Ever ended up on a landing page and had no idea what the page is about? The page failed to state a clear message and instead just made you feel confused. How long did you stay on that page? Probably not long enough to dig through the information offered to discover the page’s purpose. This is the scenario you don’t want when people land on your page.
You want people to click on your landing page and immediately “get it.” You want it to be easy for them to find out what you are offering, why you are qualified to offer it and how to sign up.
Guidelines for a Landing Page that Rocks!
1. Nail the headline
The headline is the bait that gets them to bite. It verbally flirts with the reader, offering just enough of a glimpse of your genius to get their attention. It can be done in a number of ways: you can incite their curiosity, make a bold statement, ask a question or offer a bit of compelling information. It should represent your message and your services.
The headline is the spirit of your company (think Nike’s “Just Do It”). A good headline is worth the time and mental sweat it takes to create it. For examples of great landing page headlines, check out this article.
2. Don’t forget the subheading
Okay, you have put in the time to write The Greatest Headline Ever. Congratulations. But you are not done yet. You got them to bite. Now you have to start reeling them in. The headline just catches their attention, but there is not enough room in the headline to provide a comprehensive explanation about your product or service.
Take AirBnb’s uber-simple headline: “Welcome home”. It tells you what they provide (emphasizing the experience you will get) and nothing more. But their subheading is full of details “Rent unique places to stay from local hosts in 190 countries.” There. Now the visitor has enough details to know if this is what they are looking for.
3. Provide a solution
Your product or service likely exists to solve a problem. In the case of AirBnb, it is booking a place to stay. In the case of Square, it is providing small businesses an easy way to accept credit cards. Evernote helps you organize your notes. Whatever solution you are providing should be made crystal clear on your landing page. Let people know how your product or service is going to make their lives easier by solving their problem..
4. Stats & Creds
Providing statistics and credentials are a great way to convince your client that you know what you are talking about. Tell them how many clients or followers you have. Or how many products you have sold. Or how you were voted best travel blog of 2014.
Statistics and credentials reassure the consumer of your standing in the wacky world of web businesses. Also, while not everyone may love your copy, numbers are universal. Using them broadens your appeal.
5. Customer feedback
Many people find comfort in the words of other consumers. By featuring customer feedback on your product, you’re offering up your hard-won credibility to potential consumers. The best part of this tactic is that you get to humbly stand by while others sing your praises.
Statements like “The absolute best product I’ve bought this year!” may sound like boasting coming from you, but coming from your client is merely an expression of their whole-hearted satisfaction. Glowing reviews are meant to be shared. If you have earned them, put them out there.
6. Be bold
The meek may inherit the earth, but the bold will inherit the web. Let’s face it. The competition is wild. There are several businesses just like yours, all vying for attention. Now is not the time to cross your arms and wait for the traffic to start flowing. Bring them to you with strong statements that people will remember. Think Chevy’s “Like a Rock” slogan that they ran for years. Have the confidence to go big and customers will think you must be onto something.
7. Calls to action
Like everyone else, you want to up your conversions. But what are you doing to make that happen? If your landing page does not include call to action buttons, you are wasting a lot of potential conversions.
Clients took the time to visit your page and find out about your product. Don’t make them hunt around for ways to sign on. For great copy examples on call to action buttons, check out this post.
8. Stick to the point
Make sure your landing page expresses what is essential about your product or service. Don’t stray or get too personal or too philosophical or make references and comparisons to things only you would understand.
If you are offering a service, explain what is included. What makes your service unique? Why are you qualified to offer it? If you are selling a product, what are the features? Why do they need it? How will it help them? Think of your headline as the springboard for the rest of your page. What is the message you want to send? Use language that is consistent with your headline’s message throughout the page.
9. Make it easy to follow
Just as you would break down the sections and highlights of your resume, your landing page is kind of like your business’ resume. Make it visually easy to follow. Use bullet points or other clearly-marked divisions to illustrate the points. Long paragraphs that go into too much detail and fine print are not landing page material. Simple language and a smooth visual flow are landing page winners.
Key Takeaway Points
The landing page should reflect the personality of your brand, offer solutions to a problem, be easy to understand and entice people to sign up. A good landing page will do that. A bad landing page will have them clicking elsewhere. Figure out which elements are lacking in yours so you can get the business you want.
Bonus: Out top articles about Landing Page Optimization
Be sure to check out some of our other articles about landing page optimization:
- 6 Simple Landing Pages That Perform Like Charm
- Why A Blog Post + A Landing Page Is A Lethal Combination
- Landing Page Optimization With Google Analytics
- How To Crack The Code To An Intuitive Welcome Page
Want to learn more?
If you’re interested in the intersection between UX and UI Design, then consider to take the online course UI Design Patterns for Successful Software and alternatively Design Thinking: The Beginner’s Guide. If, on the other hand, you want to brush up on the basics of UX and Usability, you might take the online course on User Experience (or another design topic). Good luck on your learning journey!
(Lead image: Depositphotos)
