In general terms, a landing page can be any web page that a user lands on your website. In digital marketing terms, a landing page is a standalone page that is distinct from your homepage or any other product page and serves a specific marketing purpose. They are sometimes referred to as ‘lead-capture pages’ or ‘single property pages’. They are focused on generating conversions for a specific marketing campaign.
Studies show that the average conversion rate for a website is between 1% and 3% of all traffic. Meanwhile, landing pages tend to have a 5-15% conversion rate. It’s clear that when used correctly, landing pages can be a highly effective marketing tool for converting visitors into leads. So, how can we make sure that we’re building fantastic landing pages?
Limit Site Navigation
A good landing page needs a single call-to-action (CTA) such as a form to fill out or a product to buy, and no potential distractions such as links to other pages on your site. With no other links to bring visitors to different pages, the user is more likely to stay on the landing page and take the action you want them to.
This is because of something researchers call the ‘paradox of choice’. If you give someone multiple options, they are less likely to be able to make a decision and act on something. Take the decision away of what to do or where to click, and fingers crossed your potential customer will click on the CTA!
Page loading speed
Have you ever clicked on an ad for a product or service you were really interested in, only to abandon ship because it took too long for the page to load? If your landing page loads slowly, this is exactly what potential customers will do with your product, and they’ll look for it elsewhere instead.
These days people are impatient when it comes to browsing the web, so it’s essential to have speedy landing pages in order to keep up with the competition and generate a high conversion rate.
There are many options for increasing your page loading speed, including reducing image size.
Keep it simple
The last thing you want to do is overwhelm your potential customers with information. Include an attention-grabbing headline, the essential information about your product or service, at least one image and (most importantly!) your call-to-action button or form.
You can also add in some social proof such as testimonials or security logos/a link to a privacy policy to reassure visitors before they give you their personal details. Whatever you do, make sure the page doesn’t look cluttered, and ensure the CTA is very clear and consistent throughout.
Less is more
If your landing page goal is to get visitors to fill out a form, don’t ask for too much information. Only ask for whatever is essential. If the form is short, generally more people will fill it out and this will mean a higher conversion rate. If the form is long and asks lots of questions, this creates more work for the visitor, and they are less likely to bother to fill it all out. Remember, some people may not want to give their phone number or other personal details, so just stick with what you need to qualify the lead.
Persuasive copy
The text is one of the most important elements of your landing page. Choose a sharp, snappy headline that entices readers in, and make sure that it matches the copy in your advertising. Then, you have the brief description. As you can only include a limited number of words to keep the visitor interested, these words need to be persuasive, engaging and really demonstrate the value of your product or service.
Keep the CTA ‘above the fold’
The term ‘above the fold’ refers to the content that first appears on screen when the page loads, before you have scrolled down. Make sure that all the essential information is visible above the fold, including headline, brief description and of course, that all important CTA.
This can be complicated nowadays as many people use their smartphones or tablets more than desktop, but you can use a scroll map to check the location of the average fold on all devices.
These tricks and tips should help you to get started on building your new landing page with a high conversion rate. If you need more advice, or simply don’t have time to create landing pages for your marketing campaigns, why not get in touch?
