A landing page is one of the fundamental components of content marketing. These tips for composing compelling copy for a landing page will help you to master this marketing tool.
What Is A Landing Page
The main goal of a landing page is to get visitors to take a specific action. When this happens, it is called a conversion. The action could be downloading a free ebook, subscribing to a newsletter, setting up a free consultation or making a purchase at a discounted price. Visitors land on this page by clicking on an advertisement, an opt-in button or an offer in an email.
For a marketing perspective, the landing page is the focal point - the bottom of the funnel. The reason content exists is to create the excitement and trust that will lead visitors to respond to an offer. That is why it is import to write compelling copy for the landing page. You don't want to drop the ball just as you are about to cross the goal line.
Tips for Compelling Copy
Now that you understand the importance of the landing page in content marketing, here are a few tips for writing compelling copy for these pages.
Be Clear
- Confusing copy is a conversion killer. No one is going to respond if they cannot figure out what the offer is.
- Use clear language that communicates your point. If you can be clever, that is a plus. But don't sacrifice clarity for cleverness.
- Avoid using industry jargon that your reader may not understand.
- Make sure that your copy is scan-able. People often don't carefully read text on a website, they just look at the headlines and bullet points. So make sure your headlines and bullets clearly explain the offer.
Be Engaging
- Address the reader. Use the second person to engage the reader directly.
- Use action-oriented words. Action verbs give clear instructions to your reader. They guide the reader to do something.
- Create urgency by using words like "now" and "today." If the offer has a time limit, be sure to mention it to convey that the visitor should act now.
- Unbounce's offer of a free course on landing pages is really clear and engaging. The benefits of taking the course are clear from the headline. Action-oriented verbs are used to engage the reader about the content of the course. The call-to-action expresses urgency, asking the reader to start the course now.
Add Value
- Customers make decisions based on the perceived value of the offer. You must focus on the value that the customer will receive from the offer.
- In other words, show how the offer will solve a problem for the customer. For example, pest control companies should not spell out the technical details of how their pest control system works. Consumers really want to know that the company will take care of their bug problem and preserve their home from damage.
- The traditional copyrighting advice applies here: focus on benefits and not features. Describe the benefits and value that the visitor will get.
- Check out the landing page for Freckle, a time management tool. The copy goes right to the pain point of many businesses: the difficulty of keeping track of time spent on projects. It then offers a set of benefits for users. They could have stronger headlines and more scan-able copy to improve the page. Notice the strong and clear CTA at the bottom of the page.
Use a Strong Call-To-Action
- The call-to-action (CTA) is the point where you ask the visitor to respond. It is the moment of truth for a marketer.
- The CTA should be clear and strong. Phrases like "Download Your Free eBook now!" or "Schedule Your Free Consultation Today!" are good examples.
- Make sure that all CTAs on the page are the same. Don't include links to both a "contact us" page and a "schedule free consultation" page. Using different CTAs on the same page sends mixed messages.
- The landing page for Webprofits, an Australian online marketing agency, has a strong offer with a solid CTA. They are offering an analysis of the visitor's website that is worth $197 for free. Note the urgency expressed in the final CTA where it says "Get a free analysis now." The text uses a lot of SEO jargon, so it may be confusing for the layman.
Armed with these tips, you are ready to start writing high-converting landing pages.
