You visit landing pages on several instances as you browse through the internet. In most cases, the internet will direct you on a landing page whenever you click on an ad. Most landing pages also follow the call-to-action button. Some websites also use the landing page as their home page.

What are Landing Pages?

A landing page is a web page that has a specific function. The primary role of landing pages is converting visitors into leads. The landing page should have a lead form to ask their visitors to provide their contact information. You should always exchange this with something of value i.e., an offer.

Most people are so protective of their personal information. Therefore, you should motivate someone to provide his personal information over the internet. The best practices of landing pages come in handy at this point. A landing page that has a sound copy and solid format will see almost all the visitors leaving their contact info.

Why Landing Pages are Important:

Is there need to create a special page just for individuals to fill out a form? Can’t you still use the about page or homepage? These are great questions for any owner of a website.

Landing pages remove competing links, navigation, and alternative options. It allows you to capture the undivided attention of your visitor hence eliminating distractions. Complete attention implies that you can guide the people who visit your website to where you would like them to go. Thus, the primary role of landing pages is to create conversions.

Best Practices for Landing Pages:

1. Use a Focused-Focuses Headline:

Close to 70% of the people who visit your website bounce off. You have to let your visitors know what your website offers a few seconds after visiting your site. The first thing that people will read is your headline. Therefore, it should communicate the value of your offer and landing page concisely and clearly.

2. Select an Image to Illustrate the Offer:

The image is compulsory, but it should represent your target audience. The role of an image in landing pages is conveying of feelings. It is an illustration of how your visitors will feel once they receive the offer. Split test your options because some images work better than others.

3. Write a Compelling Copy:

Don’t spend all the time choosing the right headline and images then you fail on the call-to-action. Your copy should be concise, clear, and guide your visitors to take the action you would like them to.

The compelling text uses words like “Your” and “You” to speak to the visitor directly. It is the best way to engage with your target audience.

4. Put a Lead Form at the Top of the Fold:

Your lead forms should be readily accessible if your prospects want to convert right away. No one wants to scan or search your landing pages to find offers. The implication is that visitors should not scroll to get to the form.

Someone should be able to view it as soon as he lands on your page. It can be an anchor link to the form or a real form. You can also design the form to scroll with your users while moving down the page.

5. Add a Standout and Clear Call-to-Action:

The most important element on landing pages is the CTA because it encourages conversion. Use a color that contrasts with the other elements on the page for your CTA button so that it can stand out. State what you want the visitor to do clearly like ‘get it now’, ‘download’, or submit.

6. Give Away Relevant Offers:

Landing pages are like the journey of your leads to the ultimate offer i.e. your product or service. The offer is a thing that you exchange with the personal information of your leads. It should compel your visitors to give their personal information.

Also, the best offer should be relevant to your brand. The offer should keep you on the right path with your target audience.

7. Ask for What you Need:

It is good to collect as much information as possible about your lead. However, there are several factors that determine how much information you need. It depends on their level of trust and how they are acquainted with your brand during the purchase journey. Ask for as little information as you can in the lead form to reduce barriers to entry. The customer name and email are sufficient to nurture new leads.

8. Remove all the Navigation:

The single objective of landing pages is to convert your visitors into leads. Any competing links such as the internal links to other pages of your website will distract this objective. Draw the attention of your visitors to the CTA button by removing any other links on your website.

9. Make the Page Responsive:

Like the other pages on your site, landing pages should be responsive to accommodate all viewing experiences. Don’t allow viewers to fall out of your landing page because it is not mobile-friendly. Give your visitors the maximum opportunity to convert irrespective of how they are viewing your page.

10. Optimize for Search:

Users drive visitors to landing pages through various marketing methods like social posts and email blasts. Use target keywords for paid campaigns and organic search to optimize your landing pages. When people search for key phrases, they need to come across your landing page. Also, when you use paid ads to target a keyword, the phrases should be in your landing pages.

11. Use a Thank You Page:

After the leads complete filling the form, you will send them to the thank you page. Showing the tank you page on the same page or ditching it altogether is not the best option. The thank-you page delivers the offer that you promised in the form of instant download.

It also allows you to interest the new lead with relevant additional content. Lastly, it will thank your leads for showing interest. It is an excellent thing if you want to transform them into new customers down the line.

Designing a Perfect Landing Page:

Design refers to pretty pictures, colors, and creativity. The well-designed landing page will be functional, effective, and direction-oriented. Therefore, you have to make maximum use of your brain when designing landing pages. You will still need attractive colors and imagery to convert your visitors.

The Structure of Landing Pages:

You don’t have to be too creative when designing landing pages. All you need is a structure that works and uses images and branded elements to infuse creativity. However, dint diverts from the standard structure that people are used to seeing.

The best landing pages have five elements. These include

i) Headline

ii) Relevant images

iii) Lead Form

iv) Call-to-action

v) Copy/Description

Also, you can add social share buttons to your landing page. You need to know your audience, their origin, and the stage in the purchase journey they are at. Include as much information as possible to help people to convert.

The Layout of Landing Pages:

People don’t read all the words that you type on the landing pages. Most of them prefer to scan through to get the most important tidbits. Therefore, make these tidbits to stand out so that your visitors don’t miss out on an important thing.

To achieve this, keep the most critical info above the fold. It means that your visitors will not have to scroll to get to it. Perform a blink test so that your visitors can gather all the required info on the page within a blink.

Use negative or white space to keep the visitors focused, engaged, and help them to comprehend your message. Writing with short paragraphs and bullets will make your text easy to digest.

Colors for Landing Pages:

The design and colors of your landing page should reflect what is on your website. The main objective is forming a long-term relationship with anyone who visits the landing page. Therefore, these people should be familiar with the unique style and branding colors.

Visitors will trust you more when they recognize your brand. Consider using alternate colors on the elements of your site that you want to stand out like the CTA. The name of the game is contrast as you choose a color that will draw the attention of the viewers.

Some research will help you to determine the best colors for your website. The color choice that you make depends on what is already on your website.

Images for Your Landing Pages:

One of the first things that visitors see is the images on your landing pages. Human beings process visuals faster than text hence setting the tone for the whole experience. Choosing the best photos for the landing pages is not an easy task.

The first tip is to understand your target audience. Look at your persona, age, dressing, and interests. These tips will determine the images that you will put on your landing page. Only images that represent your audience in some way will appeal to them.

Placing the images on the landing pages should also be strategic. Think of the place on the landing page where you will want them to look. Human beings like to follow directional cues like where a person is pointing or looking.

If you want people to fill out a form, use an image that will drive their focus towards the form. All elements on the landing page have a vital role to play. The best picture will always reinforce your message. It should clarify what visitors can expect from the landing page.

Therefore, you need images that add value to your website. All these tips will make sure that you have the best images for your landing pages.

Call-to-Action:

The CTA is the most crucial element on landing pages. You need to make it so alluring to compel your visitors to click on it. The call-to-action comprises of both the button and the copy you use to draw attention to it.

Mobile Landing Pages:

Over 50% of web traffic comes from mobile devices. Therefore, the user experience should be similar irrespective of the device that the visitor is using. Give your landing pages a responsive design to give your visitors every opportunity of viewing and converting. It can be a tablet, phone, or desktop, among others.

Copywriting Tips for Landing Pages:

After designing, the next thing on the landing page is the copy. You have to make it informative, trustworthy, effective, concise, likable, instructive, and compelling.

The copy should cover all your main points. These include the pain point of your persona and the solution that your products or services offer. You have to show and proof how the solution will benefit the users. Use the content to show how you will help the reader.

Be keen to mention the features that are in your products and services. Indicating that you have an answer to the pain point is not enough. People will want to see the features, benefits, and social proof of your solution.

You also need to respond to objections preemptively. Persuasive copy is one that gets the users to convert. You should look for the best way to dismantle objections before they come up. Achieving this objective requires some form of skills.

Put yourself in the mind of your prospects and look for the possible objections. You can get questions from the people who visit your landing pages. Use them as feedback to fine-tune your copy. It is good to look for constructive criticism from the converted leads.

The other thing is building trust with your prospects. You can tell the readers the number of people that your brand has helped (social proof). It will show them that they stand to benefit from your brand. Building trust with your visitors also comes with authority.

The way you write should address your prospects like speaking to a live customer. The statistics that you state should support your message. Also, use case studies highlighting clients that are similar to your target audience.

The last tip here is to be relatable at all times. Being honest, open up about your doubts, and admit failures. It will show your target audience that you are human. Only share information that is relevant to their struggles and shy away from all the other things.

The last thing is to use triggers in your content. Click triggers eliminate the last bit of doubt before the visitor converts. You can view them as probability enhancers. Copy position then next to the CTA to increase the chances of conversion. Click triggers will significantly boost your conversion.

Conclusion:

Landing pages form a huge component of the new leads that you attract. Therefore, you need to pay close attention to these web pages. You can implement a broad range of variations, additions, and tweaks to make your landing page highly functional.

The most important thing is to have landing pages that have high conversions. The secret of success is following the best practices. It will give you high-performing landing pages. If you need more guidance, you can get help from [email protected].

Do you have any suggestions or questions about landing pages? Post your comments here for further discussions.

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