If you are marketing your business website without the inclusion of strategically-designed landing pages, chances are good that only about 5 percent of your site’s visitors will actually convert into leads. The other 95 percent will just go away. You can defy these averages and increase your conversion rate by creating landing pages following the best practices listed below.
Landing pages, also known as “lead capture pages,” are created to show up in search engine results or as online ads. The ideal landing page is designed with one specific topic in mind and its goal is to turn visitors into leads. This can be done by influencing visitors to either place an order, submit an online request form, or contact your business directly by phone.
There are many elements that go into the make-up of an effective high-converting landing page. Of these, there are nine best practices that you must have if you wish to improve your conversion rates.
Your landing page needs to have a powerful headline. Ideally, it should both address a problem or need that a prospective customer may have and indicate that your business can present a solution. The headline has to grab the reader’s attention so that they will have a reason to check out what you have to offer.
This is a paragraph that will ideally appear near the top of the page. It should mention a problem or need that your prospect may have and explain exactly how your company or services can meet that need or solve that problem. Remember, you have to engage and relate to your prospects as quickly as possible within your content; otherwise you are going to lose them.
In this paragraph, you should tell your prospective clients what you are offering and how to contact you. If there is a lot of copy on your landing page, it is a good idea to have multiple call-to-action paragraphs scattered throughout the text.
We have found out that there are two kinds of people who may land on your web page: those who need to read the whole page before deciding whether or not to take action, and those who can decide within about 10 seconds.
The first call-to-action paragraph is intended for those folks who make their decisions quickly. It is precisely because of these people that you need to have your first call to action early in the page. If you wait until the end, they may have already moved on to another site.
Why should a prospect choose to do business with your particular company?
This is the area on your page in which you can really shine. Here you can explain what makes your business different from your competition and why you are the best choice for your prospective customers. Be concise and be sure to relate your value proposition to how your company can solve your prospect’s problems or fulfil their needs.
Once you have extolled your company’s virtues, you can validate your claims by letting your prospects hear what others have to say. This is where you include a few testimonials from your satisfied clients.
If you have a lot of testimonials, there is even better way to use them:
The underlying goal behind these two methodologies is to let your prospects know that you have solved the problems of other people who are just like them, and you can solve their problems too.
This is where you can address the most pressing objections that you are likely to get from your prospects.
Try to include three to four objections and answer them right on your landing page. This will help you in your efforts to influence visitors to contact you, and can later help with your sales presentation.
Keep your lead capture form as simple as possible. Don't ask for any information that you don't need for an initial response. According to Imaginary Landscape contact form study, the fewer the number of fields you include on the form, the higher the chance that the form will be filled out. If possible, limit your form to four fields.
Direct your prospects to your lead capture form with a call-to-action button. Make this button big and clearly state the call to action. Don’t use generic “Submit” or “Send” text in the button. Instead, state your offer:
Assure your prospects that clicking on the button will be worthwhile and safe. Do this by addressing the doubts or objections they may have in their minds. For example, will their information remain confidential or will it be sold to hackers in Russia? Will they be obligated to buy your services after the initial contact or consultation? Will they be harassed by sales calls and emails?
Let your prospects know what to expect after they complete and submit the lead capture form. Reducing the unknown will make these individuals more comfortable with completing the form and further discussing their problems. For example you can make the following three reassurances:
People associate certain symbols and signs with trust. For example, if your company is verified by the Better Business Bureau, it is part of a reputable organization and the verification seal should be displayed on your site. Likewise, if your business has received any awards, certifications or commendations, this should be visible on your page as well. These things will build a level of trust.
You will also get additional credibility points because you appear as an authoritative voice that is worthy of their attention. Think about what relevant trust factors you can include on your website to improve your company’s credibility and trust in the eyes of prospective customers.
I realize that this list is pretty extensive. However, having all these elements will help you to increase your chances of converting your visitors into leads. This may entail a lot of work, but it will be worth it in the end.
If you don’t optimize your landing pages, growing your business will require you to spend a lot of money on increasing your web traffic. On the other hand, making these changes can enable you to grow your business by getting higher conversions from the traffic you already have.
With that, I will leave you to start creating your high-converting landing pages. Good luck! Be sure to share what worked best for you in the comments.
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