Millions and millions of landing pages are created every year, but most of them will fail to engage their target audience. You can avoid this fate with these simple tips.
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Have you ever visited a business’s landing page that just felt…off? You’re not alone. Although many of us believe a landing page’s effectiveness lies in its visual design, a truly impactful website relies heavily on copy, or the text used to guide and inform site visitors.
Great web copy does more than just explain your product or service. Rather, it’s the start of a relationship with your audience — a relationship that will keep eager customers returning again and again and evangelizing your business in the long term. But unless you’re a seasoned copywriter, it can be tricky to determine what words to use on a landing page, which have the potential to make or break a potential sale. Here are a few tips to keep you ahead of the curve.
Advertise your ability to fill a need
Customers more readily pay for things they need than those they merely want. If a successful business fills a gap, its website’s responsibility is to prove its ability to fill that gap. Your web copy should clearly identify what need exists in your ideal customer’s life (like the need for an M&A advisor wealth management coach or SEO auditing) and explain how and why your business is the ideal solution. Just look to Go Clean Co for proof: The Instagram-famous, Canada-based cleaning company clearly points out a need — insufficient time for housekeeping — on its homepage, then advertises its ability to create thorough “custom cleans” for its busy clientele. Remind your audience why they need you (kindly, of course). In turn, your audience will be able to more closely relate to your business, which is the foundation of brand loyalty.
Related: 10 Tips for Increasing Your Landing Page Conversion Rates
Write with your demographic in mind
Another secret to relatability is language. A landing page for a new 55-and-over retirement community won’t use the same tone and language as a recipe blog aimed at hungry college students just learning how to cook. Keep in mind how your intended audience speaks or how they prefer to be spoken to: Do they remain casual, or do they prefer a more formal, upscale experience? Do they find puns and dry humor funny, or is it best to stay serious? Do they throw around industry terms, or should you keep things simple for newcomers to the field? If you’ve tested your company’s offerings with its ideal customer base, you’re likely familiar with the way that base speaks. Show them you’re familiar with their community by selecting appropriate language.
Provide upfront value
If your business has any competition whatsoever, your web copy needs to be able to answer your audience’s most likely question: “Why should I buy from you over someone else?” The quickest way to prove your expertise and begin to form a relationship with your audience is to provide upfront value. Online talk therapy platform Talkspace does this by providing information about mental health and various forms of therapy on its blog, The Talkspace Voice, while cult-favorite foodie magazine Bon Appetit shares videos on how to cook unique meals via its YouTube channel. Though this information is being offered to potential customers free of charge, it’s crucial to showing those customers that each business knows what it’s all about. Think of it like leaving a trail of breadcrumbs that leads right to your business’s (virtual) door.
Sometimes less is more
Avoid the urge to over-explain your product or service from the beginning. Too much copy is confusing and will crowd your landing page, making it difficult for your audience to absorb the information they really need. Similar to an elevator pitch, your web copy should be able to introduce and explain your product or service in a few sentences. You can always provide a FAQ section or an “about us” page if you feel the need to answer common questions or provide some background on your business.
Related: 3 Ways to Create More Engaging Website Landing Pages
Include a call-to-action
So you’ve convinced a site visitor to work with you. Now what? Effective landing page copy will include a call-to-action, or the final step in the conversion process. This call-to-action should speak to your audience’s main need. At my company, we offer online business owners a free valuation so they can find out what their business is worth and determine if selling is the right move. A security consulting firm might advertise a free introductory phone call, all the while reminding site visitors that this is key to reducing risk at their company; a new slow-fashion brand may use a link that says “start your eco-friendly journey here” instead of a simple “shop now” button. When in doubt, always aim to relate.
You don’t have to be a master at copywriting to create a clean and effective landing page. By writing toward your audience’s demographic and primary needs, you’ll generate copy that builds loyalty and converts even the most skeptical visitors.
Related: Here Is a Simple, Affordable Way to Build Marketing Landing Pages in Minutes
