Landing Page Design: Tips and Tricks
First impressions really matter. Big time.
As the old saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
This is especially true in the world of online marketing. The design of the landing page, which is often the very first exposure your lead has to your product, makes all the difference in conversions.
It should be a page that is attention-grabbing, compels visitors to discover more about your product or service, and ultimately persuades visitors to make a purchase.
There are a few elements that should be incorporated into every landing page design in order to maximize sales:
Easy-to-read text
Visually, the landing page should be easy on the visitor's eyes. Don't use heavily patterned backgrounds; stick to solid colors (white is always a safe choice). Make sure the text is large enough to be read quickly and easily.
The more work the visitor has to do just to read your words, the more likely he or she will leave your landing page—and another promising lead is lost. Your best bet is to strive for a simple, clean layout with readable text.
Pictures of the product or the service in use
One of the outcomes of effective marketing is that the potential customer sees himself or herself using and enjoying the product or service. A great way to accomplish this in your landing page design is to use pictures. Images help reinforce the idea that the product in question is a tangible, valuable item, or that the service being offered really does improve people's lives.
For example, if you're promoting an e-book, include a visual image of it as a physical book. If you're advertising a financial consultation or debt consolidation service, you might want to place this sequence of images throughout the text: a frustrated individual, a cordial business meeting, and the original person smiling.
In this case, the images tell a story: a person was burdened by financial troubles, got some help (from you, of course), and is now relieved and living a better life.
Remember: your leads are human beings, and humans are visual creatures. Use that fact to your advantage.
Straightforward, concise copy
The text on your landing page is what will ultimately convince potential customers to buy what you're selling. Therefore, it's very important to make that text informative and persuasive without resorting to "gimmicky" sales tactics.
There are many ways to make your sales copy more substantial:
- Explain the reason behind developing your product or service.
- Include customer testimonials.
- Explain in detail how your product will be a valuable asset to the customer. Answer the question, "How will this change my everyday life for the better?"
On the other hand, you should never be "pushy" in your copy. You shouldn't use very large text, overload your page with visual bells and whistles (flash animations, videos, etc.), make outlandish promises, or try to convince visitors that they're "missing out" if they don't make a purchase.
The simpler your
copy is, the more likely your visitors can focus on the positives of
what you're selling, and the more likely they'll want to try it out
for themselves.
All in all, a landing page should be clear, simple, visually appealing, and persuasive. Implementing those ideals in your landing page design will dramatically increase positive responses and conversions.
