Let’s face it: 2020 sucked. But as we see it, it actually had a silver lining: the Covid19 crisis finally brought the business world to the unstoppable realization that online assets and online marketing are no longer a luxury or a “nice to have,” but rather a ‘do or die’ matter. We guess it’s pretty safe to say that from that respect, 2020 served as an accelerator that moved the entire commerce world a thousand steps ahead. 

If you don’t have a website yet, this might be the part where you’re getting worried, but hold that thought: Going online doesn’t necessarily mean having a website, at least not at first. You can definitely start by building a great landing page that doubles as an actual selling page for a specific product/service (including defrayal solutions) and a way of data collecting that will help you build your future clientele. 

Ok, so website or no website – now that we know everyone can benefit from a great landing page, you’re probably wondering how you should go about it. So without further ado, let’s pave the way for your incredible 2021 landing page success! 

First Thing’s First: Know Who You’re Targeting 

Before you even start to imagine your perfect landing page, you must first figure out who – exactly – you are talking to. Ask yourself questions like: how old are they? What drives them in life? What are their pain points? What are they looking for? What voice & tone would intrigue them and how can you best use it? If you want to be a bit more Thurow, go here and learn more about how you can research your target audience.

Got their image in your mind? Great! The next step is to figure out how they speak, then implying their own words into your landing page copywriting. To get it right, go on Reddit, Twitter, or Facebook and track relevant conversations. This will help you learn how your audience talks about the relevant topic and gain important insights. 

Based on the info you’ve collected, write a list of words, phrases, and terms used commonly by your target audience. Then try to incorporate a respectable amount of it into your landing page texts and micro-copy. Remember: the entire point is to increase resonance, thus building higher selling chances, so make sure you really hit those emotional buttons with your words. 

 

Put the Most Important Information First (And On the Left Corner)

It’s no secret that the average reader of the 21st century has the attention span of a gold-fish. Basically, you have just a few precious seconds (about 15, to be exact) to capture their eyes and hearts before they bounce away from your digital asset. This brings us to a fundamental conclusion: put your top info – first! 

 

Wanna be more specific as to where you should locate the message on your landing page? Well, recent studies conducted in the UX/UI field focused on eye-tracking during website visits. While several looking patterns emerged, one thing was common to all of them: your readers’ attention goes straight to the top left corner of the screen. 

So if you want to really grab your audience’s attention, be sure always to locate your top message right up there…meaning, left. 

 

Keep It Short, Sweet, and Clean

Ok, so now that you know you only have 15 seconds to wow your potential audience, you might better understand why we HIGHLY recommend keeping your landing page as short and clean as possible.

 

True, there are exceptions. For example: if you need to include specific product info, legal info or any other piece of information that is essential – by all means, do so. But the general rule of thumb should be to intrigue your readers in as few words as possible while being laser-sharp with your message. 

And while we’re on the subject: make sure your forms are also short and to the point. Never ask your audience for more information than what you actually need (usually it’ll be: name, email, and phone number), and if you want to be sure they really play along with you – give them an offer they can’t resist (a gift, a discount, etc.). 

 

Another important element that will help your landing page convert more is what we like to call “curated buttons,” – i.e., buttons with a short and clear CTA that are wisely located on your landing page. Using one simple button is a very elegant (and modern) option that works quite well, so consider using it for your landing page. Just make sure it doesn’t blend in the background, design-wise. 

 

The Social Proof: Use Testimonials And Featured Stories

Did you know that 92% of people read online reviews and that 40% of consumers form an opinion by reading one to three reviews? These numbers should come as no surprise, given human beings are so social by nature, yet you can definitely use it in your favor. 

Make sure you incorporate a few great reviews from your customers on your landing page, and don’t hesitate to add other social proofs like links to stories written about you and/or your business. 

 

People like knowing what other people’s experience with your business was like, so be sure to pack it up nicely – preferably with actual pictures of the clients who gave you the recommendation –  and give them one more nudge in your direction.  

 

The Writing Room: A Few Important Writing Rules

Last but not least, let’s talk about a few writing rules, the first one being the use of tone that speaks directly to your reader. At first, you might feel like you’re casting yourself aside, but it’ll actually help readers relate to you and connect more easily with you. Try using words like ‘you,’ ‘your,’ and ‘yours’ to successfully apply this rule.  

Secondly, instead of writing a cold description of what you or your products do, tell your readers how they benefit from it. Cast aside the functionality and use vivid WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) descriptions instead, or as we like to call it: describe your features as benefits. 

Thirdly, notice the hierarchy and placement of your words; use relevant and clear headlines, break your text into short and (mostly) informative sections, avoid over-writing and try to use as many engaging words as possible. 

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THAT’S IT! Now you’re all set to create your incredible landing page that will hopefully help you attract potential clients and grow your business throughout 2021. 

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