A landing page (also called a lead capture page) is essentially a one-page site that gives visitors a compelling offer in exchange for their information to make a sale. In online marketing landing pages are a very effective way of generating local leads for a business if done correctly. The problem is most businesses do not understand how to create an effective landing page to attract visitors to their site.
Below we discuss ten elements that should be included to create an effective landing page.
1. A catchy headline
You need to really think about the headline for your landing page. This should be catchy and capture your audience’s attention. Research the top competitors in your market and look at how they are marketing and the words they use. This can be a great way to develop your catchy headline.
2. A secondary headline
The secondary headline should further capture the attention of your prospects and give them a reason to read the content on the landing page. Try posing a question that your clients often ask or making a statement that solves a problem your market wants an answer to. This secondary statement should complement the catchy headline and compel the prospects to learn more about what you are offering.
3. Links
The links at the top right of the landing page should be used for your social media platforms or links that direct people to the areas of your website that tie into the product or service you are trying to promote in the landing page. Do not take them to pages of your website that do not relate to the reason they clicked on that page in the first place.
4. An appealing image or video
With your landing page you need an image or video that compels people to want to know more. This can be a dynamic image of your new kitchen remodel, a before and after image of a successful project, or a quick video explaining a project. This image/video should tie to the service you are promoting and persuade people to want more.
5. Compelling content
This is a vital aspect of the landing page. The content portion should really be thought out and planned so you can convince people they need what you are promoting, or they need to place their information in the form to learn more. You need to write out everything you want to say first and then condense this into as few words as possible. A good landing page has minimal content but the words that are used are very compelling to the reader and makes them want to fill out the form. A great way to condense the content is to have bullet statements that get to the point and explain the service.
6. Call to action with contact submission form
Once you have generated compelling content you need to tell people what you want them to do. Do you want them to visit a website? Do you want them to buy your product or service? or, do you want them to input their information into a contact submission form? Tell the reader what you want them to do or else you will lose them. If you have them input their information into a contact submission form, give them a compelling reason to give you their real information and not fake information. If you offer a report or special offer, let them know it will be emailed to them so you can obtain real contact information.
7. Trust symbols
Everybody likes to buy from people they know, like, and trust. New visitors don’t know you, so give them a reason to trust you. If you have credentials, recommendations from reputable companies, or awards from well-known groups, place them on your landing page. To the visitor this will make your business look legitimate and not like any other business, but one that can be trusted.
8. Testimonials
Third party testimonials are a great way to look reputable and authentic. Make sure the testimonials are real and recent and get the permission from the person or company that made the recommendation to place them on your landing page. If you have recommendations from well-known people or companies this will also instill a since of confidence from the public that you are a company that is trustworthy.
9. Location Map
This is a great way to show visitors you are a local business they can visit if they so choose. People may use this information to visit your location after finding you on the internet. Make sure the contact information on your business is correct and matches other references to your business around the internet if someone happens to search your business name in the search engines.
10. Additional compelling content
If you did a good job in creating compelling content in #5 this may not be necessary, or if you need more room to promote your product/service this can be the place for this information. Really think about what you want to say in as few words as possible. Bullets are a great way to convey the point to the reader in an easy to read format.
These ten elements are essential for creating an effective landing page that attracts prospects and converts them to clients. Each element has its place but by far the most important elements are the image/video and the content. Having compelling content (or a compelling offer) will draw in visitors and make them want to give you their information or complete your call to action. The main point we want to get across is to take your time when creating a landing page and use information from your local community to help you generate a compelling landing page that converts.
