When you start learning about digital marketing, SEO, and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, you’ll find a whole new vocabulary and theories to grasp. If you haven’t already, you’re sure to have inquiries regarding how landing pages fit into your digital marketing plan. Here’s a quick guide to answer some of your questions about landing pages.
What is a Landing Page?
A landing page is a web page that acts as a destination for website visitors. It’s where someone “lands” after they click on a link in an email, social media post, or ad. The goal of a landing page is to convert website visitors into leads or customers.
A lead is someone who has shown interest in your product or service by providing their contact information, such as their name, email address, or phone number. A customer is someone who has not only shown interest in your product or service but has also paid for it.
Most companies use separate landing pages for each of their products or services. This way, they can tailor the message and content of the page to conversion.
How Do Landing Pages Work?
Landing pages are created to promote a specific offer. The offer should be something valuable that potential leads will want in exchange for their contact information.
You’ll need a website and a web host to create a landing page. Once you have this setup, you can create a landing page using a landing page builder or by coding it yourself. Once you’ve created your landing page, you’ll need to drive traffic to it from search engines and other sources. You can run ads, email your list, or promote your landing page on social media.
When someone clicks on one of your ads or links and lands on your landing page, they should see a relevant offer that aligns with their expectations. For example, if you’re running a Facebook ad about your new eCommerce store that sells eco-friendly home goods, you would want to send people to a landing page with a form to sign up for your email list.
The email list would then be used to send potential customers more information about your products, special sales, and coupon codes.
What Makes A Homepage Different From A Landing Page?
Many people get confused about the difference between a homepage and a landing page. It’s important to understand the difference to create optimised conversion pages.
Your homepage is like the front door to your house. It’s where most people will start when they visit your website for the first time. Its job is to give a general overview of what your company does and what kinds of products or services you offer.
A landing page is like a specific room in your house. It has one purpose: to convert website visitors into leads or customers. A landing page usually focuses on one product or service and has a form for people to fill out to get more information.
For example, if you’re a roofing company, your homepage might have general information about your business and the different services you offer. But if you’re running a campaign to promote your new roofing shingles, you would send people to a dedicated landing page about that product.
Your homepage should have a general overview of what you do, while your landing pages should be focused on specific products or services.
Why Are Landing Pages Important?
Landing pages are important because they help you to convert website visitors into leads or customers. Here are a few more reasons why landing pages are so important:
Meeting user expectations
If you’re running an ad about a new product, you need to send people to a landing page about that product. If you don’t, they’ll be confused and might not convert.
Meeting business objectives
Businesses use landing pages to achieve several different objectives. The common objective is generating sales team leads or making an immediate sale. Other objectives might include generating brand awareness or growing an email list.
Increasing conversion rates
Optimising your landing pages for conversion can increase the chances that visitors will take the desired action.
You can do several things to optimise your landing pages for conversion, such as adding relevant images, using strong calls-to-action, and keeping forms short and simple.
A/B testing
A/B testing, also known as split testing, tests two landing page versions to see which one performs better. A/B testing is important because it allows you to test different landing page elements to see what works best for your visitors.
Some things you might want to test include the headline, call-to-action, images, and form fields.
Boosting site performance
Landing pages can also be used to boost the performance of your website. Optimising your landing pages for speed and delivering relevant, targeted content can improve your website’s search engine optimisation (SEO) and overall user experience.
Lead magnet
A lead magnet is an incentive offered in exchange for a visitor’s contact information. Lead magnets can be anything from an eBook to a coupon code or discount. The key is to offer something that your target audience will find valuable.
Lead magnets are important because they help you to grow your email list. Once you have a visitor’s email address, you can then use it to send them more information about your products or services.
Attract different types of customers
Landing pages can be used to attract different types of customers. For example, if you’re running a promotion for your eCommerce store, you might want to create a landing page specifically designed for new customers. This could include a discount code or free shipping on their first order.
On the other hand, if you’re trying to grow your email list, you might want to create a good landing page specifically designed for existing customers. This could include an incentive, such as a discount code, for signing up for your email list.
Boost your credibility
Landing pages can also be used to boost your credibility. You can show potential customers that your product or service is credible and trustworthy by including testimonials, case studies, and customer reviews on your landing page.
Why Landing Pages Convert More Traffic?
Landing pages convert more traffic because they are designed with one purpose in mind: to convert visitors into leads or customers. The offer should be relevant to the content on the landing page and match the overall message of your digital marketing campaign.
This focus allows you to create a more targeted message that speaks to the needs of your potential customers. It also eliminates distractions, such as navigation links, social media icons, and other elements that can take away from your conversion goal. A nurtured lead is more likely to become a marketing-qualified lead (MQL) and move through the marketing funnel faster.
Different Types of Landing Pages
There are four different types of landing pages, each designed for a specific purpose.
1. Click-Through Landing Page
A click-through landing page increases brand awareness and generates leads. The goal of a click-through landing page is to get visitors to click through to the next step in the sales process, such as completing a form or making a purchase.
Clickthrough landing pages are frequently utilised by eCommerce businesses that want to make quick, high-volume sales rather than build a sales pipeline and cultivate leads.
Click-through landing pages are riskier than hub-style or single-asset sites since they deliver consumers straight to a subscription or direct sale. Customers may click a CTA button like “Buy now” on this sort of landing page to continue with the transaction.
For example, if you’re selling a physical product, your click-through landing page might include a photo of the product, a short description, and a “Buy Now” button.
2. Lead Generation Landing Page
A lead generation landing page is designed to collect leads for sales and marketing campaigns. A lead generation landing page aims to get visitors to submit their contact information in exchange for an offer, such as an eBook or white paper.
Lead generation landing pages usually include forms where visitors can enter their name, email address, and other contact information. In exchange for this information, they will receive the offer that you’re promoting.
For example, suppose you’re offering an eBook on digital marketing trends. In that case, lead gen pages might include a form where visitors can enter their name and email address to receive the eBook.
3. Single-Offer Landing Pages
A single-offer landing page promotes specific offers, such as contests, coupons, or free shipping. The goal of a single-offer landing page is to get visitors to take advantage of the offer. A single-offer landing page content includes an image or video, a headline, a short description of the offer, and a call-to-action (CTA) button. For example, if you’re running a contest for a free trip to Hawaii, your single-offer landing page might include an image of Hawaii, the contest details, and a CTA button to enter the contest.
4. Hub-Style Landing Pages
A hub-style landing page promotes multiple offers, such as a product line or a collection of eBooks. A hub-style landing page aims to get visitors to click through to the offer they’re interested in.
A Hub-style landing page is designed to appeal to people seeking instructional material. This page style breaks down your films, eBooks, and infographics into digestible pieces. The hub style also allows for a more linear reading experience and can help increase the chances that visitors will consume your content.
This landing page style is typically used by companies with a lot of content, such as online course providers or eBook retailers.
How to Create a Landing Page That Converts
Now that you know what a landing page is and what it’s used for, you’re probably wondering how to create one that converts.
There are a few key elements that every effective landing page should have. Landing page best practices include
1. A catchy headline that grabs attention
The headline is the first thing visitors will see when they land on your page, so it’s important to make it count. When creating landing pages, headlines should be clear, concise and describe what visitors can expect to find on your page.
Headline examples:
– Get a free trial of our product
– Download our new eBook
– Enter to win a trip to Hawaii
2. A clear call-to-action (CTA) that tells visitors what to do next
A clear CTA is essential for any landing page that wants to convert site visitors into leads or customers. Your CTA should be prominently displayed on your page and describe the next step that you want visitors to take.
3. A form that collects contact information
If you’re using your landing page for lead generation, you’ll need a form where visitors can enter their name, email address, and other contact information.
4. A compelling offer that provides value
Your offer should be something your target audience will find, such as an eBook, white paper, or contest. Remember that the offer should be relevant to the products or services you’re promoting on your landing page.
5. An image or video that helps to explain your offer
An image or video can help to explain your offer and make it more appealing to visitors. For example, if you’re offering an eBook on digital marketing trends, you might include an image of the eBook cover.
6. Social proof that builds trust
Social proof is a type of validation of other people’s endorsements. It can help to build trust and credibility with your audience. You can use social proof through testimonials, case studies, or customer reviews. For example, if you’re promoting a new product, you might include a customer review on your landing page.
7. A thank-you page that confirms the submission
Once visitors submit their information on your landing page, they should be redirected to a thank-you page. This page should confirm their successful submission and provide them with the next steps, such as downloading an eBook or subscribing to your email list.
8. An exit-intent pop-up that captures leads
An exit-intent pop-up is a type of pop-up that appears when a visitor is about to leave your page. This pop-up can be used to capture leads by offering a discount or an incentive for subscribing to your email list.
9. Tracking and analytics
Once you’ve launched your landing page, tracking your results is important to see what’s working and what’s not. You can use Google Analytics to track your page views, unique visitors, and conversion rate.
The Bottom Line!
A landing page is a standalone web page designed for a specific purpose, such as collecting leads or promoting a product.
To create an effective landing page, you should include a catchy headline, a clear CTA, a form to collect contact information, a relevant offer, social proof, and tracking and analytics.
When creating your landing page, remember that the goal is to get visitors to take action. Therefore, making your page as user-friendly and relevant as possible is important.
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