How to create the most effective landing page

Creating a landing page for your website is an important part of any marketing strategy. The main goal of a landing page is to drive traffic back to your website and convert visitors into leads or customers. A successful landing page will have the right amount of copy, images, and graphics to achieve your goals as quickly as possible. You want the visitor to take action and return to your site as soon as they finish reading. Landing pages are generally very simple and straightforward with few images or distractions. There shouldn’t be anything else on the page except for your lead generation form and a way for them to contact you with their information. Keep it simple, clean, and uncluttered so that visitors can focus on what matters most – converting into a lead or customer.

What makes a great landing page?

Every landing page has one goal in mind – to turn visitors into leads. The key to success is making sure your page encourages visitors to give you their information. A good landing page should include the following elements to help your conversion rates.

• A strong headline. The headline is the first thing your visitor will see when they land on your page. It should be clear, concise, and benefit-driven. The headline will draw visitors in and make them want to read more.
• Effective imagery. The imagery on your page should complement your headline and lead to a clear call to action. If you use stock photos, make sure they are original and relevant to your industry or product.
• Compelling sub-headline. This is a good place to include a benefits statement. It should be short and sweet but powerful enough to stand alone.
• Relevant and useful copy. This is where you really tell your story. You should never write copy that is too salesy. Keep it real and don’t be afraid to use your own voice. Let the reader know who you are and why they should choose your product or service.

Give visitors a clear reason to take action

Let’s dive deeper. Your headline is the first thing a visitor will see on your page. It’s their first impression of your product or service, and it’s their first reason to take action. You want to grab their attention and make them want to click the button. The headline is usually the main value proposition of your product or service. What is the main reason someone should buy from you or give you their information? If you don’t have a clear reason to take action, your visitors won’t take action on your offer. The main reason someone should buy from you is to solve a problem they have. The problem your visitor has is the reason they are on your landing page. That’s why you need to give them a clear reason to take action.

Use persuasive words and phrases

You can’t just throw any words on the page and expect to get the results you want. You have to make it clear why you are there and what you have to offer. Let’s say you are giving away a freebie that helps people make more money. Your headline and value proposition might be something like: How you can make $1,000 a month from home. Let’s break down this headline and see how you can make it more persuasive.

• Headline: How you can make $1,000 a month from home
• Breakdown: This headline is not clear enough. It doesn’t tell the visitor what they will get out of clicking on the button. Instead, you want to grab your reader’s attention and make them want to click on your button. You can do this by offering a benefit.

• Headline: Make an extra $1,000 a month from home
• Breakdown: This headline is much clearer and more direct. It tells the visitor what they will get out of clicking on the button. It’s also more persuasive because it uses the word “extra”. People don’t want the same amount of money. They want more.

• Headline: Earn an extra $1,000 a month from home
• Breakdown: This headline is very clear and concise. It tells the visitor exactly what they will get by clicking on the button. It also uses the word “earn” which implies that they have to work for it. You don’t want someone to get something for free. People want to feel like they have earned their rewards.

Showcase the benefits of signing up

You can’t just tell your readers what they will get out of the item you’re promoting. You have to show them. Let’s say you’re offering a freebie that helps people learn how to pose in front of the camera. Add imagery to the page that pairs with this message. Even if it’s a digital guide, create mockups of what it might have looked like printed out. Or include photos of people in various poses looking absolutely amazing and comfortable. Help your visitor imagine the benefits instantly.

Make it easy to take action

Your visitors want to know what they have to do to get what you’re offering as quickly as possible. They don’t want to read a long, drawn-out sales pitch here. A landing page should be relatively short and sweet. Place the lead generation form as high on the page as you can after your headline. This will keep people from bouncing off the page before hopping on your email list.

Final thoughts

Landing pages are the first step toward gaining new leads and customers. It’s that simple. A successful landing page will have the right amount of copy, images, and graphics to achieve your goals as quickly as possible. There shouldn’t be much else on the page except for your lead generation form and a way for them to contact you. Keep it simple, clean, and uncluttered so that visitors can focus on what matters most – converting into a lead or customer.