a more personalised and relevant experience.
Check the Competition: What are industry standards and best practices? If your competitors are successfully employing landing pages in similar situations, it’s a strong indicator of their suitability.
Think About Content Relevance: If you’re offering something specific, like an eBook, a webinar, or a discount, the focused nature of a landing page might deliver this more effectively than a generic page.
Determine Tracking Needs: Landing pages can simplify the process of tracking specific metrics, such as conversion rates for particular campaigns. If granular tracking is crucial, a landing page can be the right choice.
Budget & Resources: Do you have the resources to design, test, and maintain a landing page? While they can be powerful tools, they also require effort to be effective.
Testing & Flexibility: If you want to A/B test particular elements to optimise conversions, landing pages provide a more controlled environment compared to regular web pages.
Consider User Experience: Will a landing page enhance the user’s journey by providing clearer, more immediate value? If yes, it might be a good fit.
After weighing these considerations, if you find that a landing page aligns with your goals, resonates with your audience, and fills a gap in your current online strategy, it’s likely a wise choice. If your existing web pages already serve your needs effectively, or if the effort of creating a landing page outweighs the potential benefits, you might decide to forgo it.
What Should Be Included in a Landing Page?
A landing page acts as a powerful first impression. It’s where your audience’s interest meets your offer. But for a landing page to convert, it needs to be composed of specific, impactful elements. Let’s have a look at some of the features that make up an effective landing page.
Compelling Headline:
- Purpose: Your headline is the first thing visitors will read. It should immediately capture attention and clarify what the page offers.
- Attributes: Keep it concise, clear, and intriguing. It’s often beneficial to highlight a pain point or a unique value proposition.
Engaging Imagery or Video:
- Purpose: Visuals can quickly convey a message and set the tone or mood of the landing page. It can also reassure visitors that they are in the right place.
- Attributes: Use high-quality images relevant to your offering. Videos should be short, engaging, and supportive of your main message. Ensure any media used is optimised for fast loading.
Benefit-driven Content:
- Purpose: This content elaborates on the value proposition hinted at in your headline.
- Attributes: Instead of just listing features, focus on how the user benefits. Use clear and concise bullet points to break down complex information.
Clear Call-to-Action (CTA):
- Purpose: This is the action you want your visitors to take, whether it’s signing up, purchasing, or downloading.
- Attributes: Your CTA should stand out visually and use compelling text. It’s essential to keep it singular-focused to avoid confusing your visitors.
Testimonials or Reviews:
- Purpose: These provide social proof and can significantly bolster trust and credibility.
- Attributes: Include genuine feedback from identifiable individuals, if possible. Photos or company logos can add authenticity. Video testimonials can be even more impactful.
Contact Information:
- Purpose: To show transparency and offer visitors a means to get in touch for further queries.
- Attributes: This could be a phone number, email, or even a chatbot. Ensure it is easily accessible, possibly in the header or footer for visibility.
Trust Signals:
- Purpose: To enhance the credibility of the page and alleviate any security concerns.
- Attributes: This could include badges of accreditation/qualifications, membership emblems for industry associations, or logos of well-known clients or partners.
Short and Concise Forms (if collecting data):
- Purpose: To gather essential details from visitors, such as for newsletter sign-ups or booking consultations.
- Attributes: Only ask for necessary information to reduce friction. Using fewer fields can improve conversion rates but ensure you’re gathering all the vital data.
Essential Navigation (minimized distractions):
- Purpose: While primary navigation might be reduced to keep visitors focused, some essential navigation, like ‘Home’ or ‘Contact Us’, might still be necessary.
- Attributes: Keep it minimal. The goal is to maintain the primary focus on the CTA, but also offer a way out for those who want to explore more or get in touch.
Responsive Design:
- Purpose: Ensure the landing page is accessible and user-friendly across devices.
- Attributes: The page should automatically adjust to various screen sizes, especially for mobiles and tablets, without compromising the user experience or primary messaging.
8 Hot Tips for Creating a Converting Landing Page:
When creating landing pages that convert, is as much an art as it is a science. Beyond the essential components, there are proven strategies that can elevate your page from being merely functional to exceptionally effective. Here are our 8 hot tips to ensure your landing page isn’t just seen, but one that resonates and enables action:
- Mobile Optimisation: Ensure your landing page looks and functions perfectly on mobile devices.
- Minimise Distractions: Remove unnecessary navigation links and focus the visitor’s attention on the CTA.
- A/B Testing: Experiment with different headlines, CTAs, and imagery to see what resonates most.
- Fast Load Times: A slow page can increase bounce rates, opt for compressed images and minimalistic design elements.
- Use Urgency and Scarcity: Phrases like “Limited Time Offer” or “Only a Few Seats Left” can spur action.
- Engage with Interactive Elements: Quizzes, polls, or interactive graphics can keep visitors engaged longer.
- Reassure with a Privacy Statement: Let visitors know their personal data is safe with you.
- Follow Up with a Thank You Page: Once the desired action is taken, thank your visitor and offer them a clear next step.
Creating Landing Pages that Convert
Whatever it is you are offering your site visitor, make sure they get to it with the absolute minimum amount of fuss, effort and clicks. Do not put popups in their way, do not confuse with counteroffers or alternatives, do not distract the reader, do not utilise click-bait tactics – they only annoy, be clear about your offering, take them directly to it and enable a fast “buy” and only when the sale is successful attempt to continue to develop the relationship with your new customer.
A well-crafted landing page can be a potent tool in your digital marketing arsenal. Understand your target audience, their needs, and preferences, then offer them a streamlined, engaging experience. At The Last Hurdle, we believe that with the right approach, every hurdle can be the last one. Now, jump into the world of landing pages and watch your conversions soar!