When most business owners think about marketing, they think about the best ways to get their names out to potential customers. Usually, the first tactics they consider are avenues such as social media, email newsletters, or TV commercials, but did you know that landing pages are a form of marketing as well?
What is a landing page?
Though it is often an aspect of marketing that comes as an afterthought, a landing page is absolutely crucial in any marketing effort. In fact, you should never start a marketing campaign without one.
A landing page is the part of a website that is the ultimate call-to-action. This page should be designed with conversion in mind, and really not too much else.
Picture this page as the page of your website that will push potential customers further into the conversion funnel. How does it do so? Simply by collecting personal information from your visitors that allows you to continue communicating with them about your product or service.
A landing page is essentially the first step that allows relationships with potential customers to blossom.
Is my landing page the same as my homepage?
One of the biggest misconceptions about landing pages are that they are actually the homepage of your website. Though your homepage should always have a call-to-action, like a landing page does, the landing page should be far more conversion oriented.
Consider your homepage the top of the conversion tunnel, while the landing page is a little farther down. The landing page allows for you to really form that communication with potential customers since you will have access to their contact information.
For example, when a visitor enters your site via the homepage, they should see a welcoming first impression of your company and get a good idea of what you have to offer. Though they should see at least one call-to-action on this page, it’s much different than the landing page.
When potential customers find themselves on your landing page, chances are they already know the main goals of your company and are looking for more information in the form of a quote, newsletters or special offers, just to name a few.
What should a landing page look like?
Just like it’s important to have a welcoming homepage for your website, it is also important to consider the look and feel of your landing pages.
A staggering 65% of the Internet population considers themselves to be visual learners. With a percentage like this, it is critical that you add images to your landing page. These images should relate to your company and you should shy away from including cheesy stock photos that will make your company look generic.
Additionally, the placement of your contact form is extremely important. Only 22% of visitors will scroll to the bottom of your page. This means that it’s crucial to include your contact form on the top half of your page to ensure that it’s one of the first and only things a visitor sees on the page. After all, the main goal here is conversion.
Furthermore, you should also show at least one trust indicator on your landing page. An example of a trust indicator would be a rating from another company or a testimonial. This allows the visitor to be at ease about providing you with their information because you have been a source of success for other companies.
Tips for a conversion-worthy landing page
One of the most important practices that your landing pages should utilize is great SEO. Consider this—if your landing page doesn’t rank in Google, it’s going to take potential customers a bit longer to find this page. They’ll first have to enter your site and arrive at your landing page secondarily.
Though it’s just as important to your website homepage to rank, being that it is the entry point to your company’s website, it is equally important for your landing page to rank because it takes your visitors straight to the point of forming a communicative relationship.
If your landing page is optimized, it should have a few key features.
The first would be a compelling headline. Remember that this is the page in which you are trying to drive customers straight in to a deeper level of your conversion funnel. In order to do so, you have to utilize a headline that compels the visitor. If you bore them, chances are they will probably be clicking the back button before they give you any contact information.
Another thing your landing page should have is picture-perfect grammar. This is especially important on a page that is asking for personal information. If potential customers see that you can’t bother to copyedit, they probably won’t fully trust your services, or your protection of their personal information, either.
Additionally, your website should always be running A/B testing to ensure that you’re making the most conversions as possible. Be sure to only change one variable at a time to make the most efficient changes. For example, you could A/B test the image set in the background to get an idea of which provides the most conversions. By continuously running these tests with different variables, you will have the highest conversion rate possible for your company.
Do you need help with your landing page?
If you think your landing page could use some help, or don’t yet have one in place, allow us to help get you started on the road to higher conversions! Contact us today!