Purpose:
A landing page ( also called a squeeze page) sets the goal of a business. Its aim is to turn visitors into customers. It should focus on one offer and should summarize all the pages connected to the specific product or service it offers. The landing page is the ultimate sales pitch – its content should be persuasive and clean. For those who need help writing compelling content, there are some great online writing schools available that can make it easier.
Many landing pages are linked through PPC (pay per click) ads. This type of ad is paid for through the number of clicks it receives from Internet users. Since each visitor to the landing page costs money, it is very important that the majority of them become clients. The landing page must cater to its audience in order to reach its goal.
The Audience:
Who’s the target audience? What do they like? What do they expect? What are their concerns?
For more expensive products, its beneficial to target multiple consumers with different landing pages. For people concerned with budget, make a page with key words like “discount” or “cheap”. For those who just want quality, focus on value and credibility. The content of each page should be similar to the original, though should focus on a particular point.
Make your primary landing page available for indexing. Use “robots meta tag” or “robots.txt directive” for others. This is to ensure that search engines don’t think you’re trying to spam them with duplicate content, which could result in penalization.
The Design:
If you have web design experience, creating a landing page from scratch is best. If not, there are dozens of free HTML/CSS templates available online. Though take note, these free templates don’t look as nice as custom designs. Alternatively, WordPress gives users the option to download templates and modify them for their various needs. The Thesis Theme framework is one of the top wordpress templates that will help you build SEO friendly landing pages.
The “call to action” is your sales pitch. It should be stated in bold text at the top of the page. This will suit those more impulsive people or those already familiar with the product or service. The “call to action” should appear again near the middle of the page. Near the bottom of the page, the “call to action” should be a button that links to final purchasing.
Use plenty of white space. Vary text colors to attract attention, though be sure to use a particular color scheme. Sentences should be short and brief, more like info points. If you are designing your own page, take a look at some example pages online to get a better idea of how they should look.
Only use images that are clean and relevant. Put images at the left side of page. For most your customers, who read from left to right, this will allow for an easier read. Length of pages vary. As a general rule of thumb, the more expensive a product/service, the more length is needed.
To add legitimacy, use testimonials. Put testimonials at the bottom of the page. Be aware that using a full name and location has more power than just initials or a first name.
Be sure to add a link to more information or a link for contact so that discerning customers have an avenue to learn more. This should be at the very bottom of the page where it doesn’t distract from the “call to action” link.
As an end note, providing a “bonus” can prove helpful. This usually requires a customer’s email address, allowing you to follow-up. So even if they don’t make a purchase the first time they visit your page, they’ll be reminded of it through later emails.
This is a guest post by David Murton, click here if you want to guest post on this blog.
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