Table of contents
- What is a landing page?
- What is the purpose of a landing page?
i. Benefits of a landing page on a website - What are the key components of a landing page?
- How to write content for a landing page
1. Identify your audience
2. Target your page
3. Emphasise the benefits
4. Consider adding customer testimonials
5. Simplify your writing style - How do landing pages work?
- Do I need a landing page?
What is a landing page?
A landing page is a highly persuasive web page on a website that is targeted around a specific search term and designed to capture the attention of visitors and convert them into leads. They are designed to be simple, visually appealing and to push the reader to complete a single action such as filling out a form or making a purchase (as opposed to the many options a broader website offers).
Read More: What’s the difference between a landing page vs opt in page?
What is the purpose of a landing page?
Landing pages are typically used in digital marketing campaigns, such as part of a wider web or social media marketing strategy, and are often used alongside pay-per-click ads (PPC). The primary purpose of a landing page is to act as a standalone page that visitors are directed to after engaging with an ad, such as clicking on it.
Since landing pages are very effective at marketing towards one specific goal, they're an essential part of the sales funnel to capture leads. As such, many businesses use landing pages to gain additional information about their target consumers, such as contact details. They often do this by encouraging visitors to exchange such information for something else of value, called a lead magnet, such as a free trial, download or discount code.
Benefits of a landing page on a website
A landing page has many benefits, including the generation of new leads for your business. The exact benefits of the individual landing page for your business will depend on its specific purpose. However, here are six key benefits of using landing pages:
- provide additional insight into your product or service
- leave a good first impression
- position a clear call to action to prospects
- increase your overall conversation rate
- grow your email database
- capture more information about your visitors to refine future marketing
- bring in leads even outside of normal-hours trading
What are the key components of a landing page?
A landing page is a web page that is specifically designed to convert visitors into leads or customers. The key components of a landing page include:
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Headline: A clear and concise headline that tells the visitor what the page is about and how it will benefit them.
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Subheadline: A supporting statement that provides more information about the offer or value proposition.
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Call to action (CTA): A prominent button or link that encourages visitors to take a specific action, such as filling out a form, making a purchase, or contacting the company.
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Lead capture form: An opt-in form that asks visitors to provide their contact information in exchange for something of value, such as an eBook, webinar, or free trial.
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Benefits and features: A list of benefits and features that highlights the value proposition and explains how the product or service solves a problem or fulfils a need.
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Social proof: Testimonials, reviews or case studies that provide social proof and establish trust with visitors.
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Images or videos: Visual content that showcases the product or service and reinforces the benefits and features.
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Navigation: Minimal navigation options that keep visitors focused on the goal of the landing page.
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Visible branding: Consistent branding elements such as logos, colours and fonts that reinforce the company's identity and credibility.
Overall, the key components of a landing page should work together to create a clear, compelling and persuasive message that motivates visitors to take action.
How to write content for a landing page
Landing pages are highly targeted which means they often employ more overt sales techniques than traditional content marketing does. As such, writing content for landing pages differs from writing content for the rest of your website.
Learn how to write content for a landing page using these practical tips:
1. Identify your audience
The first step of writing landing page content is to identify who your target audience is. This is crucial because it allows you to focus on the needs of this audience and tailor your landing page accordingly. Tailoring the content of your landing page to your audience increases the probability of converting their interest into a lead. When identifying your audience, remember to consider elements such as gender, age, location, socio-economic status, likes, needs and pain points.
2. Target your page
Landing pages are much more focused than general information pages on your website. This means that you need to make sure you are targeting a single specific product, service or keyword per page. This will also reap the best results in Google Ad campaigns.
Be economical with your language and how you present information to visitors. Not every visitor will stay on the landing page once they click on it, but if your content is well written, you give them a better reason for doing so, which is the whole point of a landing page. Therefore, it’s critical that you optimise your content for search and prioritise the most important information, be it by putting that first, formatting it in a larger font or placing it in a stand-out box. This improves your chances of retaining consumer attention for longer.
3. Emphasise the benefits
It’s tempting to simply list the features of your product or service but this isn’t the most effective way to appeal to your visitors. Instead, try identifying what your potential customers need and then focusing your content around the benefits of what you offer.
Does your service save consumers money? Will this product save valuable time? The benefits your specific deliverable offers are going to be more persuasive than a methodical list of features and jargon.
Read More: The ultimate guide to persuasive online copywriting
4. Consider adding customer testimonials
Customers have learned to be discerning when they read sales content by a company about their products or services. After all, it’s your foremost intention to convert interest into profit.
This is where including genuine customer testimonials and other social proof can be useful. This is because consumers trust the opinion of other consumers that have previously been in their position. This increases the trust that your audience has in your company.
5. Simplify your writing style
Building a rapport with your target audience efficiently and quickly is crucial when it comes to creating landing pages. This is because you have a matter of seconds to convince visitors to engage with your website and/or company. As such, aim to keep your writing style as simplistic as possible so that you get your point across with ease. Succinctly written content has a greater chance of resonating with your target consumers and persuading them to engage.
Understanding the key components of a landing page can help you to know how to go about writing one. You can also find more tips for writing high-converting landing pages on the HubSpot blog.
How do landing pages work?
Landing pages work by providing visitors with a focused and persuasive message that encourages them to take a specific action. The goal of a landing page is to convert visitors into leads or customers by guiding them towards a single call-to-action (CTA).
Here's how the flow of a landing page should work:
1. A visitor searches for a specific query in a search engine and clicks on an ad or organic search result that leads them to a landing page on a website.
2. The landing page presents a clear and compelling offer or value proposition in the headline that hooks the visitor's attention.
3. As the visitor begins to read and scroll, the landing page body copy needs or desires using persuasive language and visuals to reinforce the benefits.
4. The visitor may also read or view elements of 'social proof' included on the page, such as testimonials or reviews, that establish trust and credibility.
5. The landing page includes a prominent call-to-action (CTA) button or link that encourages the visitor to take a specific action, such as filling out a form or making a purchase.
6. If the visitor decides to take the desired action, they are directed to a confirmation or thank you page that reinforces their decision and provides the next steps.
As you can see, landing pages work by putting your proposition directly in front of consumers who have already shown an active interest in searching for what you offer. For this reason, they are often considered to be the online version of a marketing letter traditionally delivered through doors or handed out on the high street. You can also think of them as a virtual salesperson to promote a particular product or service you want to push.
Do you need a landing page for your website?
Although many businesses get by fine with a simple brochure-style website, landing pages become critical if you're thinking about using digital marketing to drive online sales and sign-ups.
This is because well-constructed landing pages are responsible for finding and converting leads to help you grow your business. While you're working on the day-to-day management of your business, landing pages are working hard in the background, round the clock, attracting web searchers to click and convert.
If you have one product or service you're looking to promote, a single landing page might be sufficient. But larger businesses may need several landing pages tailored to a range of services or search marketing campaigns.
✏️Don't leave it to chance! Use a professional copywriter to make sure your landing pages get found online and increase conversions.
Header image: Christina @ wocintechchat.com
Embedded images: Arkan Perdana, Sigmund, Austin Distel
