Posted by Whether you’re a blogger, an ecommerce store owner, or the head of marketing at a Fortune 500 company, the goal of your website is pretty much always the same: to convert visitors into customers.
But how do you do that? The answer lies in landing pages. Landing pages are any page on your site where visitors can take a specific action, whether signing up for an email newsletter, buying a new product or just starting their adventure with your brand.
Landing pages are a great way to generate leads and convert visitors into customers. Without optimizing your landing pages for conversions, you’ll struggle to turn those visitors into leads. Here are seven best practices for creating high-performing landing pages for your business.
Related: The 10 Rules You Must Follow to Create an Effective Landing Page
1. Focus on the optimal customer experience
It’s easy to get wrapped up in optimizing your landing pages for search engine optimization, but you must remember that customers are human beings. Your focus should be on creating the best possible experience for them as they come to your page and navigate it.
Ask yourself about what they need to read and see to purchase. All text and images should be placed according to what you know about your customers’ behavior and interests.
2. Create a clear, compelling headline and utilize subheads
The headline is the first thing visitors see when they land on your page. Ensure your headline is clear, interesting and persuasive enough to make them want to learn more. Next, write a few different subheadings for each section of your page — one for each paragraph or image that will help readers understand what’s going on in that area without being too wordy or repetitive.
3. Include a high-quality, attention-grabbing image or video
First impressions matter. That’s why your hero image — the large, prominent graphic at the top of your landing page — is so important. It’s the first thing your visitors will see, making the difference between whether they stay on your site or leave right away.
Your hero image should incorporate colors, fonts and design elements that complement your brand’s visual identity. But remember that the most crucial part is grabbing and holding attention. If you can use a video instead of a static image, that’s even better.
Related: 10 Tips for Creating Landing Pages That Convert the Most Prospects
4. Make the most of your positive social proof
Social proof is the psychological phenomenon in which people assume that others’ behavior reflects how they should behave in a given situation. It can take many forms: testimonials from customers on an ecommerce site, celebrity endorsements for products and services, and ratings and reviews from other consumers.
It can be one of the strongest forces driving conversions, especially in the form of testimonials from other customers who have found success with your product or service. If you can include a picture next to the testimonial, even better!
5. Use multiple conversion mechanisms on your page
It’s essential to have various ways for users to convert to your landing page. For example, allow them to easily click through a call to action button, but also provide a separate option for users that prefer filling out a form or getting in touch by phone. Think about the conversions you want and how you can make them as easy as possible to achieve.
6. Enhance your landing page with a chatbot or live chat agent
Adding live chat features to your landing page allows users to get answers to questions they might have about your product or service in real-time before making a purchase. Consider hiring an outsourced team of chat agents to improve the performance of your landing pages and help you get more leads.
7. A/B testing is the key to landing page success
A/B testing or split testing involves creating two versions of a web page and comparing their conversion rates over time to see which performs better. This can be extremely helpful when you’re trying to optimize your conversions. Using this method, you can repeatedly improve your site’s performance by making minor changes and seeing how they affect user behavior on your website.
Conclusion
Landing pages are the primary gateway for potential customers to access your product or service. On landing pages, you advertise specific products or services and invite visitors to take immediate action. However, creating landing pages that convert to sales requires much more than simply throwing up some copy and images on a page and hoping for the best.
You’re missing out on sales if you don’t have a landing page that converts. This list of practical tips will help you create high-converting landing pages that deliver results.
Related: How to Write Landing Page Copy That Connects With Your Customer