What Is a Landing Page? How To Create Effective Landing Pages

Landing pages aren’t just any other webpage. They’re created with a specific goal in mind, and contain everything needed to accomplish it—whether a newsletter sign-up, an app download or a sale.

That attention-grabbing page is a crucial part of any successful digital marketing strategy. Learn more about how landing pages can help you increase conversion rates, gather leads, and influence potential consumers.

What is a landing page?

A landing page is a standalone webpage that potential customers land on when they click through from an ad, email, search results, or another campaign. They’re designed to inspire a specific action from a target audience. Merchants use landing pages as part of digital marketing campaigns to learn more about potential customers by getting them to fill in forms with their information. They are also used to increase conversion rates for actions like purchasing an item, downloading an app or marketing material, starting a free trial, or signing up for a subscription service.

Customers discover landing pages in a variety of ways, including search engine results, paid advertisements, email campaigns, and social media posts. A good landing page typically includes a compelling headline, a persuasive subheading with a clear value proposition, and an obviouscall to action (CTA). Depending on the goal of the campaign, it can also include a striking hero image or video, social proof in the form of customer testimonials and reviews, or form fields to collect customer information for lead generation.

Landing page vs. homepage: key differences

Although both landing pages and homepages are types of webpages that merchants use, they serve two entirely different purposes. Here are a few of the key differences between landing pages and homepages:

Goals

Homepages help customers interact with your brand in a variety of ways. They communicate your company’s vision and story and provide an overview of your products and services. By contrast, landing pages focus customers toward one particular goal. The entire page leads customers to complete a specific action like purchasing a product, signing up for a trial, downloading marketing material, or submitting information.

Design

A homepage is designed to give your customers the opportunity to explore your company: your products and services, customer reviews, a mission statement, and other branded content like blog posts and videos.Homepage designsare more complex, with multiple sections, easy-to-find navigation bars, and other elements like job postings, customer service information, and links to social media channels.

By contrast, landing pages have simpler designs guiding audiences toward one action. You won’t find as many sections or links to other pages. The goal is to get potential customers to convert, so there are fewer opportunities to navigate away.

Call-to-action buttons

Call-to-action (CTA) buttons include a compelling statement and a clickable button customers can use to complete an immediate action, like submit a completed form field, sign up for a subscription, or make a purchase. For example, a clothing store might use a CTA that says, “Sign up for our newsletter and get 15% off your first order.”

Landing pages use fewer links than homepages to keep customers focused, and a well-optimized landing page includes only one clear call to action. Unlike a dedicated landing page, a homepage involves a variety of calls to action, encouraging viewers to explore multiple pages on the site.

Types of landing pages

There are two main landing page types: lead generation landing pages and click-through landing pages.

Lead generation landing pages

A lead generation landing page, also known as a lead capture page or a squeeze page, encourages prospective customers to fill out a specific data capture form. These form fields typically include information like email addresses, phone numbers, and demographic data.

You can use a lead generation landing page to learn more about your target audience, improve a marketing campaign, build an email list, and create a base of leads for future sales conversions. Lead capture landing pages often offer a value proposition for customers. For example, upon submitting their information, they may receive a free ebook, marketing material, a useful resource, or a discount.

Click-through landing pages

鼓励用户com点击率着陆页面plete one specific action, like make a purchase or sign up for a subscription service. Unlike lead generation landing pages, click-through landing pages include CTA buttons without data capture form fields. The goal of click-through landing pages is to convert visitors into customers or subscribers, rather than to gather information, and often use compelling CTA buttons like Buy Now or Get Started. They might also include a value proposition like a free trial or special offer.

Benefits of landing pages

Landing pages can be useful additions to digital marketing campaigns and help you focus your efforts toward specific goals. Here are some of the benefits of introducing effective landing pages into your overall marketing strategy:

Lead generation

Landing pages can help you identify your target audience and give you a better understanding of what your customers need. By usinglead generationlanding pages to build a list of potential customers and collect demographic information, you can make your future marketing efforts more targeted, giving your customers what they want and offering solutions to their pain points.

Brand awareness

Landing pages can bring marketing materials to new customers as well as reinforce your brand to existing customers. If you offer a free resource or an interesting piece of branded content, you can create more brand awareness by educating or entertaining your customer.

Conversions

可以增加convers具有高度针对性的着陆页ion rates by funneling prospective customers to specific calls to action. A dedicated landing page can offer customers more targeted promotions than broader webpages with less-focused designs.

Example of an effective landing page

An example of a successful landing page is Beardbrand’scustomer quiz. Beardbrand is a grooming company that launched on Shopify in 2013 and has since grown into a multimillion-dollar business. In this example, Beardbrand uses a lead generation landing page to gather information about its prospective customers through a fun, lighthearted quiz. Based on the results of the quiz, viewers receive grooming tips and selected products.

的三个步骤Beardbrand’s quiz as shown on mobile.

Beardbrand created a stylish and simple landing page with an attention-grabbing hero image (the collage of many bearded faces), a clear call to action (to take the quiz), and a simple goal to collect information about potential customers. Beardbrand also optimized the page to load quickly and be easy to navigate on mobile, making for a seamless user experience.

Beardbrand’s quiz with an email data capture form and then the suggested products in mobile view.
Beardbrand captures customer data within the quiz before recommending products as part of the quiz results.

How to create an ecommerce landing page

  1. Determine your primary goals
  2. Find a landing page builder
  3. Design your landing page
  4. Launch your page and adapt accordingly
  5. Create more landing pages

Creating landing pages that work takes time and attention, but with the right resources and goals, they can enhance your digital marketing campaigns. Here are a few steps to follow when creating your own ecommerce landing page:

1. Determine your primary goals

Before creating a landing page, identify the primary goal of your landing page campaign. If your priority is higher sales conversions for a new product, opt for a click-through landing page. It should feature a hero image of the product, information about the benefits of the product, and a clear CTA button for purchasing it. If you need tobuild an email listfor your new subscription service, create a lead generation landing page that encourages viewers to fill out form fields with information that’s useful to your business.

2. Find a landing page builder

Research which ecommerce platforms offer landing page-building tools with helpful templates. Applications likePageFly, available in the Shopify app store, let merchants customize landing pages with a user-friendly interface. Unless you’re a skilled programmer who can create the page from scratch, landing page builders are useful tools for creating webpages you can use forsearch engine marketingcampaigns. Consider using a landing page builder to create targeted pages that integrate seamlessly with your homepage, sales pages, and other webpages related to your business.

3. Design your landing page

Designing landing pages that inspire action takes clarity of vision. You need to know what your goals are and what you’re offering. As a rule of thumb, keep landing pages simple and use the design of the page to direct attention toward your specific call to action. Make yourCTA buttonseye-catching with a distinct style, font, and color. Write compelling headlines and make sure your landing page offers something of value to your audience. For example, you could offer a free ebook, a useful white paper, a limited-time offer, or an exclusive promotion.

4. Launch your page and adapt accordingly

Launch your landing page and keep an eye on how it performs. When landing pages work, you see increased conversion rates for your calls to action, whether that’s increased subscribers, customer contact information, or sales for a specific product. Integrated ecommerce companies likeShopifyallow you to easily analyze metrics like a landing page’s click-through rate (CTR).A/B testtwo different versions of your landing page’s design, copy, and CTA buttons to see which option is more effective and adjust your landing page based on what delivers better results.

5. Create more landing pages

Since landing pages have only one goal to fulfill, they’re limited by design. Once you figure out how to successfully launch a landing page, consider what other landing pages you can create to support your overall marketing strategy. You might create more landing pages for new product launches, email lists, limited offers, or a number of other goals benefiting your business. The more landing pages you create, the more opportunities you have to guide your target audience toward different actions.

7登陆页面的最佳实践

  1. Keep it simple
  2. Write captivating copy
  3. Include social proof
  4. Optimize your landing pages for search engines
  5. Offer a clear value proposition for your customers
  6. Create multiple complementary landing pages
  7. Make your landing pages mobile-friendly

Here are some landing page best practices to keep in mind as you optimize your pages for specific goals.

1. Keep it simple

When it comes to landing pages, less is more. Keep viewers focused on a specific goal with simple visual design elements and copy. Only include the necessary elements and break up text with bullet points to make it easier to read.

2. Write captivating copy

A persuasive landing page requires a compelling headline and a convincing subheading that communicates clear benefits. Use short sentences, active words, and a confident tone. Pay special attention to the copy you use for your call-to-action buttons; for example, opt for active phrases like Sign Up, Buy Now, or Claim Discount over banal words like Submit or Complete.

3. Include social proof

Social proofis the process by which customers make decisions based on other people’s opinions and actions. You can use social proof to your advantage by including customer reviews, testimonials, and case studies to clearly communicate the usefulness and benefits of your product or service.

4. Optimize your landing pages for search engines

Ecommerce search engine optimizationcan help customers find your landing pages. Use relevant keywords to optimize your headlines and other copy to increase organic traffic. Search traffic is one of the best ways to attract a potential customer to your landing page. Effective landing pages use keywords that relate to your target audience’s needs and your company’s unique value proposition. For example, if you run an online furniture store, you might use terms like “high-quality couches” to convey longevity or “multipurpose furniture” to appeal to someone who lives in a small apartment.

5. Offer a clear value proposition for your customers

High converting landing pages offer something of value to your customers: a free resource, a discount code, a piece of entertaining or relevant content. When designing a landing page, clarify what yourvalue propositionis, highlight it on the page, and deliver on the promise.

6. Create multiple complementary landing pages

Design multiple landing pages based on the most important actions you want your customers to take. For instance, creating separate landing pages for an email marketing campaign and a new product launch gives you the option to target each landing page toward a different goal. No matter how many landing pages you create, make sure they all serve your overall marketing strategy.

7. Make your landing pages mobile-friendly

Mobile users account for slightly more than50% of web traffic, and a well-optimized landing page must account for mobile users in its design. Optimizing your landing pages for mobile can increase conversion rates by making your page accessible to a wider audience.

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Landing page FAQ

What is on a landing page?

The most important elements of a landing page include a headline, a subheading with compelling copy and a clear value proposition, a hero image or video, and an obvious call-to-action button. You may also include social proof in the form of customer reviews or testimonials and, if you’re launching a lead generation landing page, a section with form fields for relevant customer information.

What is a landing page vs. website?

A landing page is a standalone webpage focusing on one specific goal with a simple design and a single call to action. A website typically includes a more complex design, giving your customers the freedom to explore different parts of your business like your product lines and company story.

Why do I need a landing page?

A high converting landing page can increase conversions for a specific action important for your business. For example, a landing page offering a free trial for your subscription service can entice new subscribers, while a landing page designed to increase sales conversions for a specific product will focus on the product's unique benefits and customer reviews.

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