TargetA very popular concept in the world of web design and internet marketing is the “Landing Page.” But what exactly is a landing page? While there is much discussion, there is not an exact definition. However, Dave Chaffey of SmartInsights defines landing pages as “Specific pages on a website created for visitors referred from marketing campaigns which are designed to achieve a marketing outcome.” Or, one could say a landing page is a place to get targeted online leads.

According to Chaffey, there are five main goals of landing pages. Here are the goals, ranked in order of importance:

  1. Achieve registration to generate a lead
  2. Profile and qualify the site visitors to do more relevant follow up
  3. Answer any questions the visitor may have
  4. Communicate the brand values of the organization running the campaign
  5. In case the visitor doesn’t wish to leave their info, have the company contact info prominent

When it comes to landing pages, there are as many methods to design an effective landing page. Here are 10 ways to make your landing page take flight:

  1. Be clear about what you are selling.
  2. Identify your client
  3. Identify your client’s needs-what you are offering, how they can get it and how to contact you.
  4. Tell your story-if at all possible use a video of a client testimonial or of the product being used.
  5. Use before and after pictures when applicable.
  6. Tell a story that gets the potential customer to identify with you. Be sure to write in second person.
  7. Use subheadings that tell the story at a glance; have headlines that are succinct, short and expressive.
  8. Have credibility-this is accomplished through guarantees and testimonials.
  9. Make it easy for the customer to learn about your product.
  10. Have bullet points that are fascinating and attention grabbing.

Just as there are many elements a landing page should contain, there are also many things to avoid and will result in poor conversion rates. These common problems are:

  1. Having too much text! You do not need three paragraphs telling who you are and what you do. Have simple graphics/charts, product pictures and concentrate on a single focus or objective.
  2. Having boring or uninviting headlines. You only have a few seconds to retain a customer’s attention; however, avoid having a landing page that has futuristic headlines (e.g. Behold! The future of…) or no headline at all.
  3. Not having a prominent call to action
  4. No proof of social media interaction or ROI. This can be shown with logos, customer photos, case studies or client testimonials.
  5. Having navigation buttons at the bottom of the page making it difficult for people to find what you are offering.
  6. Using the same elements of your website design. Clean out all of the extra elements of your webpage so that your landing page is fresh and inviting.
  7. Not keeping vital information above the fold, users spend 80% of their time reading above the fold.
  8. Keep choices to a minimum. More choices, contrary to popular thought, do not make people happier. In fact, studies show that too many choices will result in the worst possible choice possible for the service provider-a customer not being able to choose at all so the potential client looks elsewhere.

Having landing pages that produces leads and conversions is important. You can do it yourself or talk to the designers at Page Progressive. But don’t forget just how important it is to have targeted landing pages!