UPDATED AUGUST 10, 2023
What is a landing page?
In digital marketing — and for the purposes of this article — a landing page is a page of a website that’s created with a single focus and a single goal. Its purpose is usually to convert visitors into subscribers, new leads or sales.
A landing page is the web page you land on when you’ve clicked on a link to:
- An offer
- A course
- A lead magnet
- An email sign-up
- A product or collection of products.
These links could be placed on your website, on other websites, in online ads, on social media or in email marketing.
What is a landing page not?
A landing page is not just a page of your website.
It should create a clear and consistent journey from the link to the page itself.
How to create an effective landing page
Here are some top tips for creating the perfect landing page.
Planning your landing page
Know what you want to achieve
Everything on your landing page should be working towards your end goal, so it’s important to start with a clear plan and know exactly what you want the page to do.
As a starting point, you should be able to answer these three basic questions:
- What is the purpose of the landing page?
- Who do you want to visit the landing page?
- What action do you want your visitors to take?
Have a clear target audience
Writing copy that appeals to a specific audience is much easier than trying to write for everyone.
It will also make your message sharper, clearer and more targeted.
Designing your landing page
Use good continuity
When visitors arrive on your landing page, you need to reassure them that they’ve come to the right place.
This means there needs to be continuity between your original link and the landing page.
There are several elements that can follow through from the link to the landing page, most notably the headline and design:
- Make the headline relevant and appropriate to the original link
- Use matching design elements, such as colours, graphics and images
- Incorporate trust signals, such as your logo, branding and https security status.
Get rid of clutter
Your landing page will have one clear purpose: to convince people to sign up, make an enquiry or buy something. So focus on this one thing and remove all other distractions from the page.
The page doesn’t need a navigation menu, contact details, social media buttons, site badges or anything else that will divert your readers’ attention from your sales message.
And there should be only three ways off the page: completing the action you want them to take, reaching out to ask more questions or closing the tab.
Structure your page for success
Your landing page should open with an attention-grabbing, intriguing or enticing heading to draw readers in and keep them reading.
As with any web page, the most important information should be above the fold, in the hero section, so be sure to include your value proposition and USP here.
Make the page pleasant to read with a single column of text split into short paragraphs.
Use headings and subheadings to introduce each section. This will allow readers to skim-read more easily. We may not like that they skim-read, but they naturally do.
Finally, make sure your page is responsive, that it’s optimised for all devices and that it displays properly in all the popular browsers.
Use relevant visuals and media
The right visuals and media will accentuate and strengthen your message.
For example, you might use:
- Video presentations or product demonstrations
- Media that allows your visitors to imagine
- Images that inform and inspire
- High-quality product images
- Graphs, charts and tables.
Make your copy compelling
Your copy should be engaging and persuasive, so it keeps people reading.
For the best results:
- Show you understand the pain point or need
- Show how you can solve the problem
- Focus on the benefits
- Try to anticipate your readers’ questions and answer them in order.
Finish with a well-designed CTA
Your call to action (CTA) will be the crux of the whole page, so it needs to do its job well.
Make sure:
- Manage expectations and make sure it’s crystal clear what you’re offering
- Make it as easy and simple as possible for your visitors to take action
- If you’re collecting information, only collect the absolute essentials
- Include a way to contact you if they have more questions
- Make it irresistible!
Linking to your landing page
Make your link enticing
Your link needs to entice your reader to click.
For example, you might:
- Tell them you have the answer to their problem
- Lure them with an unmissable offer or discount
- Show them something they’ll want to buy
- Show them the value of signing up.
Place your link wisely
Your link needs to reach the right visitors and bring them to your landing page — so knowing where to place that link is vital.
For example, you might put it out:
- On a website pop-up
- Using targeted advertising
- To your followers on social media
- To your already engaged email list.
It’s important to keep a record of all the links you’ve posted to your landing page and where you’ve posted them. We’ll come back to this at the end of the article.
Make sure your link goes to the right page
This sounds obvious, right?
I mean, surely no one would go to the trouble of creating a landing page then post a link to a completely different page.
Trust me, it happens. And I’ve seen it way too many times not to give it a mention here.
When you post your link, always test it before you publish it.
When your landing page is live
Monitor your results
Use Google Analytics to make sure your landing page is getting enough visits. If not, there may be a problem with your original link, so you’ll need to investigate that.
If your landing page is getting enough visits, but they’re not converting, take another look at your sales copy.
When your offer is over
Tidy up
Remember my earlier note about keeping track of the links you posted?
If you’re running an offer for a limited time, it’s a good idea to make sure your landing page can’t be accessed after the offer expires. The best way to do this is to make sure all the links to it are removed.
Need some help with your landing page?
I’m Jenny Lucas, a freelance copy and content writer based in Leicestershire, UK.
If you need help to create a landing page, or would like some help to fix an existing landing page that isn’t working for you, I can help.
To get in touch, fill out my contact form with some information on what you’re looking for.
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