Your landing page must make a great impression – enough to convert that initial curiosity into a lead, sale, or new client.
In digital marketing, a landing page is a single web page that appears in response to someone clicking through from a Google search result, a marketing email, or a social media post.
It is where your web visitor lands from that click, so your job is to make sure they don’t regret their decision.
Your landing page must make a great impression – enough to convert that initial curiosity into a lead, sale, or new client.
By understanding the key elements required to create an effective landing page, and making sure you stick to them, you’ll be able to optimise its function and ensure it actually converts.
What are the components of a landing page?
While each landing page can differ and incorporate different objective, there are six key components that every effective landing page must have, including:
- Strong headlines
- Eye-catching imagery and media
- Engaging copy
- Unique selling proposition (USP)
- Social proof or testimonials
- Conversion goal.
Read on to learn more about each of these key components of a landing page:
1. Strong headlines
That may seem a little like stating the obvious but often headlines don’t get the attention they deserve.
A strong headline should grab your web visitor as soon as they arrive on your landing page. It should clearly communicate what’s on offer and why that is of value to the reader.
What are you offering? What does it do or provide? And don’t simply list the features, highlight the benefits. The headline can be short and punchy, followed through with a subheading.
You have a few seconds – the blink test – to capture the reader. Clarity is key.
2. Eye-catching imagery and media
Don’t bore your web visitor with endless text. Liven the page up with images and media – an essential component of a landing page.
And they don’t just break up the text but engage your reader further by giving a visual representation of what you have to offer. Include photos of your product or service.
Consider your target demographic and use images that reflect them.
If your page includes team bios, for example, include photos of the team.
Media, such as video or an animated graphic, can also be a great way to capture attention and bring your landing page to life. A video is a great way to show off a physical product or explain a service in more detail, and will appeal to those more enticed by visual information.
You can also use graphics, such as icons, to make a point, highlight an element such as an opt-in form, or bring a stylish visual aesthetic to the landing page.
3. Engaging copy
Choose your words well.
You have a web searcher’s attention. They clicked through to your landing page for a reason – to possibly buy something, to learn more, to sign up for a service – so, don’t waste their time.
Make it clear what you are offering. And, importantly, outline the benefits for the reader who always wants to know, “what’s in it for me?”
You want copywriting that takes the visitor beyond curiosity; persuasive copy that changes behaviour and sparks action.
4. Unique selling proposition (USP)
This is how you answer the reader’s “why you?” question.
Your unique selling proposition (USP) is what sets you apart from the competition, makes your company different from – indeed, better than – the rest.
After all, your landing page is a marketing tool. Use it to let the web visitor know in a clear, concise way exactly why they landed on the right page. You have what they want.
Your headline, subheadings, main image, and body copy on your page should all assist in telling the reader what makes your product or service so special, and how it helps to solve their problem.
5. Social proof or testimonials
Give the reader a chance to hear what other people are saying about you. This is your opportunity to use your landing page to say: “don’t just take our word for it”.
Social proof, also known as informational social influence, is where consumers adapt their behaviour according to what other people are doing, while testimonials act as references or recommendations from people who have used and enjoyed your product or service.
Post direct quotes from customers and clients using real names and, where possible, photos. Video interviews or testimonials work very well. You can also use case studies or display logos of the companies of satisfied customers, and include review scores from sites such as Yelp or Amazon.
The key is to be authentic and use real examples – because you can’t fake social proof or testimonials.
6. Conversion goal
This the crux of your landing page – the call to action.
It can be a button or a form to fill in. Again, choose your words carefully. Be clear about what your web visitor is getting.
Instead of words such as ‘click here’ on the button, use active phrases like ‘start my free trial’, ‘send me the eBook’ or ‘shop now’.
Forms should be short and simple, requesting only the necessary information, encouraging the user to complete the conversion goal.
Consider including an assurance on data privacy to reduce the reader’s feeling of risk and help build trust.
Make landing pages a key part of your marketing strategy
Landing pages are a crucial part of your marketing mix and an effective element to incorporate into your marketing strategy.
Assemblo is a full-service marketing agency based in Melbourne, and we can help grow your business by creating effective landing pages that convert and deliver results.
To find out how we can help your business, give us a call on (03) 9079 2555 or send us a note via the contact form below.