You’ve spent hours crafting the perfect product or service and now it’s time to get the word out. Creating a landing page is key, but simply building a page isn’t enough. You need persuasive copy that convinces visitors your offering is the solution to their problems. Landing page copy should engage readers, highlight key benefits, build trust, and motivate action. Follow these proven secrets to transform browsers into buyers through the power of your words.
Landing Page Copy: The Anatomy of High-Converting Landing Page Copy
To craft landing page copy that converts, you must understand the key elements.
First, focus on your customer and their key motivations or pain points. Speak to them directly using “you” and “your.” Explain how your offer will benefit them and solve their problems.
Second, have a clear headline and subheading that capture attention and draw the reader in. The headline should be compelling yet straightforward, using power words and numbers when possible. The subheading expands on the headline with a strong supporting statement or promise.
Third, use bullet points, numbered lists and double spacing to visually break up your copy into easy-to-read chunks. This makes the page scannable and the information digestible. Each section should flow logically from one to the next.
Fourth, include social proof like testimonials, case studies, media mentions or customer logos. Build credibility by demonstrating how you’ve helped others. Ask happy customers for a quote and photo to include on your page.
Fifth, have a clear call-to-action, typically a button for the user to click. Place the CTA prominently on the page, reiterate the benefit or offer and use an action-oriented verb like “get started now.”
Finally, close with a summary of your key points and one final reminder of the value to the customer if they take action today. Keep your landing page copy concise yet compelling, and it will convert visitors into customers.
Landing Page Copy: Crafting a Compelling Headline That Stops Scrollers in Their Tracks
To grab the attention of visitors and entice them to read further, you need a compelling headline. Here are some tips for crafting a headline that stops scrollers in their tracks:
Focus on Benefits
Highlight the key benefit or outcome readers will gain from your landing page content. For example, “The Secret to Doubling Your Sales in 30 Days” or “How I Generated 500 Leads in Just One Week.”
Be Specific and Concrete
Vague headlines like “Learn the Latest Marketing Tricks” won’t generate much interest. Provide details and specifics to give readers a concrete idea of what they’ll discover. “17 Proven Ways to Increase Sales Conversions on Your Website” is much more compelling.
Use Power Words
Words like “secrets,” “discover,” “revolutionary,” and “breakthrough” spark curiosity. But don’t overdo it, or it may seem like hype. Choose power words strategically.
Optimize Length
Headlines with 6 to 9 words tend to convert best. If it’s too short, it may not contain enough information. If it’s too long, it becomes difficult to read and won’t stand out.
Place Key Information First
Put the most critical information at the beginning of the headline. This is the first thing people see, so you want to capture their interest right away. The ending is less important because not everyone will read that far.
Test Multiple Options
Keep tweaking and testing headlines to find the one that achieves the best results. Even small changes in wording can lead to big differences in click-through rates. With the right headline, you’ll turn more scrollers into readers and customers.
Landing Page Copy: Writing Benefit-Focused Body Copy That Resonates
Your landing page copy should focus on clearly articulating the benefits of your offer to your readers. Rather than just listing features, emphasize how those features will improve your readers’ lives or businesses. Help them understand what’s in it for them.
Highlight the Most Significant Benefits
Carefully consider your key benefits and how they align with your readers’ needs and desires. Select the 3 to 5 most impactful benefits to highlight in your copy. For example, if your product improves productivity, saves time, and reduces costs, focus on how much time and money your customers will save.
Use Emotional and Rational Appeals
Tap into both emotional and rational motivations. Emotional appeals tug at things like the desire for gain, fear of loss, or sense of identity. Rational appeals provide logical reasoning and evidence to support your claims. For example, “Our software’s intuitive interface and automated features will give you back hours in your day to focus on high-level strategic work.” This appeals to the emotions of gaining free time and achieving greater job satisfaction as well as the rational benefit of increased productivity.
Provide Concrete Examples and Stories
Vague or exaggerated statements are less believable and memorable. Provide specific examples, statistics, case studies, stories, and testimonials that demonstrate and substantiate your key benefits. For instance, “Our client John Doe saved over $50,000 in the first year using our cost reduction service. We help companies cut operational costs by an average of 35% annually.” These concrete details and stories bring your benefits to life.
Use Simple and Scannable Copy
Your readers have short attention spans, so keep your copy concise and impactful. Use simple words and short sentences and paragraphs. Break up long blocks of text with headings, bulleted lists, images, and white space. Make important points bold or in larger font for easy scanning. Your copy should be optimized for both quick skimming and attentive reading.
Following these principles will help you craft landing page copy that resonates with your readers and convinces them your offer is worth their time and money. Keep your copy benefit-focused, highlight the most significant benefits, appeal to emotions and logic, provide concrete evidence, and keep it simple and scannable.
Landing Page Copy: Including Social Proof to Build Trust and Credibility
To build trust and credibility on your landing page, include social proof. This is evidence from credible outside sources that validate the claims and benefits of your offer. When visitors see social proof, it helps alleviate skepticism and makes them more likely to convert.
Some effective types of social proof for landing pages include:
•Customer testimonials: Feature quotes from satisfied customers discussing their experience with your product or service. Include a photo of the customer, their name, title and company to add legitimacy.
•Media mentions: If your company or product has been featured in reputable media publications, include their logos on your page. You can also quote positive excerpts from the media coverage. This lends third-party credibility.
•Case studies: In-depth stories of how a customer achieved success or overcame a challenge using your solution. Case studies are highly persuasive and help build trust.
•Ratings and reviews: If you have a rating on a trusted third-party site like Trustpilot or G2 Crowd, display your score prominently on the page. Also include excerpts from the top reviews.
•Social shares and followers: The number of followers, likes, and shares you have on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn demonstrates your authority and popularity. Display counts of these on your landing page.
•Certifications and awards: Any industry certifications, accolades or awards that your company or product has earned will strengthen your credibility. Prominently feature them on your landing page.
•Press logos: If reputable media organizations have covered or endorsed your company in some form, include their publication logos on your landing page. This taps into their brand equity.
Using several of these elements on your page helps build a convincing case and address any objections visitors may have about purchasing from your company. Combine social proof with a clear value proposition, and you’ll have a winning landing page.
Landing Page Copy: Optimizing Your Landing Page Copy for Search Engines
To optimize your landing page copy for search engines, focus on the following elements:
Keywords
Include important keywords, related terms, and phrases in your page title, headings, and body copy. Place primary keywords in your page title, H1 heading, and first paragraph. Use secondary keywords in subsequent headings and throughout the content. Include keyword variations (e.g. singular/plural forms) and synonyms.
Page Title
Your page title appears at the top of the browser and search results. It should be an H1 heading and include your target primary keyword. Keep it under 60 characters.
Headings
Use H2 and H3 headings to break up your content into logical sections. Include keywords and related terms in your headings. Headings also make your content more scannable for both search engines and readers.
Body Copy
In the body of your landing page, focus on educating the reader and clearly communicating the benefits of your offer. Use the keywords in a natural way, varying the wording and placement. Aim for at least 300 but no more than 500 words on your landing page.
Meta Description
The meta description is the snippet of text below the page title in search results. It should be between 150 to 160 characters and include your target keyword, a compelling summary of the page content, and a call-to-action.
Image Optimization
Include an eye-catching image that illustrates your offer or product. Use relevant keywords in the image filename, alt text, title, and caption. Optimize your image size for fast loading.
Following these best practices will optimize your landing page copy for search engines and increase organic traffic and conversions. Focus on reader experience and your keywords to build a persuasive page. With time and testing, you’ll gain valuable insights into what resonates best with your audience.
Conclusion
As you have seen, writing effective landing page copy requires focusing on your audience and their key motivations. Appealing to emotions, building credibility, and offering a strong call-to-action are all techniques that, when combined, can lead visitors to convert into customers. However, the most important element is ensuring your copy is concise, compelling, and speaks to the needs and desires of your target market. If you follow these principles, you’ll be well on your way to crafting landing page copy that sells. The next step is to start writing, get feedback, and keep optimizing and improving your copy over time based on key metrics and responses. With practice, you can master the art of persuasive yet authentic copywriting.