In this article I want to point out the importance of having a landing page for your website, and also give 20 tips on how to create the perfect landing page for your site.
Landing pages are essential in directing visitors to take whatever action it is you want them to. Whether it's selling an online service, product registration, or signing them up to your newsletter, it is advantageous to present this choice to the visitor as soon as possible; to put them in the position to choose (buy or sell, sign up or leave, register or not) early in the game.
Here are 20 tips for creating a perfect page.
1. The more information, the more you sell.
In order to convince someone to take an action or make a purchase, it is important to include as much information as possible. They are on your site to find a solution to a problem or fill a need. Your job is to tell and show just how taking the desired action will meet their needs or solve their problem. Make content heavy pages, but make sure they are interesting and motivating.
2. Focus on your product
Remember the product or newsletter sign up form is the reason for having a landing page in the first place. Keep your information and features focused solely on your product. Don't waste a single word on anything that isn't directly related to the goal you are trying to accomplish. Anything else is only a waste of time for both you and your visitor.
3. Display your product.
Because your website doesn't give the visitor the ability to physically touch or try out your product, make sure to add as many visual representations as possible. This include images (both 2D and 3D), videos, charts, graphs, audio etc.
4. Show off your product.
If applicable, give a demonstration of your product via video using screen capture software such as Camtasia. This will heighten the visitors excitement for it and strengthen their confidence that it will suit their needs. All of this equals a better likelihood they will purchase what it is you are trying to sell.
5. Use graphics to support promotional messages.
Visitors will remember your features better if they are repeated several times and presented in various forms. Instead of only listing features in text, bullet style format, consider also using graphics to convey. An example would be displaying a customer satisfaction seal or embedding an audio file explaining the benefits.
6. Include the perception their decision is time sensitive.
Include a bonus gift with their purchase to make them feel like this purchase is a no-brainer; that this opportunity simply cannot be missed. Creating the sense of urgency forces users to think if they don't buy now, they may miss an opportunity they will never see again. This has been a proven marketing technique for many years.
7. Increase "perceived value".
Having a high perceived value can entice potential customers to pull the trigger on their decision to purchase. This can come as a large mark down in price. For example, stating your product normally sells for $499, but this week only it is being sold for the low price of $49. This is kind of like those infomercial advertisements where you always hear "but wait, there's more"!
8. Test your clarity on yourself.
After writing the information for your landing page, test yourself by trying to write down everything you remember about the product. See if you can recall every bullet point or advantage. This will give you a strong indication of what a typical visitor is going to recall. If your list is lacking, it is time to go back and revise. Repeating key features on your page is vital to memory retention.
9. Be persuasive.
Rarely will you have a buyer who is willing to buy your product without some kind of convincing. They want to know their money is being spent wisely and that they will be getting value from their purchase. Be persuasive. Customer testimonials are great for this. If it's a new product, consider contacting some well known individuals in your niche and giving them a review copy of your product for free in exchange for a testimonial or review.
10. Be detailed in your reasons and explanations.
A visitor can get "lost" in all the techy or descriptive information they are bombarded with. Be clear and detailed on certain points. Try to think like the customer and ask yourself what could sound confusing if you were in their shoes. Fix and address these problems quickly so your landing page is as clear to the customer as possible.
11. Give strong reasons to believe you.
The more credibility you can give to yourself and your findings, the better. By giving statistics that is backed up by research or authentic sounding customer testimonials, you are providing proof and a reason to buy for your potential customers. No customer wants to be the only one that got duped by an online salesman. If there is evidence that your product works, they will be much more likely to buy.
12. Eliminate the element of choice in their decision.
Everyone appreciates the opportunity of choice. But what would happen if you gave the choice between two or more options of a product. More than likely the visitor would get confused and what we call paralysis by analysis. And as such, will likely not decide to buy anything.
13. Give a clear call to action.
Think of visitors as the mouse in the maze. Guide them to the cheese. Give them clear instructions on what action to take. Be simple. Don't confuse them. If you make things so complex that they get confused, they will assume your product or newsletter is structured the same way and will be turned off enough to leave even though you may have the greatest product on the internet.
14. Engage with your visitors head on.
When addressing your visitors, try to do so on a first-name basis or at least in first person with words such as you, us, etc to make them feel unique. This gives the impression you are valuing them as unique and important, thus strengthening your relationship.
15. Proofread your text.
Don't let grammar and punctuation slip to the wayside. Be sure to proofread and spell check your sentences so there aren't any mistakes. Nothing screams unprofessional like content that looks like it was typed by a 3rd grader or worse, by someone who simply doesn't care.
16. Test links to make sure they work.
Make sure your links are all operating properly and directing users to where they need to go. A bad link is frustrating for a visitor and potentially a sign that your site is out of date.
17. Compatible with all operating systems.
Try loading your page on as many operating systems and browsers as possible. Check for the three major browsers, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox.
18. Show how your product will solve problems.
Effectively demonstrate how your product will solve the problems of the user. Be specific as possible so it is clear how buying your product will improve the life of the user. It is also beneficial to show what would happen if he does not decide to buy your product. Either approach is effective, but the best solution is a combination of the two.
19. Minimize the risk.
Offering a customer satisfaction guarantee or a money back guarantee increases the confidence in your product. The lower the perceived risk, the higher the sales. Simple as that.
20. Test, modify, test, and modify again!
The best likelihood for success comes from split testing different designs and outlines. Create at least two different pages that differ with some details or placement. Put the first page up and leave it until it reaches about 500 visitors. Record its performance. Then put the second page up in its place and leave it up until it reaches the same number of visitors. Then record the results and compare it to how well the first page performed. Do this for as many pages as you can to fully optimize your landing page. This can also be done for a certain time period rather than number of visitors.
The goal is to direct, comfort, stimulate, or motivate the visitor into the action you desire of them. Remember, it is about them not you. Focus on their needs and desires and you won't go wrong. Testing is never complete. There is always room for optimization but that is not saying you should consume yourself with this to no end. Repeat until you are comfortable with the results. It is foolish to not test, but at the same time it would be foolish to overwhelm yourself with testing, because as I stated earlier, there is no end to fully optimizing your page.
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