Landing pages are great lead generating tools, as their primary purpose is to convert site visitors into sales leads. That is, if they follow a few key fundamentals.
The most important thing to remember when building a landing page is to have one goal, one message, and one action. Keep the layout, design and content on your page simple and focused.
Of course, there there’s a laundry list of “must-do” elements that go into an effective landing page, but if you start with these three enhancements first, you’ll see a big improvement in your conversions.
1. Create a clear call to action.
Your landing page is an important first step to converting your prospects into customers. Even if your landing page boasts a free offer – rather than a sale – you need a strong call to action. Back up your headline and sub-headline with a brief description of the offer, a short list of benefits and a compelling call to action. Visually speaking, your headline and call to action should be clear, easily noticeable and in the most relevant position on the page. Use a larger font and/or strong color to call them out.
And when it comes to content, don’t be a blabber. Say what you need to say and that’s it. Simple.
2. Use a simple design.
Some landing pages have a great headline or call to action – but they lose their impact in a sea of distractions. Your landing pages need to be clutter-free. The headline, subhead, benefits and call to action should be accompanied by some social proof (more about that in point three below) and an opt-in box or call to action box. That’s it. No sidebar. No header links. Nothing to distract visitors from the purpose of the page. Your landing page should only include the offer and how to get it. Simple.
3. Show that your offer is trustworthy.
When a visitor comes to your landing page, they are more likely to take action if they know that they can trust you. If they don’t already know how awesome you are, you can increase trust by using social proof.A short testimonial from another client or social icons with “like” counts show that other people – just like them – have opted into your offer and love it. You can also add badges of media sources that have mentioned your company, show off logos from clients that others would recognize and display a Better Business Bureau badge if you have one.
