What is a landing page?
A landing page is a separate web page created for marketing or advertising purposes to increase conversion rates. Internet users “land” on a landing page after clicking on a link in an email, or on ads from Google, Bing, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, etc.
Unlike traditional web pages on a site, which typically encourage exploration, landing pages are designed with a single objective, called a CTA (call to action).
It is this objective that makes landing pages the best option for increasing the conversion rates of your marketing campaigns and reducing the cost of acquiring your leads and prospects.
In this guide, we will first look at the reasons why landing pages are important, then we will see the benefits that your marketing strategy can get from this type of process. Finally, we’ll analyze the key components of a good landing page, before sharing some useful tips that will help you create landing pages with a high conversion rate.
Why is a landing page important?
Landing pages are essential to increase brand visibility, generate more sales, improve your SEO practices and generate new leads. In short, the landing page is an ideal way to grow your customer base.
Here are some notable statistics that demonstrate why using multiple landing pages is essential to improving your online sales efforts:
It only takes a few seconds to impress visitors with a landing page
60% of marketers struggle to acquire leads and generate traffic
2.35% is the average conversion rate for landing pages (all industries included)
68% of B2B companies use landing pages as a strategy to acquire more leads
Companies that increase their number of landing pages from 10 to 15 see a 55% increase in leads
Videos on a landing page can increase conversion rates by 86%
Now let’s find out what the main benefits of creating and using a landing page are.
The benefits of a good landing page
Simple and effective lead generation
Sending your potential customers to a regular landing page instead of a targeted landing page is inefficient. An attractive and relevant landing page is more likely to interest visitors and persuade them to give you their details in exchange for something interesting.
Customer data collection
Through visits to your landing pages, it is possible to collect valuable information and demographic data that will greatly help your team improve their marketing efforts in the future. You will get to know your potential customers better and understand their needs better.
Improving your natural referencing
A landing page should target a particular set of phrases and search terms, which can be promoted with Google Ads or any other paid advertising platform. Targeted pages can greatly increase your SEO ranking, and help you stand out from your competitors.
A great way to promote a new product
With a good landing page, you can direct your visitors to a unique web page dedicated to a new product. This way, you can attract consumers’ attention and promote new products or services.
A simple decision process
On a landing page, you need to provide visitors with exclusive offers, which somehow streamlines their decision-making process, as they can quickly focus on relevant information without any other distractions, and decide whether they want to go further, or not.
How does a landing page work?
The way a landing page works is actually quite simple. After following a link, the user is redirected to the landing page, a page on which you will have taken care to propose a special offer or describe a particular product. The main component of a landing page is a powerful CTA, an image, a button or a piece of text that prompts a person to fill out a form. To access and download the special offer, for example, the person must fill out a form.
The form in question usually includes fields dedicated to an e-mail address and a user name. This information will of course be stored in your database and you can use it for future marketing campaigns. Once a visitor has filled out the form, they will receive a thank you email.
What is the main difference between a landing page and a landing page?
What differentiates a landing page from a homepage is its purpose: to convert site visitors into customers. Unlike a landing page, a landing page should be a standalone web page that is not connected to your website. It is designed to generate leads. A landing page has no built-in navigation, and usually only includes basic information about a product or service with a contact form that aims to capture essential personal data, in an attempt to turn visitors into customers in the future.
While landing pages are created for a broad audience, a landing page is aimed at narrow segments of users who are highly likely to convert. That’s why marketers use downloadable case studies and video tutorials to demonstrate their product’s unique value proposition.
Key components of an effective landing page
Here are the key components of an effective landing page:
A compelling title
The title is the first thing people will see. Therefore, it should be short and effective, as relevant as possible. Create an engaging and compelling header that will entice your visitors to read and fill out your form. Highlight the product or service you are trying to promote and grab readers’ attention with a few catchy words.
Short, relevant text
You need effective text to support your headline, which can provide additional value to users. Use this component as another chance to grab users’ attention. This is where you need to briefly explain your title and talk about the benefits of your product or service. There is no point in going on and on. A few lines should be enough in theory.
Eye-catching visual elements
Including relevant images and eye-catching visuals will enhance the overall idea you are trying to convey on your landing page. Good quality images and GIFs will serve to grab the attention of the viewers, who will definitely be more inclined to explore the page and leave you their contact information.
Make sure your visuals match the content of your landing page and describe your product in the best light. Give users an idea of the results they can achieve by using your service.
The essential features and qualities of your product or service
These two elements complement each other. The best way to explain your product’s features and describe how users will benefit from it is to provide a succinct list of its essential features and benefits. You can also quickly compare these features to your competitors and highlight your strengths.
Explain to your visitors why it is worthwhile to try your product.
A registration form
A registration or subscription form is an essential element to include on your landing page. This is actually the main component you need, as this is where people leave their contact information that you can then use for future marketing activities. This can be a short form that will only require visitors to enter their email address, or a longer form in which visitors will need to include their first name, email address, phone number, or any other details relevant to your business.
Keep in mind that the more fields you add to the form, the higher your bounce/abandonment rate will be, as people generally don’t like to waste their time filling out long forms. So the best option is to ask for the minimum, i.e. a name and email address, or try to make as few fields as possible mandatory to fill out.
One can use tools like SendPulse, for example, which offers its users turnkey subscription forms and a flexible form builder that requires no HTML knowledge.
A powerful CTA
A Call-to-Action is a contextualized call-to-action button that encourages users to click for an offer in return for filling out a form.
A powerful CTA is another essential element that must catch your attention. It is the factor that can decide whether or not someone will give you their contact information. Your CTA should be as relevant and captivating as possible. The button text should be direct and show a person what they will get in return. Don’t be vague, but keep it short and to the point: “Order”, “Free audit”, “Test…. Free”, etc.
Tips for creating a high converting landing page
These tips will help you create high converting landing pages that will bring you more leads.
1- Invest in a user-friendly and responsive design
If your landing page doesn’t display properly on users’ smartphones and they have to use the horizontal scroll bar, they won’t even try to go further in their search. An optimal and responsive page design is essential to provide customers with the best possible user experience.
To increase your brand awareness, don’t hesitate to invest in an original and unique landing page design. Make sure that all elements such as color, font and text size of the page are consistent across your website.
When thinking of an original landing page design, Apple is probably the first brand that comes to mind. Their landing pages look like short films, however, the design remains clean and minimalist.
2- Use social proof elements
When they land on a new page, users wonder if the brand in question is worth considering and testing, and that’s where social proof fits the bill. You can display the number of people who have already signed up or display a pop-up with real-time sign-ups. This way, potential users will see that many people are using your services, and the fear of missing out on something valuable will encourage them to continue exploring your page.
3- Incorporate reviews, testimonials and case studies
All elements of customer feedback/feedback also belong to the category of social proof. They play a particularly important role for users who are considering using your service or product. Nothing works better than customers’ experiences using your brand. So, ask your customers to leave a review and place it on your landing page. This is bound to motivate potential customers to try your service or product.
4- Use your awards and certifications wisely
Awards and certifications from authoritative third parties in your industry also make it easier for people to trust your brand. Add the logo of the company or institution that has awarded or certified your brand, along with a link, and your brand authority will be reinforced.
