Landing Pages: Basics and Best Practices
A landing page is a special webpage designed to guide visitors toward a specific action, like making a purchase, signing up, or trying a service. A good landing page can convince people to take the action you want. On the flip side, a badly designed landing page can confuse or overwhelm visitors, causing them to leave your website without taking any action. This is why it's important to make sure your landing page is straightforward, easy to understand, and visually appealing so that visitors feel comfortable and confident in taking the next step.
Cluttering your
Moreover, most users read as little as 20% of web copy.[1] To combat this, try limiting your paragraphs to 3-4 lines and add descriptive subheadings for every couple of paragraphs. This makes your content both more readable and scannable.
Users form a first impression of your website in 0.05 seconds.[2] That’s all the time you have to catch their attention and get them to stick around.
Headlines are one of the most important elements for grabbing users' attention. Stick to clear, concise headlines that are relevant to the central
A value proposition is a concise piece of copy—often accompanied by visuals—that sums up why users should choose your product over others. Think of it as your product's elevator pitch, featured prominently on your
To elevate your landing page, use clear and direct language in the copy and support it with complementary visuals like icons or
Pro Tip! Consider combining a header, description, and image/video on your landing page to best convey your value proposition.
If your product is targeted at a specialized group of users, you may use technical terms, but you should explain what they mean first.
Clarity is key when it comes to
While your colleagues might know exactly what you're talking about, the average user may not. Use simple language that's familiar to your audience and helps them navigate your product easily.
Call-to-action (CTA) buttons are pivotal on
- High visibility: Make CTAs stand out with an accent color, potentially even using a contrasting hue from the background for better results.[4]
- Immediate visibility: Place CTAs prominently without requiring users to scroll. This boosts click-through rates.[5]
- Strategic placement: On longer pages, sprinkle additional CTAs at intervals to increase conversions.
- Clear and direct language: Use active verbs and avoid jargon for straightforward instructions. Ensure users understand the action they're taking.
- Ample size: Employ a larger CTA button for clear visibility and ease of clicking, irrespective of device or screen resolution.
- Accessibility considerations: Comply with WCAG 2.0 recommendations, providing a minimum touch target of 44x44 CSS pixels, benefiting users with vision or motor disabilities.[6]
Don’t mislead visitors to your
Pro Tip! Ensure that the CTA, main image, and headline are clearly visible without scrolling.
Support your
Consumers want to know that they can trust a brand before making a purchase. Showing brands that use the product (or have reviewed it) is an efficient way to ensure purchasers that the offer is trustworthy.
If major brands use the product being offered, or well-known media outlets have reviewed it or mentioned it, showcasing that can build a lot of consumer trust. Using logos to reference business partners, clients, or media mentions offers strong reassurance to consumers.
People are naturally inclined to return favors. When consumers receive something beneficial from you, like a discount or free shipping, they're more likely to feel a sense of obligation to reciprocate. This principle of reciprocity can effectively encourage users to make a purchase. Special offers and bonuses serve as compelling incentives that leverage this psychological trigger.
People access digital products with an array of devices like tablets, smartphones, desktops, laptops, and even wearable tech like watches. So, it’s vital that your products work well regardless of the screen size and resolution or device type.
Make sure that your important
Slow-loading web pages are a major frustration for users. If a
Regardless of how thorough the information is on your
A word of caution here — sticky chat elements should be desktop features only. Due to the luxury of space on the desktop, it's less likely that a small widget will block any essential
References
- How Little Do Users Read? | Nielsen Norman Group
- Plain Language Is for Everyone, Even Experts | Nielsen Norman Group
- Best Practices for Long Scrolling | Medium
Increase credibility with social proof
Most people don’t want to be the first to try something new. They want to know that the decision they’re making has already been vetted by others. In fact, 91% of consumers find a product more trustworthy if they get recommendations from people they know. 70% also trust public comments and opinions about products online.[8]
Social proof offers strong reassurance for people considering making a purchase. Including reviews, ratings, stats, and other social proof on yourlanding page can persuade many consumers to make a purchase.