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Best practices for creating a landing page
What is a landing page?
In digital marketing, a landing page is a standalone web page created specifically for an advertising campaign. The purpose of the page is to generate sales leads by showing an offer in exchange for a potential customer’s information.
There is no set way to design a landing page. But there are six key areas you can focus on that successful landing pages have in common.
#1 Landing page design and structure
Studies have shown that the average amount of time spent on a website is between only between 45 seconds to 54 seconds. With so little screen time, most users won’t make it to the bottom of your page. Therefore, using a design and structure that guides your visitor’s eye to the most important information is crucial.
You can do this by taking advantage of the ‘above the fold’ space. This is the area of your landing page that is immediately visible to the customer without the need to scroll down or click elsewhere. It’s a key area of focus as it is the only area of your site that visitors are guaranteed to see. Concentrate on this space and use a minimalist design to create a focal point around specific areas like your headline. We recommend including a hero image or video above the fold to conveniently hook the user straight away and display your call-to-action button at the top of the page. This will ensure the user sees it and understands what is expected of them next.
#2 Nail the headline
On average, five times more people read the headline that the body copy of a page. The purpose of the headline is to get the reader to read the second line, then the third, and so on.
There are many different methods of writing a successful headline. One approach is to state the result that the customer wants and combine it with a specific period of time. For example, ‘Hot fresh pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or it’s free!’. This explains the benefit, the time period, and the objection “well, what if it is not there in 30 minutes?”. Another example of this is ‘Your home sold in 90 days or your money back’. This satisfies the reader with a guarantee of low risk encouraging them to scroll down and consume the rest of the landing page.
#3 Use buzzwords customers love
There are certain words and phrases that can boost the positive results of a headline. ‘Easy’ polls as one of the best keywords used in successful headlines. As well as ‘guarantee’ – partly due to the reassurance they provide.
You can also trigger an emotional decision in your headline by including the speed of your claim. Keywords like. ‘today’ or ‘instant’ are known to drive customer action. After all, why would a customer not want something instantly?
#4 Write copy that feels personal
Use copy that reads as if it is talking to one person by using personal pronouns like we, you, and us. If your language is too formal, it will feel like dealing with a complicated institution like a bank, law court, or government entity. Every communication should be a personal one, from the writer to the recipient, regardless of the medium used. In addition to this, keep your content exciting, clear and as brief as possible. Direct Response Marketing Strategist, Dan Kennedy says: ‘There’s some significant research that has been done that indicates that readership falls off dramatically at 300 words but does not again drop off until 3,000 words.’
This means that 300 words is the checkpoint you need to get your readers across if you want them to read any more. Use a language that the target audience can relate to, and you’re halfway there.
#5 Tell the user what to do next
Once the customer has read your landing page, you need to let them know what to do next if they were convinced by your product. To tell the visitor what to do, when to do it, and how to do it, use a big call to action (CTA) button.
When choosing a design for your CTA buttons, colours play a key role due to what’s known as the Von Restorff effect. This is when one item sticks out like a sore thumb and is remembered more than others because of its difference in size or colour. So, use the Von Restorff effect to your advantage. Pick one colour for your CTA and do not use that colour anywhere else on the landing page.
#6 Increase conversion rates with risk reversal
Reducing the customer’s perception of their risk when buying a product is a great way to strengthen the appeal of your offer. A good example of this is ‘free shipping and free returns’. This is most commonly used by online retailers to alleviate the stress if an item of clothing is the incorrect size, or a sofa is not comfortable enough.
Other ways to reassure a customer are to include customer reviews and testimonials. You can use customer logos, quotes, tweets, comments – anything that proves you are recognised by known brands and real people. This way customers know they aren’t taking a risk on you because someone else already has.
The design, structure, headline and copy are the core pillars of any successful landing page. If you want an expert team to create a landing page that generates sales, contact us today.
