For businesses looking to improve the effectiveness of their website, generate more leads and increase revenue, building and leveraging an effective landing page is key.
How is a landing page different from other web pages?
A landing page is a standalone page used for digital marketing purposes.
More specifically, this is where your visitor will land after clicking on a specific link, such as via email, a Google ad, or a social media page.
When done effectively, it will provide an engaging call to action that helps move potential customers down the sales funnel.
It is different from your home page
A landing page differs from a home page in that it has a unique focus.
A home page will typically have various links and potential distractions that can take your prospect away from what you want them to do.
That’s why dedicated landing pages are important.
While your home page definitely adds to your brand and allows visitors to explore products and services, a landing page provides guidance for visitors.
Essentially, businesses that embed dedicated landing pages on their site have a better chance of tricking visitors into taking a specific action.
If that’s not enough, businesses see an average conversion rate of 2.35% with the top 25% converting at 5.31% or higher.
A landing page is a great way to generate more traffic to your website, improve your SEO, and increase brand awareness. Along with this, businesses can increase their chances of converting their leads and building their customer base.
7 ways to create an effective landing page
So how can businesses create an effective landing page that converts?
For best results, companies need to create a dedicated page that is effective, authoritative and engaging.
Read on to discover 7 landing page best practices for your website.
1. Keep your navigation simple
It’s easy to want to put as much on your landing page as possible.
However, keeping the navigation simple is the best option.
A simple layout means your visitors can focus on the most important information and not be overwhelmed by too much content.
Put critical information above the fold
For best results, companies should put the most important content “above the fold”.
Above the fold is simply the first visible part of the website when the user loads the page. Information placed above the fold gets the most attention from users, which is why it is more effective for vital information.
It’s critically important that the focus of your landing page is just what the searchers were looking for in the first place. Whatever search term or keyword phrase they used to click on your page in their search, it better be in the center of this page.
Keep your navigation simple by omitting any information, images or links not relevant to the purpose of the landing page, including headers and footers.
Remember, you want visitors to convert. The last thing you want is to give them another option.
Keep it simple and hyper-focused.
2. Consider typography
Choosing your typography carefully is another way to improve the effectiveness of your landing page.
Many companies would be surprised at how much influence their typography has, but it is very important when it comes to readability.
Typography includes things like font type and size, white space, and spacing. That said, it’s important for businesses to take the time to choose the typography that can help get their message across.
You only have about 7 seconds to grab your visitors’ attention. So, if they have to spend those seconds trying to follow your page’s content, you’ll easily lose their attention.
Essentially, you want the content on your landing page to be well-formatted so that visitors won’t have a hard time reading it and can focus on the information you provide.
3. Write compelling copy
A huge part of a successful landing page is creating compelling copy that can actually grab your reader’s attention.
Again, you only have a small window of opportunity to engage readers. This means your copy needs to add value quickly through clear, easy-to-read language.
For example, if you want a visitor to sign up for your newsletter, you need to express the specific benefits that will motivate them to sign up.
Ultimately, potential customers want to know what you can do for them. This means that companies need to know their wishes and speak in their language to engage them in the copy.
4. Optimize your landing page for SEO
There’s nothing worse than creating the perfect webpage, then realizing it’s not gaining ground. For this reason, it is important to optimize your page for SEO.
An optimized landing page will not only increase your page’s quality rating, but will also help the search engine better understand your content.
This improves your search engine rankings, making it easier for people to find your website. As a result, businesses can expect to see an increase in their conversions as they can reach a wider audience.
You can optimize your landing pages for SEO by using the right keywords, formatting and simplifying your page correctly, and optimizing for mobile viewing.
5. Add images
Adding images to your landing page is an excellent way to make your page more visually appealing.
Plus, it’s a great way to improve the overall experience, keep visitor attention, and reduce bounce rate, which results in better SEO results.
Therefore, when adding images, it is vital to optimize them correctly.
Other than that, images are a great way to evoke emotions. This makes it easier for visitors to build an emotional connection with your business and can encourage them to take a particular action.
6. Make your landing page mobile-friendly
Optimizing your page for mobile is essential.
Unfortunately, many companies forget this step of the process and easily reduce their conversion potential. 230 million Americans own a smartphone, and over 79% of customers shop via mobile.
That said, companies that take the time to optimize their landing pages for mobile users are already improving their chances of increasing the conversion rate.
The last thing you want to do is lose potential customers because the mobile experience isn’t up to par. Regardless of whether someone is viewing your landing page on PC or mobile, the goal is to increase their engagement by providing the same quality experience.
It’s a good idea to double check the quality of your page via a mobile device. Make sure you pay attention to how easy it is to navigate, how fast your landing page loads, and whether everything is easily clickable.
7. Include social proof
The goal of a dedicated landing page is to get conversions.
Such conversions can be anything from convincing your visitors to make a purchase, make a phone call, fill out a form, or schedule a meeting.
Having social proof on these pages can be a powerful signal that increases the likelihood of a conversion.
Examples of effective social proof include:
– Testimonials from past clients
– Trust badges
– Impressive relevant statistics
– Expert opinions
– ‘Wisdom of the Crowd’
– Celebrity testimonials
Key takeaway
Landing pages are one of the most important components of a website.
It serves as direct support for business goals and is a great way to move visitors down the sales funnel. Not only that, but effective landing pages improve brand awareness, increase conversions, and generate more revenue for businesses.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to create the perfect landing page or need help improving your digital marketing efforts, contact us today.
