When designing your website, you need to think about your landing pages. These are the pages that people come to when they click on an advertisement or a promo button leading them to find out about a specific product or service.
We are often asked:
- Should my landing page be short and sweet and to the point?
- Or should it be long, fact-filled, and loaded with irresistible benefits?
The answer is: it should contain enough motivating information to get people to take the next step. And that will vary depending on your objective.
Broadly speaking, there are two possible strategies. You either want to sell right there by getting credit card or other payment details, or you want to capture basic contact information for follow up.
Which path you choose will depend on your product/service.
If yours is a ‘retail’ style product that is simple to understand and low in cost, you can expect to sell it right there on your landing page. On the other hand, if yours is more complex/expensive, then you need a way to get people to fill out an online form for follow up.
In this article, we’ll unpack each of these scenarios, and give you some ideas on what works and why.
1. Your landing page must SELL
The thing to remember is that the visitors to your landing page don’t know anywhere NEAR as much about your product or service as you do. They don’t understand the benefits. They don’t understand the features. They don’t know it will work. They don’t know how it is different from your competitors. THEY DON’T KNOW.
So, your landing page must give them the information they need to make a decision — even if that decision is simply to fill out a form to get more information.
It will need details about benefits, specifications and possibly testimonials. You’ll need to:
- Fully explain all features and benefits
- Build trust and confidence
- Overcome skepticism and resistance
- Spur a desire for immediate action
- Show a compelling, clear course of action so that people can move forward.
All of this takes space. But that’s fine on your website, as space is never an issue. And the truth is, the more you tell, the more you sell.
I found this example from Rental Express. This Brisbane real estate company’s landing page is packed with information (both video and text) and facts that give people VERY good reasons to take the next step.
2. You need an offer.
As well as features and benefits, you will also need an incentive to get people to act. It may be that just offering a free appraisal will do the trick. Or, it may be the offer of further information in the form of a White Paper, “How to” Guide, Executive Report, catalogue or whatever.
Remember, you must SELL the free offer.
Don’t just say “Get our free White Paper”. Say “Get our free White Paper to learn how to compare these products. The three key performance specifications you need to know — as well as detailed example of this product in use in an everyday situation so you can see how to use it to your advantage”.
See the difference? This type of copywriting adds to the appeal of the free offer and will motivate people to give you the contact info you need for follow-up.
The bottom line for website landing page design?
The Internet offers you the opportunity to engage prospective clients in a way that you just can’t achieve in offline media. With a strong, compelling message, you can pile on benefit after benefit — thus pitching your message so that people REALLY see the true value you have to offer them.
- If your intention is to make a sale right off your landing page, don’t hesitate to go for length to tell the story.
- If your intention is to generate leads, then sell your offer/incentive to get people to fill out the online form.
Your landing page plays a crucial role in achieving this, as it is a link in the chain that pulls people towards making a purchase. You want to be sure you have it RIGHT! To talk to us about your website, landing pages and overall online strategy, simply contact us and we’ll be happy to help.
