Landing pages are often defined as any page within a website. However, any page within a website is simply a “web page”. Landing pages are different and serve a more specific purpose. Landing pages usually carry information that was intended to reach a specific target of people and get a specific response or action. It’s meant to provide desired content to the user that matches what they are searching for and allows them to share their information, usually through a form of some kind. Landing pages are used to capture user data or to prompt someone to click through to another page such as a shopping cart. Landing pages are important for tracking your business and there are some important things you should know when creating one.
1. Create Visual Appeal
Don’t make the mistake of simply sending them to a blank page with a form containing lots of blank spaces. Take time to make the landing page visually attractive. You don’t need lots of graphics or images competing for the user’s attention. The page simply needs to reflect the personality of your landing page’s purpose. This might include an image, logo, or video.
2. Minimize Distractions
Consider removing your navigation menu from your landing page in order to keep the user focused on the action you are trying to attain from them. If you are having them fill out information to receive a newsletter or service, make it quick and simple to do. Typically, they have clicked your link because they desire to take action. Make it easy for them to find and easy to accomplish.
3. Narrow Your Content
Once someone arrives at your landing page, it should contain the specific information that they linked to, based on your description. The landing page should not contain more information than is necessary to get someone to take an action step such as filling out a form. It is also important that the form makes sense so they know exactly what to do and how to do it. Provide enough content to navigate them in the right direction but don’t make the mistake of using the landing page to provide more content than is necessary. This could cause someone to ignore the action or leave the page. It can help to use bullet points to communicate your main points.
4. Encourage Sharing
If your landing page has an offer or service that is valuable to one person then it might be valuable to other people. Make sure your landing page is shareable across social networks by including social share buttons. If someone likes what you are offering then they are more likely to share it with someone else if you are making it easy for them to do so.
5. Use Testimonies As Social Support
A landing page can also benefit by including testimonies from other satisfied customers. This can support and reinforce the value of the product or service that you are offering. This provides people with a sense of confidence that others have responded to your offer and they are happy enough with the results to leave a testimony on your behalf.
6. Ready, Set, Action!
Be sure you have defined the specific action that you are wanting the user to take. If you are wanting them to sign up for your newsletter then take them to a form where they can fill out their information quickly and without confusion. If you are wanting them to do something specific then make that action clear and easily attainable. Remember, your site might attract a lot of activity but if it doesn’t lead to action then it won’t help build your business.
