Landing pages are key to the success of any marketing strategy. A landing page is a web page that is specifically designed to collect data about visitors or to urge them in performing an action. According to Hubspot, companies with more than 30 landing pages generate 7 times more leads than companies with less than 10 landing pages.
You attracted a visitor to your page? That’s good! Now, how do you convert this visitor into a lead or a client? A landing page for each of your offers provides a more complete experience and facilitates conversion through a precise and targeted message. Without further ado, here are 8 features of an efficient landing page.
1. Clear, concise and action-oriented headline
Your title is your only chance to hook your target. On average, 8 out of 10 people will read your headline but only 2 out of 10 will read the rest. It is therefore crucial for your headline to summarize your offer in a few words and also encourage readers to take action.
Be clear. For example, if you want people to view a video, use the word “view”. Use a subheading, if necessary, to provide additional information and support the objective of the headline. Here’s an example of a headline that leaves no room for any doubt about the page content:
2. Engaging content
Web browsing for leisure is probably not why people are on your page. The top benefits for your visitors should, therefore, come early and be very persuasive. The easiest way to get conversions is to go with an irresistible offer. Make sure your content leaves no questions unanswered.
Think of the best words and images to engage your visitors. Any image or video on your page should help the visitor better understand your offer. Avoid stock images just to fill space.
Also, using the word “you” makes the text more personal and appeals to the reader far more than an impersonal text in the third person.
3. Ease of navigation
You want to provide the necessary information to your visitors so that they have a good understanding of your offer without drowning in an excessive flow of text. Too much text discourages visitors and makes them leave your page. Each written sentence should be chosen meticulously to move the visitor towards the desired action.
Divide your content into small blocks and use subheadings for each of them. Allow for space to let the content (and the reader) breathe and use bulleted lists and tables for rapid scanning and understanding. Dropbox gives us a good example.
4. Only one objective
A landing page must have a very precise goal (e.g., event registration, document download, contacting sales). The design of your page needs to follow a logic that leads your visitor towards achieving this only goal.
So, limit distractions. Try to avoid outbound links and be careful with navigation menus which can cause the visitor to leave the page before the objective is attained. Keep it simple and straightforward as this example from Dapulse. A few lines and a call-to-action that hits the bull’s eye – no other navigation or distraction.
5. Clear call-to-action
The call-to-action is a critical element of a landing page. If it does not persuade the visitor to perform the desired action, then all the efforts that went towards building your page will go to waste.
Your call-to-action should be clear and of a contrasting color with the rest of the page. There should be no doubt about what will happen next. Tell your visitor exactly what you expect from him (download your free guide, buy now, get a demo). The conversion should ideally be done in a click.
6. Optimized for mobile devices
Unless you’ve been living in a cave far from the hustle and bustle of civilization, you can grasp why your page needs to be optimized for mobile devices. You’ve probably already optimized your emails and website. Your landing pages are no exception. There’s nothing worse than switching from an email or a mobile ad to a non-optimized page. That’s enough to scare away a lot of your clickers. Don’t make that mistake!
7. Presence of trust elements
For your visitors to click on your call-to-action, you must first win their trust. Proclaiming yourself the best in your field will convince no one. On the other hand, people will trust the opinion of someone who has nothing to gain by stating that your company is the best.
Indicate the number of people who have taken advantage of your offer and highlight it. Show positive feedback from your clients, testimonials, display your security certifications, etc.
Shopify, as shown in the example below, has managed to make the most of this aspect.
8. Optimized form
The same question always arises when we talk about a marketing form: how many fields should it contain? Too many and you’ll quickly lose people, your conversion rate will go down; too few and you’ll not gather enough information to qualify a lead.
Basic rule: Ask only for the information that you absolutely need and do not exceed 7 fields. Streamline your form by using radio buttons and dropdown lists. Take the time to make it visually appealing with space in between fields and make a design that complements the rest of the page just like Airbnb’s example.
To wrap up
Here they are, 8 tips for better landing pages. Also, once you’ve built your page, you’ll want to do some A|B testing to validate your ideas. A test is still the best way to find out whether your content is at the right place if your headlines are catchy, and if your calls-to-action are clear enough.
You now know the 8 secrets of building an efficient landing page. Give it a try!
