If you’re looking for a way to boost your online marketing efforts, you might want to consider creating a landing page. A landing page is a standalone web page that potential customers can “land” on when they click through from an email, ad, or other digital location. A landing page aims to capture information from contacts in exchange for something of value, such as a retail offer code or business-to-business (B2B) insights in the form of a white paper
Landing pages are different from other web pages in that they don’t live in the evergreen navigation of a website. They serve a specific purpose in a specific moment of an advertising campaign to a target audience Because landing pages are designed for a specific target audience, they give you the ideal opportunity to convert visitors into paying customers.
In this article, we’ll discuss the definition of a landing page, explain how to create a landing page and offer some best practices for designing your own.
What is a landing page?
A landing page is a webpage that is displayed when a potential customer clicks an advertisement or a search engine result link. This webpage typically displays content that is a relevant extension of the advertisement or link. The goal of a landing page is to convert site visitors into sales or leads.
Every content strategy should include the use of landing pages to convert more traffic and increase conversions. Once a user is on your landing page, they are encouraged to take an action, such as joining your list or buying your products. If the user takes the specific desired action, then your landing page has succeeded in getting them to convert
Typically, landing pages only encourage their users to take one such action, like to fill out the custom signup form on the page. Why? It’s because of what researchers call the “paradox of choice.” In simple terms, that means that the more options you give people, the harder it is for them to make a decision and act
Landing pages vs websites
A landing page is not the same as a website. A website is a collection of web pages that provide general information about a business, such as its products, services, history, values, and contact details. A website’s homepage usually provides a broad overview of a business and links to other pages within the site
A landing page, on the other hand, is a single web page that focuses on a specific offer, product, or service. A landing page has a clear call to action (CTA) that prompts the visitor to take the next step in the buyer’s journey. A landing page does not have any links or distractions that might take the visitor away from the main goal3.
Types of landing pages
There are two types of landing pages: reference and transactional
- A reference landing page presents information that is relevant to the visitor. These can display text, images, dynamic compilations of relevant links or other elements. The idea is to isolate the visitor in this landing page from any other distractions and surround them with all available information about the targeted product to convince them to take action and get captured
- A transactional landing page persuades a visitor to take action by completing a transaction. This is accomplished by providing a form that needs to be filled out. The visitor information is obtained in order to add the visitor’s email address to a mailing list as a prospect. An email campaign can then be developed based on responses to transactional landing pages. The ultimate goal is to convert the visitor into a customer
What is the purpose of landing pages?
Landing pages are used for lead generation. The actions that a visitor takes on a landing page is what determines an advertiser’s conversion rate Landing pages are ideal for digital ad campaigns, but they can also be useful tools when you connect a QR code on print marketing materials to a specific page.
Some of the benefits of landing pages are:
They dramatically improve your conversion rate
A conversion rate is the percentage of visitors who complete a desired action on a webpage, such as filling out a form, downloading an ebook, or making a purchase. The higher your conversion rate, the more successful your online marketing efforts are.
Landing pages can help you increase your conversion rate by providing a clear and compelling offer that matches the visitor’s intent and expectations. By removing any distractions or competing options, landing pages can also reduce the bounce rate, which is the percentage of visitors who leave your site without taking any action1.
They tell you about your audience
Landing pages can also help you learn more about your audience and their preferences. By tracking and analyzing the behavior and feedback of your landing page visitors, you can gain valuable insights into what they are looking for, what they respond to, and what they need to make a decision. You can also use landing pages to segment your audience based on their interests, demographics, or location, and tailor your messages accordingly.
They increase brand awareness
Landing pages can also help you build brand awareness and credibility among your potential customers. By creating landing pages that reflect your brand identity and values, you can establish a consistent and professional image across your online channels. You can also use landing pages to showcase your social proof, such as testimonials, reviews, ratings, or awards, that demonstrate your authority and trustworthiness in your industry.
They are measurable
Landing pages are also easy to measure and optimize. You can use various tools and metrics to track the performance of your landing pages, such as the number of visitors, conversions, bounce rate, time on page, sources of traffic, and more. You can also use these data to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your landing pages and make improvements accordingly.
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What is the anatomy of a landing page?
A landing page consists of several elements that work together to persuade the visitor to take action. Some of the essential elements of a landing page are:
- A catchy headline that captures the visitor’s attention and summarizes the main benefit or value proposition of the offer.
- A subheadline that elaborates on the headline and provides more details or information about the offer.
- A relevant and high-quality image or video that illustrates the offer or shows how it works or looks like.
- A clear and concise copy that explains the features and benefits of the offer and addresses any possible objections or questions that the visitor might have.
- A prominent and persuasive call to action (CTA) button that tells the visitor what to do next and creates a sense of urgency or scarcity.
- A simple and short form that asks for the visitor’s contact information in exchange for the offer. The form should only ask for the necessary information and not overwhelm the visitor with too many fields.
- A trust signal that reassures the visitor that their information is safe and secure, such as a privacy policy, a security badge, or a guarantee.
- A social proof that shows the visitor that other people have used and liked the offer, such as testimonials, reviews, ratings, or awards.
Landing page best practices
Creating a landing page is not enough to ensure its success. You also need to follow some best practices to optimize your landing page for conversions. Here are some of the tips and tricks that you can use to create effective landing pages:
Perform A/B testing
A/B testing is a method of comparing two versions of a landing page to see which one performs better. You can test different elements of your landing page, such as the headline, the image, the copy, the CTA, or the form, and measure their impact on your conversion rate. By doing A/B testing, you can find out what works best for your audience and improve your landing page accordingly.
Minimize navigation
One of the key features of a landing page is that it has minimal or no navigation. This means that you should avoid including any links or buttons that might take the visitor away from your landing page, such as your website menu, your social media icons, or your footer. The only link that you should have on your landing page is your CTA button. This way, you can keep the visitor focused on your offer and increase the chances of them taking action.
Maximize readability
Another important factor that affects the performance of your landing page is readability. Readability refers to how easy it is for the visitor to read and understand your content. To improve readability, you should use clear and simple language, avoid jargon and technical terms, use short sentences and paragraphs, use bullet points and subheadings to break up the text, use contrast and whitespace to highlight important information, and use fonts and colors that are consistent with your brand and easy on the eyes.
Maintain consistency
Consistency is also essential for creating effective landing pages. Consistency means that your landing page should match the source that brought the visitor to it, such as an email, an ad, or a search result. This means that you should use the same keywords, images, messages, and tone of voice across your online channels. By doing so, you can avoid confusing or disappointing your visitors and ensure that they get what they expect from your offer.
Make your CTA prominent
Your CTA is arguably the most important element of your landing page. It is what tells the visitor what to do next and motivates
Remember, when creating a prominent CTA, it's important to consider factors like contrasting colors, clear language, and placement on the landing page to ensure it catches the visitors' attention and compels them to take the desired action.