A landing page is a single page of a website with one purpose – conversion. It’s the specific destination you arrive at when clicking on an advertisement, following an email link, or similar pathways. While landing pages come in various forms and boast diverse designs, their purpose remains constant. Each landing page strives to prompt action, typically through a call-to-action button or some form of engagement, aiming to secure new subscribers or drive sales. The landing page stands as an important component of any successful marketing strategy and should be used to its full potential. The question then arises: How can we unlock the full potential of a landing page? The answer lies in optimisation.
What is an optimised landing page?
You might be wondering why you need a dedicated landing page specifically designed for lead generation instead of letting people explore your website at their own pace. Well, in today’s fast-paced world, people have little time and a limited attention span. It’s challenging to hold their focus for too long or expect them to scroll through your entire website to find what they’re looking for. That’s why it’s important to make their lives easier and increase the chances of converting them into potential customers. And the quickest way to achieve that is by optimising your landing page.
When you optimise your landing page, you enjoy several benefits:
Enhanced user experience: Have you ever visited a clunky, slow-loading website page with no clear direction on what to do? It’s not a pleasant experience, and chances are you won’t stay long or bother reaching out for more information. Instead, you want to avoid this by creating a good user experience for your visitors. You do this by providing them with valuable and relevant content that’s easy to read and understand, and structured in a way that guides them seamlessly. Lastly, you want to offer clear instructions on the next steps they should take. When it comes to the user experience it should be similar to a really great conversation with someone – it should benefit both parties.
Increased conversion: Optimising your landing page allows you to achieve the highest possible conversion rate from visitors who arrive there. You can leverage the page to build an extensive database of potential clients or even generate direct sales. It’s a powerful tool to turn visitors into paying customers.
Lower advertising costs: Landing pages often serve as the primary destination for paid online marketing campaigns. By optimising your landing page, you can improve the efficiency and results of your advertising efforts. If you’re spending a significant amount on ads but directing people to your homepage without a clear call to action, you’re likely missing out on numerous potential sales opportunities.
How do they help with SEO?
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a practice aimed at helping search engines, such as Google, discover your website. Unlike paid advertising, SEO focuses on generating organic traffic. A well-executed SEO strategy is vital for any company, as even small changes can have a significant impact on your website’s visibility and discoverability.
When it comes to your landing page, it is crucial to optimise it for organic search through effective SEO practices. The more organically people find your website, the higher your ranking on Google will be, leading to increased potential customer traffic.
So, what makes a landing page SEO-friendly? Here are some key aspects to consider:
User intent: Your landing page should clearly communicate what you offer the moment visitors arrive to it. Imagine entering your favourite clothing store only to be greeted by images of pizza and burgers everywhere. You’re going to feel instantly confused, and you might even walk out, questioning if you’re in the wrong place. Provide your users with what they expect. Create a unique yet unmistakable experience.
Relevant and captivating headings and subheadings: Grab the user’s attention and make it obvious what the purpose of your landing page is at a glance.
Call to action: Ensure that visitors understand what actions to take once they land on your page. Guide them seamlessly through the desired conversion process.
On-page and off-page SEO: In addition to the above considerations, it’s important to optimise your landing page’s meta description, use correct heading tags, and incorporate relevant keywords. When selecting keywords, think about what your customers would search for when looking for your products or services and sprinkle these keywords naturally throughout your landing page.
By implementing these SEO-friendly elements, your landing page will be well-positioned to attract organic traffic and maximise its potential in driving customer engagement and conversions.
What should they include?
A landing page should strive for simplicity and clarity. It must quickly convey to visitors what they need to do. While providing interesting and relevant content, it’s equally important to present them with a clear call to action. The point of a landing page is not to confuse the people who land up there, but rather to entice them to want to stay.
Many businesses use their landing pages to build their customer database. A large database enables easy communication when new products or services are available, and it facilitates converting prospects into paying customers. However, to entice users to provide their information, you must offer something valuable in return. Consider options such as a promo code for future purchases, a free eBook or PDF, a small online course, a product sample, or a complimentary gift. Whatever you offer, ensure it aligns with your brand and is compelling enough to drive conversions down the line.
When optimising the design and layout of your landing page, keep the following in mind:
Meta elements: Include relevant meta elements such as a heading and subheadings, meta description, and URL. This helps search engines like Google understand your page’s purpose and target it to the right audience.
Bold and catchy headings: Make your headings attention-grabbing, memorable, and directly relevant to your offering. Clickbait might get people to your site, but it will only drive them away. You want the right people coming to your site, and you do this by being honest about your brand.
Compelling copy: Write concise and engaging content that effectively communicates the value of what you’re providing, enticing visitors to read more. The content might be educational or even entertaining, depending on your brand.
Clear call to action: This is the most important element of a landing page. No matter how many visitors you attract, without a strong call to action, the effort is wasted. Create an eye-catching, user-friendly, and appealing call to action that encourages users to provide their information or make a purchase. Remember, the goal is to drive action and increase conversion rates – you need to give them something to do while they’re on your site.
Visual appeal: Choose imagery that complements your copy and creates a visually appealing experience. Strive for a clean and cohesive layout that captures attention and ensures the page looks aesthetically pleasing.
By incorporating these elements into your landing page optimisation, you can create a compelling and effective user experience that maximises the chances of conversion.
Conclusion
An optimised landing page is one of the most important parts of any marketing strategy and can make a huge difference in conversion rates. Sometimes the best way to test your landing page is through A/B testing. In other words, change one small element to your landing page and see what difference that makes. Remember to only change one thing at a time, otherwise it will be impossible to know what’s working and what’s not. By continuously refining and improving your landing page, you can enhance its effectiveness and drive better conversion outcomes.
Have a question?
If you have a question that we haven’t covered about our services at Content Hive or you would like to book in a free fifteen minute discovery call with us, please get in touch today to discuss how we can get your brand buzzing online.