Creating a converting landing page is a delicate dance between art and science. Not only must your design represent your client’s brand, but it must also guide visitors along the sales funnel. It can be challenging to strike the perfect balance, but fear not! We have some guidelines that can help you design the most effective landing page possible.
In this post, we’ll give you a crash course on the building blocks of a landing page, followed by best practices for designing a page that converts successfully. Using these guidelines while keeping your client’s aesthetics in mind, you can start driving results like a pro. Finally, we’ll also explore common mistakes and how to avoid them. Let’s dive in!
When it comes to your website, more is not always better. In fact, sometimes less is more. That’s where landing pages come in. Unlike a typical website with numerous pages, a landing page is a single page with a clear focus and singular call-to-action (CTA).
Think of landing pages as the ultimate tool for driving conversions. Whether you’re running a marketing campaign or hosting an event, landing pages are your go-to solution for achieving your goals. With a landing page, you can easily guide your visitors towards a specific action, such as signing up for your newsletter or booking a consultation with your team.
One key feature of landing pages is that they actively discourage exploration. You’ll often see landing pages with hidden menus or removed links, which helps to focus the visitor’s attention on the call-to-action (CTA). This is important because a well-crafted CTA can differentiate between a successful campaign and a flop.
There are two types of landing page CTAs – lead generation and click-through. Lead generation CTAs involve getting visitors to share their contact information with you, usually in exchange for something of value, like a free consultation or access to exclusive content. Click-through CTAs encourage the visitor to explore your website further, often with the goal of encouraging a purchase.
So, whether you’re running an email campaign or a PPC ad, landing pages are the perfect solution to help you drive conversions and achieve your marketing goals. Using landing pages, you can create a focused and engaging experience that will guide your visitors towards the actions that matter most.
Before we discuss how to design a landing page, let’s look at the different components it will likely contain.
The portion of your page that’s visible to a user without scrolling or clicking is considered ‘above the fold’. Since it’s the first content a visitor sees, you’ll want to take advantage of this valuable real estate.
Ideally, the landing page is designed so the user doesn’t have to scroll to understand what your business offers and how to reach out.
You’ll often find that the ‘hero section’ is placed above the fold. A hero section is typically a large banner image at the top of the page, although it isn’t limited to static images. You can use animations, sliders, or even just eye-catching typography.
Whatever you choose to include above the fold should demonstrate a strong sense of what your landing page is offering. Then you can provide more detailed information in the page’s ‘below the fold’ content.
Your content likely makes up the majority of your landing page. Content is used to speak to your audience and persuade them to take action on your offer.
You can include descriptions of your product or service’s features, benefits, pricing, and other information. Wise’s landing page provides a calculator that you can use to work out how much money you’ll save by using this service.
While the content may be text-heavy, remember that you can include other media as well. You have plenty of freedom regarding what to include in your content, but there are a few elements you won’t want to leave out. Like the elements that make you stand out from your competitors,
This section allows for some bragging and lets your audience know why your offering is superior to the competitors, also known as your unique selling points (USP).
Social proof is another helpful type of content that can build credibility and trust. This social content can take several forms, including positive customer reviews or press coverage from respected publications in your niche.
If you’re just starting out, you may not have much social proof yet. Don’t be afraid to ask for user feedback, so you can start building out this part of your landing page as soon as possible.
Conversion elements play an essential role in turning visitors into customers. The type of conversion you’re aiming for will depend on the purpose of your landing page.
If you have an e-commerce site, you’re likely hoping to sell a product. However, if you want your landing page to build your email list, a successful conversion could be a newsletter signup.
Strong CTAs can help you accomplish your goal regardless of the conversion you’re after. A CTA is your opportunity to ask the visitor to perform a specific action. If you’re trying to build an email list, your CTA could be a button asking users to “Sign Up Now”.
While this may sound simple, we will likely spend much time tweaking your CTAs. In addition to enticing copy, you’ll also want to carefully consider placement and colours.
Many people overlook the footer, but it plays a very important role in conversions. You can include additional information and lead generation forms for newsletter signups or even social media links like in the example we see below.
Design a footer specifically for your landing page, and limit menu links that navigate the users away from it. Having no distractions, visitors are more likely to complete the CTA successfully.
When it comes to creating an effective landing page, there are certain elements you need to keep in mind. But fear not; here are some of the best practices with you.
Minimalism can be a beautiful thing, especially when it comes to web design. A simple design can help set off your images and CTAs without overwhelming visitors. Remember, less is more!
It’s important to earn the trust of your visitors. Adding trust signals like payment processors’ logos you accept, reviews from Google and Yelp, or something like a money-back guarantee can go a long way.
People tend to skim web pages rather than read them in depth, so your headlines should be brief and to the point. Keep your content scannable by using frequent subheadings and short paragraphs.
CTAs are a crucial part of your sales process and should be as specific as possible. Be mindful of where you place your CTAs, and use A/B testing to guide you as you iterate.
Animation, videos, and parallax effects can keep visitors scrolling through your offer. And don’t forget to remove any links that navigate away from your landing page.
Your forms should be frictionless, with only the necessary fields required. Keep the design simple and ensure they work seamlessly across all devices.
Using contrasting colours keeps your landing page visually interesting and accessible. Make sure there’s enough contrast between your colours, and use filter effects to view your landing page in grayscale.
Limit the different fonts you use and choose a font that can accommodate different screen sizes. Remember, serif fonts work well for large chunks of text.
By following these best practices, you’ll be well on your way to creating an effective landing page. And don’t forget, with platforms like Elementor and WordPress; it’s easier than ever to design a landing page that’s both beautiful and effective.
When it comes to landing pages, some common mistakes could be sabotaging your efforts. But don’t worry; you can easily avoid these mistakes with little effort.
One big mistake is using low-resolution images on your page. When your images look fuzzy, it can be a real turnoff for your visitors. But be careful not to use large image files that slow down your website’s performance. To avoid this, you can use image optimisation tools that selectively decrease the number of colours within your image.
Another mistake is using cold and unfriendly language on your page. If your messaging isn’t engaging, your visitors won’t be enticed to take action. Try to keep your language friendly and inviting. And be sure that your CTA buttons are functioning properly. You don’t want to miss out on leads because of a broken link.
Lastly, make sure your copy is easy to scan. People tend to skim online content, so it’s important to keep your sentences and paragraphs short and use frequent headings and subheadings. And don’t forget that bulleted lists are your friend.
Avoiding these common landing page mistakes can help you maximise your results. By taking the time to set up your landing pages correctly, you can save yourself money and drive better results.