According to MarketingSherpa, 94% of B2B and B2C companies have landing pages that are effectively converting visitors to leads or customers.  If you’re struggling with your landing pages like many of our clients are and are wondering what it takes to be part of that 94%, keep this in mind: creating the best landing page isn’t just about web design; it’s just as much about writing the right kind of content that will encourage people to convert into leads.  Web design is important, but having a great copy is key if you hope to have any success.  Wondering what it takes to have a landing page that sells?  Read on.

You Have Three Seconds

One tip I give most of our B2B and B2C clients is to give their landing pages the three second test.  When you get to your page, in three seconds you want to:

  • Decide whether or not you want to stay there
  • See if you understand what the page is about
  • See if you understand what is being asked of you

Most of all, the three second test should help you determine whether or not you feel compelled to take any sort of action.  If you need an unbiased opinion, ask people around the office, a friend, or a family member who you know will give you the brutal truth.

Write in the Second Person

Don’t write a sales copy coming from your point of view.  Your visitor couldn’t care less about what you have to say.   They want to know why they’re here and of what benefit it is to them.  Rather than say “I” in a statement, say “You” or “Your” (i.e. “Have you taken advantage of this free offer yet?”).

Make Use of CTAs

CTAs, also known as calls-to-action, are incredibly important when it comes to your landing pages.  If a visitor can’t immediately see what he or she is expected to do on the landing page within three seconds, they’ll be hitting that “Back” button and be gone for good.

The key to having a great CTA is to use verbs.  You want to use action oriented language as this is what will be telling your visitors what they’re doing there and what’s expected of them.

Here’s an example of a non-action oriented phrase:

Leads come from social media

Now here’s one that’s action oriented:

Drive leads to your site from your social networking sites

Which one grabs your attention?  If you’re like 99% of internet users, you’ll agree that the second statement is a better call to action than the first.

TIP:  eConsultancy.com released a study in 2010 which stated that the best CTAs are those that are time sensitive, require sharing, or that encourage visitors to customize or ‘create their own’ of something.

Give your Copy Value

When going over the content of a landing page, remember that your visitor’s mindset is, “What’s in it for me?”  You want to make sure that the language that you use is geared towards convincing your reader that what you’re offering is worth the time they’ll spend filling out a form, or a poll, or their email address.  A simple value statement is, “With this promo code you’ll receive 20% off your entire purchase!” It’s pretty clear what’s in it for them with a statement like that.  Make your value statements easy to see, easy to understand, and easy to use.  This isn’t the time to use fluffy, thought provoking language. Be direct, simple, and to the point.

Formatting

Now here’s where most web design teams invest the majority of their time: the formatting of a page.  We go into greater detail into our free Ebook “Web Design 101”, but the most basic point that must be understood is that if a page is cluttered and disorganized, people will leave.  If it’s appealing and attractive, however, people will stay and read on.  You want to make sure that the formatting of a page isn’t overbearing for your readers.  Some easy ways to simplify a page and help draw their eyes to key points are to:

  • Include bullet points and/or numbered lists
  • Bold and/or highlight important points
  • Leave appropriate white space after paragraphs/lists
  • Include images (photos including other human beings may be able to double your conversion rates as per this thinkvitamin.com study)

Key Takeaways:

When the above elements are incorporated properly, you’ll have a great landing page that sells.  Remember that visitors only have three seconds to decide whether the:

  • Calls-to-actions that are clear (forget the fluff!)
  • Whether or not the content presents obvious value to the reader
  • The web design formatting is palatable and appealing to the reader

Need Help?

If you’re interested in creating more effective landing pages, contact us today to schedule your free marketing analysis.