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How to Build an Effective Landing Page

How to Build an Effective Landing Page

A landing page can serve many purposes, but the primary reason is to present a call to action that site visitors will want to follow through on. In many cases this will either lead to sign-ups or sales…and sometimes both.

To be effective, a landing page needs great design, ease of functionality, good SEO, and a well-placed call to action. We’ve compiled some tips on how to create an effective landing page using WS Form.

1. Landing Page Design

To be effective, your landing page should be optimized for both sales and search engines. A well-designed landing page will lead the reader into the sales funnel. It will provide site visitors with compelling information to convert to signups and sales: completing the call to action (CTA).

Here is a list to help create a good landing page (greater detail to follow):

  • Provide an excellent user experience by keeping the design minimal. Make good use of white space to make the page easy to scan.
  • Keep the page clear of distractions.
    • Remove header navigation from this page so readers don’t explore other parts of your site without completing the CTA.
    • Minimize any other navigation on the page such as non-header menus and image links.
    • Use legible fonts and high contrasting colors.
    • Use high-quality images with appropriate alt-text.
    • Include benefits, pricing modules, and  testimonials /reviews for social proof.
    • Use case studies to show what results can be expected.
    • Use statistics that support your solution.
    • Make sure the page is responsive. Visitors should have a great user experience regardless of the device or screen size they’re using.
    • Optimize your page load speed using tools such as GTMetrix.

Landing Page Content

Your landing page content should all help your site visitor respond to the call to action. All the text and images should motivate the visitor to the action. At the same time, brevity is your friend. Be concise in both your words and images to convey your message. Everything on your landing page should inspire confidence in your service or product.

Landing Page Copy

All text content (copy) on this page should be relevant to the CTA. Focus on the main points: their pain point, your solution, and verification that it works.

The primary header should focus on benefits. This is the first text readers will see and it only has a few seconds to hook them. All headers on the page should be easy to understand and concise, as readers will skim the page looking for relevance to them and the problem they’re trying to solve. Use the title to catch their attention as quickly as possible describing the benefits and value that you offer.

The body text should focus on leading the reader through your call to action. It should be simple and clear. Make the text personal. Using “you” and “your” makes the reader feel as though you’re talking to them directly.

Provide answers to any objections. This includes answering any questions they might have and providing social proof. Include researchable data points for any claims you make.

Use copy that’s relevant and relatable. Readers should feel like you know them and understand their situation. Test your copy with a few visitors and friends and make improvements based on their feedback.

Remember – be concise. Show in as few words as possible that the solution you provide is the answer they’re seeking.

Call to Action

The page should have one call to action. The CTA should be clear and stand out from the rest of the content. It should provide the user with the information they need to make a decision. Once they’ve made a decision, the process of signing up should be simple and smooth. This is done with a well-made form.

The CTA should be clearly evident. In most cases, the CTA is placed within the top part of the page, often referred to as “above the fold.” This is the portion of the page that’s on the screen without the user having to scroll. Other elements that support the CTA can be lower on the page.

This may vary slightly for mobile content as a CTA above any other content is displayed without context. In this case, a short paragraph can precede your call to action, thus ensuring that the site visitor understands what the landing page is for.

A Well-Designed Form

The desired action (that is, signing up for more information or making a sale directly) takes place within a well-designed form. Your CTA can be as simple as a button with a title or image; a small form where they’ll enter their name, email, and maybe a phone number; or a detailed form where they’ll make selections/enter information that will help you answer their questions.

Make the form as brief as possible. The fewer inputs that are requred, the better, so only ask for information you need. Typically, a name and email are enough for you to follow up with the visitor. If you need more information, consider using checkboxes and logic to display additional fields, or use tabs to hide and reveal larger sections.

Provide Social Proof

Social proof is evidence that others are using your product or service and that it works for them. Users are often swayed by what others have experienced. They look for reassurance that others have tried your product or service and can trust you. Display a few testimonials near the form on your landing page.

Provide a Free Offer

It’s well established that providing value in exchange for user information is effective. A standard free offer is often a PDF with a list of tips, a white paper, an e-book, or similar information. It’s a way to reward the user for providing their contact information. Make sure the offer is relevant to your business and your CTA.

Create a Thank You Page

Once a reader has taken action and filled out your CTA form, redirect them to a thank you page. Use this page to inform the user what happens next (i.e., you will be in touch with them within a certain amount of time). The thank you page can also be used to deliver your free offer and provide them with links to similar content on your website. It’s a great value-added step to your landing page. Be sure that your navigation is enabled on your thank you page, so that site visitors don’t end up on a dead end, but are inspired to learn more about your business.

2. Tracking Metrics

Use metrics for tracking your results. This can help you improve your forms and the content on your landing page.

SEO and Google AdWords

Optimize your landing page for search engines. Use Google AdWords to discover the keywords relevant to your landing page content. This increases the quality score in Google AdWords which reduces the pay-per-click cost. Keywords that you target for paid ads should appear on your page.

Good SEO is about providing content that your site visitors are looking for. Don’t just use keywords that are relevant, make sure that you’re providing good content that support those keywords, too. Google rewards content relevance.

Your form can be set to track conversions on your landing page. For more information, see our knowledge base article on conversion tracking.

AB Split Testing

Use a/b split tests to help improve your page design. Part of your audience would see one version of the page while the rest of your audience would see another version of the page. View the metrics for the two designs to see what works the best. Text colors, fonts, placement, and more.

3. Final Thoughts

Landing page design is crucial for conversions. All elements on a landing page must support the call to action and lead the visitor through the sales funnel.

WS Form is a trusted component for your landing page, with responsive design, conditional logic, styling options, conversion tracking, and  multiple actions, WS Form can help lead your site visitors through your call to action and into your sales funnel.

We want to hear from you. Have you built a landing page with WS Form? Let us know about your experience in the comments.

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