If you have ever implemented a digital marketing strategy before, you might have come across the term, “website landing page” at least once. It’s a popular term among online marketers, being one of the more effective ways to launch a brand, promote an upcoming site or even test the waters for a yet-to-be developed product. Let’s take a look at what web site landing pages really are and how you can create one on your own.
What is a landing page?
A web site landing page is technically the first page you see after clicking a link. In this case, a landing page could be any part of your website - homepage, about us, a blog article or a product page. As long as it’s the first page that a user lands on, it can be considered as a website landing page.
In marketing, however, website landing pages are standalone pages designed to fulfill a specific objective. They are created as part of a marketing campaign to get users to do something - make a purchase, submit a form, reach out through chat or by phone, subscribe to a mailing list or register for an event. These actions are meant to move a user from being a prospect to a paying customer. A landing page, therefore, is designed to convert.
Landing page vs. a homepage
Technically, a homepage can be considered a landing page. You can even use the same website template used on your homepage as a website landing page template. But in marketing terms, there are a few key differences between a landing page website and a site’s homepage.
A homepage contains a lot of links - directing users to different pages on a website. Meanwhile, a landing page is focused on a few links. Having too many links on your landing page can distract users from the objective of your main CTA.
- A homepage can serve different purposes at the same time - provide information (by directing visitors to a blog), get people to reach out (through a contact section at the bottom of the page), create buzz for an upcoming product (through a hero banner), etc. On the other hand, the content and design elements of a web landing page have been selected towards fulfilling a single purpose - to convert a visitor into a customer.
Promoting a Landing Page
For a landing page website to work, you must drive traffic to it. There are many ways of promoting a landing page website:
Paid seach - you can run pay-per-click ad campaigns to capture a targeted audience.
- Paid social media ads - using social media platforms as a way to promote landing pages
- Email campaigns - if you have already built a mailing list, implementing an email campaign for a landing page is a good way to nurture relationships and build new ones.
- Organic search - creating search optimized content is a good way to get unpaid traffic to your site.
What makes an effective website landing page?
Here are the elements of effective landing page websites:
1. A catchy headline
A great headline is a site’s way of telling potential customers that they are in the right place. It gives them an idea of what they should expect from the page they just landed on. An effective headline is more than just a page overview, however. It should be written in a way that catches your reader’s attention and piques his interest.
2. A compelling supporting headline
Your headline should be followed by a sub-head that will convince the reader to stick around. It should contain a compelling argument that makes users take action. For instance, you might lead with a statement that addresses your customer’s challenge and write a supporting headline that presents a solution to this problem.
3. An engaging hero image
Pictures speak a thousand words. What better way to drive your message home than an engaging visual? The right image can convey your message in a way that resonates with your target audience.
4. Clear outline of benefits
Your web landing page copy should be able to answer the question, “What’s in it for me?” It’s important to clearly communicate the unique selling point of your product or service. Ideally, this should be located on the upper fold of the webpage.
5. Strong and compelling call to action
For a landing page to be effective, the CTA should be placed on the upper fold of the website. The CTA is the specific action that you want users to do on your webpage. It is designed to fulfill the specific objective that your website was built for.
