Landing Pages Are The Appetizer…Make sure your visitors want to stay for the main course.
Just like a real appetizer, our landing pages are meant to whet the appetite of our visitors to consume more. There are a few key ingredients you can add to your landing page recipe to ensure your visitors leave feeling satisfied and wanting more. Read on to discover my secret sauce recipe for killer landing pages.
What Makes a “GOOD” Landing Page?
The internet has been around long enough that most business owners know the value of a strong website, but without a strong landing page, even the best websites can lose their efficacy. A well thought out landing page with strong design provides important information to your customers and highlights a clear call to action. The five ingredients below will set your landing page up to make the best digital first impression. Let’s get cooking!
- A little dash of…Structure, Design and Headline (Hey, that rhymes!)
Despite our best efforts, not every visitor will make it to the bottom of all of your pages. To ensure customers get “THE MESSAGE”, keep important features, such as lead forms and CTAs above the fold (before the first scroll) to maintain visibility. You can also consider removing navigation menus from the page to avoid distractions from your lead form or CTA. When it comes to your headline, understand that the biggest element usually gets the most eyeballs. This means that the largest text will draw the most attention, so make sure your headline is impactful and meaningful! - A pinch of Call-to-Action (CTA)
Ever driven through a major intersection when the power is out? Chaos! Humans need direction and your landing page is no exception. What do you want your visitors to DO when they come to your site? Your design and copy should make it clear and inviting for visitors to complete your CTA whether it be to sign up for your freebie, your newsletter, etc. - A good handful of Testimonials + Case Studies
If a visitor is interacting with your site for the first time, they may not have done any business with you before. Customers in this category will be more encouraged to take action if they see specific examples of what you’ve been able to achieve for similar clients. Consider adding in specific testimonials from previous customers to offer that comforting perspective to new visitors. - Don’t forget to add fresh Media
A stellar headline can be a powerful motivator, but a photo or video can also speak volumes to communicate your main message. Choose media that promotes either what you DO or what you want your audience to FEEL when they land on your page. - A healthy dose of…Fast Page Load Speed
Avoid customers jumping ship when your page takes too long to load by optimizing any images or video on your landing page. A slow loading landing page will do more harm than good, so ensure load times are within reasonable limits.
Added the above ingredients to your landing page recipe? Here’s how to check if it tastes good…
We know why chefs taste test their food, and I encourage you to be your own digital chef and ensure you have tasted all of your content before sending it live. Ask yourself a few questions (trying to remove your bias) such as: Would I fill out this form? Would I find this page confusing? Would I be comfortable sharing my information with this site? Questions like these help us to see our content from our visitor’s perspective and will set your landing page up to succeed!
Not confident you can be unbiased? Have a trusted colleague or two take a look and be sure you let them know you are looking for HONEST feedback.
From Appetizer to Main Course. How good landing pages encourage exploration.
If we consider the landing page as the appetizer, then you want to ensure customers order the main course. Once a customer has completed your CTA on the landing page, ensure a smooth transition into your other content and encourage exploration. A well-functioning landing page with precise goals will leave your visitors with the good-feels and they will likely be hungry for more!
Try these tips on your own landing pages and let me know the results! Not quite ready to be your own digital chef? Reach out to me and let’s see how we can work together to get your landing pages on point!
