By completing a transaction or collecting contact information, landing pages turn visitors into leads. A call to action on your website, a link in a marketing email, a social media post, or a PPC ad should lead to a specific website page with more information. That action could be buying a product, signing up for a free trial, downloading an ebook or asking for more information.
The more landing pages you have, the more chances you have to convert site visitors into leads. According to a Hubspot study, businesses with 31-40 landing pages generate 7 times more leads than those with 1-5 landing pages, and businesses with 40+ landing pages generate 12 times more leads. Here’s how to make a successful landing page.
1. Make the landing page the goal
No distractions or escape routes will help visitors stay focused and take the desired action. Remove the main navigation and all links except your call to action.
2. Keep your word
Make it clear what visitors get if they click. Without that expectation, or a catch, the visitor will be confused and unlikely to convert. Make sure the headline and content match the CTA that brought visitors to the landing page, and don’t bait and switch.
3. Verify load times
The conversion rate drops by 7% for every second your page takes to load. If your site is slow to load, Google PageSpeed Insights can help you improve it.
4. Use powerful messaging
Tell people why your product or service is great and how it will improve their lives. Adjectives like “innovative” and “industry-leading” aren’t specific enough.
5. Include a visual
A photo or video not only enhances the visual appeal of your landing page, but also increases engagement. Many people don’t read website content word for word, so an image can quickly convey your message.
6. Don’t overdo it
The best landing pages are simple and uncluttered. Keep it short, use lots of white space, and use legible fonts.
7. Choose one main CTA
The goal of a landing page is to get your visitor to do one thing, so make it easy for them to do it. Giving them more options risks distracting them from your main goal; landing pages with multiple offers generate 266 percent fewer leads than those with only one.
8. Value over features
Nobody cares about the technical details of your product or service; they only care about how they might benefit them. List your offer’s value points in bullet points and be specific about the benefits your target audience can expect.
9. Consider alternatives to “submit”
Many forms have a default “submit” button at the bottom, but that doesn’t entice people to click. Try “Send Me My Offer,” “Start My Free Trial,” or “Download My Free Ebook.”
10. Build trust
People may be hesitant to provide contact information on a landing page. You can reassure them by including a privacy message and using security seals if appropriate.