Websites can sometimes cost tens of thousands of dollars, and businesses are willing to focus all their efforts on their site’s development and optimization. Don’t get this confused, a well functioning website is essential to the success of a business in 2019, BUT not enough attention is prioritized to landing pages. These are the diamonds in the rough for any business, and we’ve got stats to back it up.
While a website houses 90 percent of the products, services, and information that is attached to your business, websites only convert at an average of 1 to 5 percent. Landing pages on the other hand average successful conversions anywhere from 5 to 15 percent. Not only are they better at funneling consumers, but they are also quick and inexpensive. That’s music to the ears of any business owner.
What makes these standalone pages so successful is that they tell the consumer two things:
- What you want them to do
- Why they should do it
The saying, “Keep it simple, stupid” is the all fulfilling prophecy for landing pages. Direct design and messaging resonate with page visitors, and in turn, you generally see more leads or sales due to these single page creations. So let’s breakdown the pillars to a good landing page…
What Type of Landing Page Do You Need?
You’re going to create one of two landing pages based on what your goals are. So before designing the landing page, you need to determine the intent — are you seeking to gain leads or sell a product/service?
Lead Generation Landing Page – Also referred to as “lead capture” pages, these landing pages are hyperfocused on collecting lead information. First name, last name, email, and phone number is the generic information a majority of these pages are after. Lead capture landing pages feature form submissions to collect this data, as opposed to CTA buttons.
Click-Through Landing Pages – These landing pages aim to motivate the page visitor to fulfill an action. They often feature “in-your-face” CTA buttons, pop-ups, etc. in hopes of getting the visitor to click to another page where they can complete an order or request. Click-through landing pages are popular with e-commerce businesses looking to sell a product or schedule a demonstration.
The Right Landing Page Checklist
☐ Never make your homepage the landing page
Homepages give page visitors a lot of freedom. You are trying to herd these consumers to do a single action, and it’s harder to gain contact info or make a sale when they are placed in an open sandbox like your homepage.
☐ Remove and limit navigation on the landing page
This overlaps with the previous tip, but converting visitors into leads is DIFFICULT. It’s even harder when you give them options. Therefore, your landing page needs to get from point A to B quickly. Don’t let them leave the page unless it is to another click-through landing page.
☐ Must contain: XYZ
An effective landing page typically has these elements: headline, description, supporting media, CTA/form submission (which must be seen above the page fold).
☐ Make landing pages shareable
By not allowing landing pages shareable you are missing out on free marketing dollars. There are consumers that would share your page via social media with their own audience, so including share functionality is recommended.
☐ Hit the pain points
It is important to highlight why consumers need your service or product. Your business, at a fundamental state, centers around providing a solution to consumers. Be sure to remind them of what gaps might exist and why you can help.
☐ White space and good design
An argument could be made that design is the most important aspect of advertising in our current digital age. Landing pages need to be attractive to the eye to be effective in converting visitors into leads. Be sure to have clear page organization and use white space (people love it).
☐ Must be mobile friendly
Having anything on the web that isn’t developed for mobile use a death sentence. A majority of web traffic is done via a smartphone or tablet, and if the landing page doesn’t provide an equally satisfying experience as a desktop view, then you’re going to struggle to convert.
☐ Trust indicators are a good idea
Showing user/customer reviews, partnership logos, and other third party signals on the landing page help increase credibility and trust with the page visitor.
☐ Be singular in your offer
Don’t confuse or muddle your offering. Be clear and direct with the consumer. What are you offering, and why do they benefit from it?
☐ A/B test and revise
A/B testing is mandatory for landing pages. You want to optimize your page to convert the most leads possible. This requires playing with page elements to see what best resonates with visitors.
Need Help Developing Your Landing Pages?
At Venta Marketing, we are helping businesses meet their goals head-on. As leaders in the digital marketing industry, we know the ins-and-outs of landing page strategy and technique. Contact us today if you are curious about our services!