Landing pages are an important component of a company’s inbound marketing strategy. At Plesk, we encourage our partners to create a landing page whenever they launch a campaign with us. A good landing page can help increase conversions and turn visitors into leads. For a landing page to be effective, it needs persuasive language, a solid layout and smart copy.
But before you begin creating your masterpiece, it’s vital to know what your goals are. Do you want to sell a product or service? Are you looking for visitors to attend a webinar or event? What do you want your visitors to do when they reach your landing page?
Once you have a clear goal, you’re ready to set up your landing page. So what are some of the essential elements of a landing page? Let’s get into these below.
1) Let’s Begin with the Layout
Your landing page layout should be clean and precise. It should work towards achieving the goal you set out earlier. Let’s take a look at the layout example below, which will work well with most products and services.
The important components in this landing page layout are:
- Some room for an attractive header.
- A section to introduce your main product or service.
- An area where your main call to action resides.
- Space for features and benefits of your product or service.
- Any other information you want to provide.
- A section for contact details or a support form.
Let’s tackle each of these components in more detail.
2) Use Compelling Imagery
A common place to add images on landing pages is in the header. Attractive and compelling images will help grab your visitors’ attention. As Napoleon himself said, “Un bon croquis vaut mieux qu’un long discours.” Translation: A good sketch is better than a long speech.
So, en avant my friends, to the next component!
3) Words, Words, Words
Words are a powerful ally for any landing page. Use headlines to present your most important message. Use subheadings to add information that adds value to your message. Headlines should be clear, concise and catchy, though it isn’t always easy to catch the 3 Cs. You can focus on the C that works best for your product or service.
And while we’re on the subject, it’s imperative that you apply the 3 Cs to any other copy you want to add to your landing page. Remember what Napoleon said? You don’t want to have your visitors bounce because of long speeches.
Additionally, the offer on your landing page should mirror offers you’re using in your ads. Consistency assures visitors that they’ve reached the right place.
4) Call to Action
The call to action (CTA) button is one of the key elements of a landing page. The aim of a CTA is to get visitors to perform an action, such as complete a sale or join a trial. Persuasive conversion words are your friends here. But there is one vital strategy to consider before you color your landing page with CTA buttons. Use CTAs sparingly. Wordy and too many CTAs will most likely overwhelm your visitors.
5) Call Out Your Best Features
Introduce your visitors to the best features your product or service offers. You can add this information in a separate section on the landing page if you prefer. Make sure that the focus of your copy is on the user and not you, the company. How can the product help your customer? Does it make your customer’s life easier in some way? Highlight the benefits your product or service offers. But keep it simple, keep it short.
Pro tip #1: Use pictures and videos to help users understand your product better.
Pro tip #2: Use customer testimonials. These help build trust and confidence in your product.
6) Point Users to Next Steps
The best way to do this is by having contact and support forms. A contact form gives visitors a place to go with their questions. It also shows that you are there to help them. However, do remember that you want to give visitors as few actions to complete as possible. So make sure that your forms don’t have too many fields or ask for too much information.
So, if you’re still reading up to this point, know that you now have the building blocks for a pretty good landing page.
And if you’re a Plesk Partner in need of more guidance on the topic, please contact your Account Manager. You can also take a look at other resources from our blog for setting up a WordPress website or using social media to boost your site traffic.
But if you’re a weary Internet traveler who stumbled upon this page and liked reading it, let us know in the comments below.