They say you can't make a lot of money with just a website; that building an email list is the key to actually making a lot of money online. But where do you begin when creating your own list; from the ground up? If you ask any digital marketer, they will most likely tell you to start with landing pages, but what is a landing page?
Perhaps you've heard about this marketing tip before, but you've never had the time to create a free landing page for your business. Or maybe you're unsure of how to build a landing page. Don't worry, you're in the right place.
Without a doubt, customer relationships are an integral part of a company's development. Whether you run a business online or offline, a landing page is one of the most effective ways to improve your relationship with visitors to your website.
This article will teach you everything you need to know about building a conversion-optimized landing page for free. But, first and foremost, what exactly is a landing page, and how does it benefit you and your online business? Continue reading to learn more.
What Are Landing Pages and How Do They Work?
In a nutshell, an ultimate landing page is a single page on your website that is intended to turn visitors into leads. A free landing page normally does not have a lot of content to prevent distractions. However, in order to produce the best landing page, it must have at least these three key components: a bid, landing page copy, and a sign-up form. The main aim is to entice tourists with the deal and make them sign up for the products in return for their email addresses.
You may be thinking that creating landing pages requires expensive software. However, Strikingly is a free landing page builder that can help you create free stunning landing pages! Of course, if you want to step it up a notch, a premium plan is also available.
But, before you start building your first free landing page, it's a good idea to brush up on some landing page best practices. We've put together a list of helpful hints on how to set up a landing page for you. Continue reading to learn how.
What Makes The Best Landing Page
Landing pages, contrary to popular belief, do not need to be flashy to be successful. Take a look at some of the landing page examples on Strikingly, and you'll see that simple and sophisticated designs are typically the most common. The goal is to remove as many obstacles as possible so that visitors do not get distracted or irritated.
Choosing the most impressive free landing page templates isn't the only consideration when creating landing pages. Rather, it's about figuring out what works for you in order to meet your email list-building objectives. The best thing about Strikingly landing page templates is that they've already been proven to work. These basic but lovely models have been professionally crafted to assist you in getting started.
- Interest
Let's face it: no matter how attractive your landing page is, your customers will not provide you with their email addresses if your deal is unappealing. As previously mentioned, designing effective landing pages is not all about graphics design. Often all it takes is an offer that is too good to refuse. In reality, your landing page's main focus should be on your bid.
You must first build an offer that is appealing to your target market before learning how to set up a landing page. This may be an ebook, a checklist, or even access to a lecture, as long as it's interesting and useful to your guests. After all, it is for this purpose that they will use your form to sign up in the first place.
- Easy
The best landing page on the internet makes it simple for visitors: it's easy to read, load, and take action (even on mobile). The last thing you want is for your website users to have a negative experience when visiting your site. Make sure everything functions properly and that your message is conveyed without taking up too much of your visitors' time. Even a free landing page can be good if it is simple and straightforward to use.
Requirement Of a Landing Page
- Contact Form
Image from Strikingly
Any landing page should have its own lead capture method. Otherwise, it's not a landing page at all! You can monitor who is interested in your offer and how they engage with other content on your platform using a lead form. Finally, forms allow you to convert leads into clients while also tracking their buyer's journey. Your landing page's lead type should be strategically positioned. The best lead forms are typically at the top of the page, and they may even scroll with the audience. Always remember to position the lead form in a visible location on your website that is easy to find for visitors.
- About Us Page
Image from Strikingly
Your "about us" section can be the most important feature on your landing page, and it's typically the first item that visitors note. The headline of your landing page should be a brief statement about who you are and what value your offer can bring to users. Furthermore, this value can make all the difference in converting a lead into a customer who would otherwise leave the page.
How To Setup A Landing Page
- Choose A Design Template
There are several methods for creating a landing page from scratch, including HTML and CSS. However, not everyone is tech-savvy enough to build a template from scratch. There's a reason why even the most seasoned digital marketers prefer ready-made templates.
Not only can you save a lot of time, but these concept templates have also been proven to work in most situations. Take a look at the Strikingly landing page templates and see how they incorporate traditional landing page designs with a little more personality.
Simply sign up for Strikingly and pick a design template that you want to start designing a free landing page right away.
- Write Powerful Copy
The copy is another important aspect of your landing page. It's important to have a memorable headline so that visitors to your website don't have to guess what the page is about. All of the best landing pages have a copy that is both convincing and accurate. They should ideally be short and sweet because you want to get right to the point so that your website visitors don't lose interest.
The copy on your landing page should be able to sell what you're selling. People make the mistake of telling their company's backstory on their landing page. However, the primary goal of a landing page is to entice tourists to join your email list by presenting them with something valuable.
- Include Eye-Catching Elements
For their landing page, some company owners prefer a plain page. But that doesn't mean it has to be dull. After all, you don't want to miss out on the chance to flaunt your company's logo. Beautifully crafted landing pages are able to integrate appealing design elements that help draw attention to the important parts of their landing page, despite the fact that a landing page should have little to no distractions.
Simple graphics, such as arrows and badges, will help your copy stand out. Nobody wants to read a big wall of text, after all. Look at some of the Strikingly landing page examples for ideas, and see if you can integrate some of the design tips into your own.
- Add A CTA (Call-To-Action)
The CTA button on your landing page is critical to your landing page's success. There's a reason why digital marketers keep experimenting with various button styles. Color, text option, and even location on the screen all make a difference.
If there's one thing you should know about learning how to set up a landing page, it's that every design choice you make has a purpose; no color or graphic was chosen at random. It makes no difference whether you have a free or paid landing page. The rules are still in effect.
That said, the most important thing to remember about your CTA button is that it needs to stand out from the rest of the list. You can tell your visitors exactly what you want them to do on your landing page, in addition to showing them what they can get from your site.
While all CTA website buttons are usually action-oriented, they don't always state the advantages of doing so. The ones that say something as plain as ‘download', ‘click here,' or even ‘submit' are the worst ones you can use on your website. Sure, a user will most likely click on them to complete the task at hand on your website, but they will not persuade anyone who is undecided about whether or not to convert. If anything, they may not be sufficient to give that person the push they need to take action. Your call to action button should emphasize again - the consumer should be able to see what they'll get if they press. So, when adding your "about us" and "contact us" to your page, make sure you have made compelling copies that'd make your visitors stick.
- Keep Testing
A/B testing is an essential part of the landing page development process. Although learning from others on how to design a landing page is beneficial, making your own mistakes and learning from them is even better. Since your company's target market is distinct, you can never be certain that the same landing page tactics would work for you.
A/B Testing allows you to compare two separate landing page designs to see which one converts the most leads. On your landing page, you can test a variety of elements, including the interface. Skilled digital marketers are diligent about their design choices, testing even the tiniest of information such as button colors or link colors.
Difference Between a Homepage and Landing Page
This is a frequently asked topic, and it's easy to see why. After all, apart from what we call them, what could be the real difference between two apparently interchangeable online pages?
It all boils down to the purpose for which they were created. The main distinction between a homepage and a landing page is the focus. And the increase in conversions that results—sales, signups, leads, or any step you want visitors to take.
The effectiveness of landing pages in marketing is due to their emphasis. Unlike homepages and blogs, which are meant to be explored, landing pages are tailored to a particular initiative or offer and direct visitors to a single call to action. In a nutshell, landing pages are created with the aim of converting visitors into customers.
Homepages, on the other hand, are excellent for providing general knowledge and encouraging tourists to explore.
A homepage, as the primary entry point to a website, serves as an introduction to the company's brand, product, services, principles, who and what it's about, who to contact, and so on. Its aim is to make a "first impression," to encompass all a business has to offer, and to guide visitors to different parts of the web to learn more.
Landing Page Best Practices and How It Can Affect Your Business
It's deceptively simple to build a landing page. You don't need to be a developer to publish anything professional, and you can do it in a matter of hours if you use a drag and drop builder like Unbounce.
However, going in blind is not advised. Here are some best practices that have been shown to increase conversion rates and lower cost-per-acquisition time and time again to give you a head start.
1. Ensure your messaging matches your ads
One of the main reasons you can use landing pages in the first place is to make sure you're bringing people to the right website. Match your landing page copy (and design) to the ads you're running in search or social to ensure that visitors have made a "healthy click."
2. Keep the action above the fold
The upper half of a newspaper's front page is referred to as "behind the fold." However, these days, it usually refers to what is noticeable on a tablet before scrolling down. It's valuable real estate in either case, and you'll want to make the most of it.
3. Use directional cues to direct the eye
Since it's uncommon for a landing page to be so short that nothing appears below the fold, using visual indicators to draw the eye downward is a good idea. These cues can be physical pointers such as arrows, as well as other shapes, pictures, animations, or even copy that keep visitors scrolling and reading happily.
4. Show your product/service in action
Visitors can envision themselves as your customer by seeing your product or service in a real-life environment. It's also a good way to illustrate how the product or service functions in a concise manner. Visuals will help you catch and hold their attention, whether you use still images, step-by-step animations, or demo videos. A great place to do it is in your hero picture section.
5. Remove navigation and other distractions
A successful landing page concentrates on a single conversion target, so keep other distractions to a minimum. Avoid adding redundant links, such as site navigation, additional calls to action, or even links back to your homepage, on your landing page. Your landing page will perform better if it is self-contained.
Now, are you wondering how to create a landing page? The next section is a vital option you should consider!
Create A Free Landing Page With Strikingly Today!
Ready to start building your email list and sending email newsletters to potential customers today? Do you know you can make a landing page for free? Simply create an account with Strikingly to get started.
Image from Strikingly
Once you've signed up, all you have to do is choose a template and incorporate all of the elements you've learned so far.
Image from Strikingly
Once you have chosen the template that you want, you can start editing it to fit your preference. Don't forget to include all the landing page elements that you’ve learned so far.
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Strikingly is one of the leading website building platforms out there. You can create a beautiful and mobile-optimized website easily. With a Strikingly landing page, you can see what's possible for your business. Don’t delay any further. If you still don’t have an account, create one today!
