The landing page. We all know it, and we all know it’s important. But do you know how to make a landing page that actually works for your business? Having a landing page that creates income by converting copy into customers is the goal of every online business. But the question is – how do you do it?
I’m here to tell you that creating a landing page that converts is not just for the mastermind copywriter. That’s right, YOU can do it, too. I promise. It’s more technique than art, and it’s all about laying out information in a way that makes sense for your readers to process. Basically, you’re going to present your information, tell people why it’s awesome, and make them an offer they can’t refuse.
Ready to go? Let’s learn how to make a killer landing page that converts.
Killer Headline
One of the most important aspects of your landing page is its title, or rather, the headline, so be sure to spend a little time with it. It’s not news that people don’t read every word of sales copy. Let me say that again. No one is reading every single word of your landing page. So what are they reading? The headline.
Make the important stuff easy to spot. Nothing gets read as frequently or as easily as the headline. Not only is it what will get the readers’ attention in the first place, but visually it’s the first thing they are going to see. So make sure your headline is strong, simple, clear, and compelling.
Zeroing in on those ten to fifteen words could turn a “non-reader” into a reader, and at times could even do much of the selling for you before a reader even gets to the main content of the page. Here are some great examples of landing page headlines:
- “68% of Adwords Budgets Are Wasted” –Disruptive Advertising
This headline is compelling and speaks directly to the audience with empathy and understanding. It goes straight to the problem many advertisers have and suggests that if you keep reading, you’ll find a better solution. Takeaway: Speak with empathy.
- “Secrets of B2B Content Marketing Success With Influencers” –Uberflip
This webinar headline is straight to the point and tells the reader exactly what they can expect. It explains everything the webinar has to offer in less than ten words, and is particularly effective for an audience that doesn’t have time to process humorous headlines. Takeaway: Speak with clarity.
- “Accept Credit Cards With A Secure Ecommerce Shopping Cart” –Shopify
The Shopify landing page is a great “how to” headline without specifically saying it. Once again, this type of headline establishes empathy with readers by presenting a solution to a specific problem. Takeaway: Provide a solution.
Talk About Benefits, Not Features
One of the hardest things to do as a copywriter is to focus on benefits instead of features. It can be hard to tell the difference between the two, so here is a breakdown: Features are defined as surface statements about your product, such as what it can do, its dimensions and specs and so on. Benefits show the end result of what a product can actually accomplish for the reader.
You know your product or service like the back of your hand, and chances are, you get really pumped just talking about it. But telling your readers about features is a lot like going to a used car lot and only hearing about a car’s handling systems, suspensions features, and collision mitigation system. Total snooze.
Don’t nerd out over your awesome stuff on your landing page. Just tell your readers how your product or service can make their life better. Remember, features are not what lead people toward making a buying decision – benefits do.
Use Testimonials
Customer testimonials are some of the most effective tools to persuade a reader and converting them into a buyer. Basically, you’re letting your happy customers write your copy for you. And it will convert.
Testimonials are so powerful because they show your readers what they can experience if they use your produce or service. Your customers will be your best copywriters and the social proof you will gain is invaluable to converting those “on the fence” readers into loyal customers.
Write Like a Human
Consumers are savvy, and the number one way to drive those savvy consumers away is to talk down to them. People are aware that you’re trying to sell to them, and that’s fine. Don’t try to hide the fact that you’re selling with fancy copywriting or some other crazy advertising tricks.
There’s nothing skeevy about selling…unless you make it skeevy. Just be normal. Be you. And write like a real, live human being by communicating your message to other humans in a respectful manner.
Another good thing about writing like a non-crazy person is that it’s way easier than trying to manipulate people with your copy. And people don’t read everything anyway, so why try so hard? Just be nice and pay attention to the things your readers are looking for.
And remember when I said people don’t read every word? Here’s what most people do look at on any given landing page:
- Headlines
- Subheadlines
- Bullet Points
- Pictures with captions
- Bold section headers
- Calls to action
Be Specific and Use Numbers
Numbers are highly persuasive, and the more specific you are, the better. Which one of theses statements is more convincing?
- “Your conversion rates will go through the roof!”
- “In the last sixty days, conversions have increased by an average of 78.2%.”
The second statement is much more specific, and therefore far more believable. Anyone can make broad strokes claims about improvement, but specific stats and metrics show a history of proven success.
Tell People What To Do Next
If you’ve followed the previous steps, then you should have sold your readers on your product or service by the time they get to the bottom of the landing page. But you need to tell them where to go next, and you do this with a call to action. This is key – this is where you get your conversions! And you’re going to get them by simply asking for them.
Really, all you’re doing at this point is giving your readers a very simple opportunity to cash in on all the awesomeness you’ve been promising them all along. All of your copy has been building up to your call to action. The CTA can be as simple as a button that says something like “Click Here,” “Sign Up,” or “Add to Cart.”
Keep your end goal in mind when you write your copy as it will build up to your CTA. Because really, that’s the whole point of the landing page – the conversion! Check out these 14 real-life examples of CTA copy for inspiration on what to tell your readers to do next.
Ultimately, creating killer landing page that converts isn’t rocket science. Do your market research and tell your audience what they need to know. Anyone can create conversions, and with the right techniques, you’ll be cashing in soon!
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