Here’s the good news: Landing page optimization is a skill you can learn, and even start to master, pretty quickly. And here’s some better news: Once you do master this skill, you’ll have the ability to boost your clients’ bottom lines in a big way.
The numbers are undeniable. A typical landing page can result in a conversation rate of roughly 4-5%. Some of the more successful landing pages, on the other hand, can generate more than 10 times that amount.
So, no doubt, it’s time for you to make optimization a priority. But first, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page.
What differentiates a landing page from other types of websites?
The terms landing page and homepage are sometimes used interchangeably. But let’s not forget that they’re 2 different things. A homepage can sometimes be a landing page—and vice versa—but a landing page always has a very specific mission. And that mission is, simply, to convert site visitors.
What that conversion is will depend on your client’s goals. One landing page might be selling a product while another might be extending an invitation or promoting a limited-time offer. In every case, the more conversions your clients bring in, the closer they’re getting to achieving their business and/or marketing goals.
The opportunities are vast. After all, the process for actually reeling in page-visitors has never been more efficient and effective. A typical customer journey these days moves organically and often seamlessly, with keywords and search results funneling users with increased precision. Services such as Google Ads or Outbrain are primed to keep the visits coming, so it’s up to you to make sure those clicks become conversions.
What are the essentials of a landing page?
A landing page itself is ultimately the product of 3 central components: the company, the product and the offer. If these elements are working in true harmony, your client’s page is on the path toward optimization. You’ll see these elements included in our landing page examples below.
In addition to higher conversion rates, your client stands to reap a number of additional benefits:
Stronger customer relations
An optimized landing page makes the process of user engagement quicker and more efficient. Visitors will appreciate a fluid path toward getting their offer and finding their call to action (CTA). A smooth user journey in turn helps start the customer relationship on the right foot.
Insights on your clients’ services or products
Because a landing page focuses on a specific goal, your clients can use the page to get a clear idea of what is and isn’t working with their offering. You can help them analyze site performance, identify what channels brought the most people to the page and see where people clicked. Clients can use that data to improve their keywords or their product.
Better SEO rankings
By including the right search terms on a landing page, and evolving your client’s content strategy to match shifts in user search intent over time, you can make them rank higher on search engines. This brings more visibility to your client’s business, drives the right traffic to their page and helps them achieve their business goals.
15 key steps to optimizing your clients’ landing pages
Now that we’ve covered the essentials of a landing page, here are 15 essential steps to building a landing page that converts:
Set a clear goal
Understand the audience
Strengthen the lead-in
Appeal to pathos
Write a bold headline
Include a sharp subtitle
Use striking visuals
Create the right hierarchy
Emphasize the call to action
Consider multimedia
Show social proof
Provide contact options
Retarget