Landing pages have ONE job: to convert visitors into customers. When you post any kind of promotion—whether it’s to sell a new book, fill a tour or simply get some leads with a great free download—you need your audience to do more than just come to your sales page. You need them to click that button. It all starts with landing page design.
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The scary news is that you have only three seconds to get that conversion: 1… 2… 3… That’s the attention span of the average visitor, and it’s not long. The good news is that there are a few proven tricks that are very effective at maximizing those seconds, and getting your visitors to make the click.
Here are the five best tricks I’ve learned in my experience designing digital marketing campaigns for small business—and you’ll be amazed at how simple they are.
Use an Eye-Catching Hero Image
Your hero image is that space at the very top of your landing page. It should be the point you start in your landing page design. Make it captivating. Use a bright, colourful graphic or photograph. A picture of you would be fantastic. Also, make it mobile friendly. Often, people will view your page on their daily commute. Make it easy for them to convert on any device. The rest of your page should be very simple and uncluttered. Clean and minimal feels spacious. People have room to move. And in an attention-deficient society, you want people to consume only what is absolutely necessary to make a decision. So, beyond your hero image, there should be no other visual noise—except, of course, that very big, very obvious call-to-action button (you’ll read more on that in a moment).
Feature the BENEFITS and the OUTCOME
Your copy should be clean and minimal, too. First on the list: the top three benefits of what you offer. These are the reasons why someone should take action, sign up, buy. What was the benefit of clicking on this post? Be that clear, that obvious. Then, to pack that deal-closing punch in your copy, tell them the one thing that has far more value than the price of your product: the outcome. The outcome is what your visitor will get or experience once they reach the other side—the real-world result of the benefit.
Together, these two elements create a magic formula: Benefit + Outcome
Here’s how I used this formula to create one simple, effective line of copy:
BENEFIT: Landing pages that convert
OUTCOME: More leads and sales
Then, I just connected them, like so:
Landing pages that convert so you can generate more leads and sales.
Include Testimonials or Affiliate Partners
Real, authentic testimonials add credibility and reassure your visitors that whatever they are signing up for is going to deliver on their expectations. Without testimonials, they may second-guess your offer and decide to spend more time researching—only to never return. Your testimonials must be genuine. Use the person’s name. Use headshots if you can for more authenticity. Videos are also a great way to showcase testimonials, especially if it’s a larger investment or commitment. Another option to build credibility is to include logos of partners you’ve worked with, organizations you belong to or publications you’ve been featured in that visitors would know and recognize.
Be Clear About the Investment
Whether it’s a payment or personal information like an email address, your visitor is going to have to give you something when they click that button—you know it, and they know it. So don’t leave your customer wondering! Your visitors want to know exactly what kind of investment they will need to make, and they want to know it before they take any kind of action. If there’s a price, tell them the price—clearly. If the offer is free but they need to enter their email address (or more), tell them that, up front.
While you’re at it, make sure your privacy policy is clear and easy to find.
The All-Important Call-to-Action
The final—and most important—element is a big, bold call-to-action button. But don’t just use it once! This is your big pitch, your landing page’s raison d’être. Whether it’s “buy now” or “download here,” have it at the top, the bottom, and throughout every section of your page. If you’ve kept your design clean and simple, you don’t have to worry about overwhelming your customer with repetition. Seeing the button again and again will actually serve to thread the various sections of your page together, while reinforcing the message to act, act, act. No matter which section they scroll to, that one specific call to action will constantly be communicated.
To get people to convert faster and with ease, make that button STAND OUT. Use a bright colour that draws their eye to that action. Make it irresistible.
Go Forth and Convert!
Now you have everything you need to get started on creating your own landing pages that convert into more leads and sales—with ease. Make sure to include all five of these elements in your next landing page design, and you’ll start seeing a big difference in the leads and sales that come your way.
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