You’ve probably heard of a landing page, but it gets thrown around a lot these days so the definition of it may be a little muddy in your mind. This post will quickly explain what a landing page is and where it falls into place in your sales funnel, customer experience, client journey, or whatever you want to call it! This is the second post in my series on sales funnels so stay tuned for more.
What is a landing page?
A landing page is technically (and simply) the page you land on after clicking a link elsewhere. But in online marketing, we get a little more specific about our landing pages because we want them to get people to DO something. After all, the point of copywriting is to get people to take some kind of action whether it’s signing up for a mailing list, picking up the phone to call you, following you on social media, or buying your super cool product.
Why do I need a landing page?
You might not! In my first post of this sales funnel series, I talked about a lead magnet and whether or not you need one. If you have no intention of ever starting a mailing list, you may not need a landing page in the sense I’ll be talking about here. Read that post first if you’re not sure.
If you already know you want to start (or grow) a mailing list, then the most common way of doing so is to create that lead magnet. And then you need a landing page to promote it.
Some people put their freebie in a pop-up on their website homepage, but I recommend having a landing page as well. People are tired of pop-ups and may skim right over them. Plus, a landing page is something you can easily share on social media, in your emails, and other places.
What are the important elements of a landing page?
- Landing Page Headline
The headline of your landing page should be very clear, telling people exactly what they’ll get. Living the Life of Your Dreams SOUNDS great, but I have no idea what it really means. Instead, try something like A Tidy Home for Busy Moms or Time Management Tools for Top Executives. You want your header to tell people 1) WHAT they’re gonna get and 2) WHO will benefit.
A great headline can also show the transformation the readers will get. What is this freebie going to change for them?
- Benefits of the Lead Magnet
Clearly state the benefits of your lead magnet. These don’t have to be earth-shattering benefits, but something that will help your audience. It can help to talk about where they’re starting from — “You struggle with your messy, chaotic home,” and then highlight the transformation they will experience, such as “You can have a home you love with my 5 step formula.”
- Call to Action
Tell them what to do! The CTA is the element that drives them to take action. Be direct and be clear so it’s incredibly easy for them to follow through. Things like ‘download the guide’ or ‘sign up now’ are clear and to the point. Keep it simple!
- Imagery
As usual, keep things simple and choose a single image that represents someone achieving the success your lead magnet can provide.
Landing Page Examples
You’ve likely seen a lot of landing pages and probably even signed up on a few yourself. But here are a few examples if you’d like to get an idea of what they look like and how they can work in your own funnel.
What’s the next step in my sales funnel?
I’m glad you asked! After your landing pages is a short and sweet THANK YOU PAGE that I will explain in the next post. It’s pretty easy and I have a sneaky feeling you might guess what it’s about. Stay tuned!
