Guide to building landing pages that convert [2022]
Any digital marketer worth their salt understands that if they had to build a profitable brand on the fly, their first step would be creating a highly engaging landing page.
Why?
Because your landing page is often the make-or-break factor in whether a potential customer sticks around on your site...or hits the back button and goes elsewhere.
Here's how it works: Users click on your landing page. You give them a reason (in the form of text and design elements) to enter your sales funnel. They continue further down the path toward a purchase.
Pretty straightforward stuff.
So why do so many companies struggle with landing pages that don't deliver the desired results? A lot of the time, it's because their landing pages are not optimized for conversions.
You see, building a successful landing page isn't as simple as just throwing together a page using a template from your favorite site builder. There's real science and strategy involved in creating landing pages that convert. So, if you’re serious about creating landing pages that work, then this post will help you get the landing page 'formula' down.
But before we get into the nitty-gritty, let's catch up on the basics.
What is a landing page, and why does it matter?
A landing page, by definition, is a web page that serves as the entry point for customers into your business. It is the page that pops up whenever a user clicks on an ad or any other link that directs them to your website (usually for a specific product or service). Having an engaging landing page is an immediate opportunity to grab the attention of your visitors and compel them to take action.
What makes a good landing page?
To build a balanced landing page that converts across different devices, you need to get the message right in both words and design. Here are a few noteworthy tips to help you out:
Tip #1: Place your main marketing message above the fold
Pay attention to your landing page's first impression. The most important design elements of a landing page — like the headline, unique selling proposition (USP), and call to action — should be above the fold (relatively visible without having to scroll down). Visitors to your website are often in a hurry. They may not take five minutes to read every word on your landing page, but they’ll likely read the above-the-fold portion.
A great example here from Airbnb. The company's "Book Your Next Trip" landing page uses an eye-catching image and has all the key details laid out just above the fold.
Now compare Airbnb's landing page to this one from Cowboy Studio's photography lighting kit landing page.
This page's most visible space is encroached upon by social share buttons, so the key details are buried below the fold. This makes it difficult to identify the distinctive features of the product being offered, which might result in visitors losing interest.
If you do want to increase social media engagement without taking up valuable landing page space, you can learn how to make a QR code and utilise it for this purpose. They will make it easier for users to access your social channels directly from their smartphones.
Tip #2: Don't bombard your visitors with too many CTAs
Having too many calls to action in close succession can be counterproductive. It can easily turn your pristine landing page into one big messy pile. The best landing pages have a single purpose. A focused and specific objective that is fully expressed to, and understood by, all users.
Take a look at how Wix is winning the call-to-action game. “Start Now” as a single CTA says it all. It's simple, straightforward, and gets to the point quickly.
Whereas this landing page from Chase seems teeming with irrelevant CTA keywords, making it confusing to visitors.
But what if your landing pages are longer? Having just one call to action can be frustrating for users who have to scroll back up to click it after they've been convinced of your product. In that case, you can include multiple CTAs as long as they are focused on the same conversion goal. Ideally, long landing pages should feed a CTA to the user at an even rate to match their conversion intent.
Tip #3: Make sure your landing pages are mobile-friendly
Today, mobile browsers are leading the charge. This means that more and more people are using their phones to search. So, it goes without saying that businesses who are failing to stay abreast with this trend are only doing themselves a disservice. By making your landing page mobile-friendly, you can ensure that your landing page loads quickly and correctly on all devices, and includes clear and concise content that is easy to read on small screens.
Many marketers create separate versions of their landing pages:
A meaty version for desktop users
A more subdued version for mobile users
However, the more you cut down on your mobile version, the less impactful it will be to your potential customers — which defeats the purpose of sending them to a landing page in the first place. Check out how Promo makes sure that doesn't happen.Their mobile friendly landing page is an excellent example of how you can present your landing pages on smaller screens without sacrificing usability, functionality, or marketability.
Tip #4: Use visual assets and demonstrations
Humans are visual creatures, and a high-quality image can convey what your product or service is all about much better than any amount of text could ever hope to. Not only that but using the right image can also help to create an emotional connection with your potential customers, which is essential for making a sale. But there are a few things to keep in mind when using visual assets on your landing page.
First, make sure that the visuals are relevant to the rest of the page content.
Secondly, avoid using too many visuals, as this can clutter up the page and make it more difficult for visitors to find the information they are looking for.
Thirdly, opt for images and visuals that fall in line with your business' brand identity.
And finally, use high-quality visuals that are properly sized and formatted for the web. This will help to ensure that your landing pages look professional and are easy for visitors to use.
To illustrate the significance of visuals, take Air's landing page as an example.
Visual elements like these provoke users to imagine the product and get a broader picture of what it's like to use it. They draw the prospect’s eye to the product's benefit and make the USP more obvious whilst also boosting its effectiveness without overwhelming the prospect.
Tip #5: Provide social proof
Show evidence to back up what you say. If you're trying to get people to try something new or risky, showing it works for others helps reassure your users that they'll benefit from what you're offering them. There are several types of social proof, including:
Third-party logos: If you have a big brand name behind your product, use it to your advantage.
Expert comments: If you can get an industry expert or influencer to promote your product, it’s usually worth it.
Real customer reviews: If you’re on the fence about whether or not to purchase something, you’re more likely to go through with it if you see that other people like yourself are doing it too.
Tip #6: Create landing pages that work in conjunction with your email marketing campaigns
Email marketing works — no brand is going to dispute that. The channel can be given a whole new level of power through the use of landing pages.
By including a link to a landing page in your email, you can keep your email copy concise while still providing recipients with all the information they need to make a decision. Most email marketing tools like Mailchimp and Klaviyo provide integrations to help you easily generate and include landing pages in your email campaigns.
Tip #7: Test, analyze, and repeat
Don't forget to measure the effectiveness of your landing pages. Learn exactly which elements perform well, which don't, and how people are using the product before making any other kinds of decisions. This can help you figure out if people understand what they're supposed to do on the page or how they're supposed to interact with it. So you can design a resource management plan in a way that will yield the best results.
Regularly testing and analyzing your landing pages is essential to making sure they are as effective as possible. By keeping an eye on key factors like design, layout, content, and performance, you can ensure that your landing pages are working hard for you and generating quality leads or sales.
Creating a landing page that is both appealing and conversion-friendly can be a challenge, but with these tips, you can make it work for your business.
