6 Key Points to an Effective Landing Page

Your website is one of the most important marketing tools you have. When visitors engage with your website, landing pages are the next step in converting them into new leads. Your landing page allows you to gather vital information about prospective customers in exchange for something that provides value to them like an eBook or other content. Like any other page on your website, you have to make sure that your landing page makes a good impression on your leads.

Here are 6 key points to keep in mind when developing your next landing page:

A strong, clear purpose. To make this purpose clear, use a concise headline containing a strong action verb to grab visitors’ attention. If your headline asks a question or makes a promise, follow up with a subheading that explains exactly how visitors can achieve that goal. Keep your purpose consistent throughout your landing page by making sure it matches your call-to-action so that visitors know they’ve arrived at the right page.

Clear, accessible call-to-action links. Explain your offer in a brief paragraph that contains a clear call to action. Be sure to tell your prospects what they’ll receive from you (e.g. an eBook, free consultation, or software demo), what common challenges or topics your offer addresses and who will gain the most benefit from it. Remember not to overwhelm your visitors with too much text. All you need is a brief description that tells them exactly what they’ll be getting.

Validate your offer. To validate your offer, list a few bullet points detailing the specific benefits of it. Be careful to sell the value of your offer, though, and not the features. Don’t burden visitors with detailed or technical descriptions. Instead, provide a short, easy-to-scan list of the ways your offer will help solve problems or answer questions. The more value your visitors perceive for the information they’re receiving, the more likely they are to comply with your request.

Visual context and emotion. Be sure to include a strong supporting image or video. Images break up the copy on your landing page, making it easier on the eyes. Visuals can help increase interest in your offer by as much as 86%, if you use video. Make sure the image on your landing page is clear, colorful, and relevant to what your offer does. If you’re offering an e-book, for instance, include an image of the cover – or if it’s a software demo, provide a few live screen shots so visitors can see precisely what they’ll have to work with.

A straightforward, simple request for information. To make this request, use a short, simple form to make the page immediately actionable and capture on your prospect’s attention. Your visitors will read your content and decide whether or not they’re interested in your offer within a matter of 8 seconds. To boost conversions, make it quick, easy, and painless for them to take action by clicking a button or filling in a few information fields.

Optimized for mobile. With 80% of the world’s Internet users owning smartphones, it is likely that your landing page will be accessed on a mobile device. Much like every other part of your website, your landing page must also be mobile-friendly. If your landing page is not optimized for mobile, you may be missing out on potential leads.

Your landing page is an essential part of your lead conversion strategy.