We all know attention spans are fleeting and competition is fierce. So a well-crafted landing page can be a massive help when you’re trying to work out if your marketing efforts are falling flat or not.
Whether you’re promoting a product, service, or just trying to capture leads, a landing page serves as a customised digital storefront – rather than your “one-size-fits-all” homepage. Let us explain what we actually mean by that…
1. What is a landing page
A landing page is a single, dedicated page on your website that users visit – or “land” on – after clicking a specific link in an email, ad, search engine result, etc. The primary purpose of a landing page is to convert visitors by encouraging a particular action or response. So, landing pages tend to be designed with this specific goal in mind. They often use more media, along with highly targeted marketing content, a single call to action, and minimal distractions – sometimes even hiding the usual navigation, as that alone can pull attention away.
This makes a landing page quite different from your homepage, where you’re aiming to attract a broader audience and give them an “amuse-bouche” of your entire business.
2. First impressions matter
We’re gonna conjure up a particularly terrible example here but, bear with – it’s to make a point.
Imagine you’re searching for a new pair of jeans. If you don’t like jeans, just replace “jeans” with any item of clothing you do like. Whatever it is, we’ve all got that one item of clothing we love so much that we wish we’d bought two at the time. Anyway, you’re trying to find a new one.
You walk into a shop on your local high street – outside it says it sells jeans, specifically the exact brand you are looking for. Once you walk in, you’re immediately hit with a wall of jumpers. Everywhere, as far as the eye can see: jumpers. You don’t want jumpers. You want your damn jeans. The aisles are dark, and there are piles of abandoned clothes everywhere. It looks like far too much effort to fight through, so you probably turn around and walk straight out again. Bit like the Primark experience tbh.
Anyway, the same principle applies to your online presence. Your landing page is quite likely going to be the first interaction a visitor has with your brand, and it sets the tone for their entire experience.
A well-designed and user-friendly landing page makes a positive first impression – with any luck – enticing visitors to explore further.
In this way, landing pages and homepages share some characteristics. Whereas your homepage is a general “catch all,” your landing page serves to target and capture very specific people and responses.
3. Conversion catalyst
(Yeah, we know. That’s an awful, buzz-wordy, subheading. But it’s relevant.)
The primary goal of any landing page is to convert visitors into customers, subscribers, or leads. Unlike a homepage – which usually tries to do a bit of everything – a landing page is all about one specific call-to-action (CTA). By cutting out the distractions and highlighting that one thing you want people to do, you’re giving them a clear, simple path to follow. Whether it’s making a purchase, filling out a form, or signing up to your newsletter, the aim is to guide them there as smoothly as possible.
There are loads of ways to do this. Some approaches work better than others, and it often depends on who you’re talking to. Think about the type of content that’ll encourage your visitors to take action – maybe it’s an infographic, a short video, an animation, or even a side-by-side comparison with similar products. Whatever it is, make it count.
4. Targeted marketing
Landing pages are tailor-made for targeted marketing. When someone clicks on a specific ad or link, they should land on a page that lines up exactly with what caught their interest in the first place. That kind of smooth, “yep, this is what I was looking for” experience makes a big difference.
It means they’re not left confused or disappointed – they’re getting exactly what they expected. And, with any luck, this means they’re much more likely to engage with you (and hopefully give you their money).
5. Data and analytics insights
Landing pages are an absolute goldmine when it comes to data. You can see exactly how people are interacting with the page – what’s grabbing their attention, what they’re ignoring, and where they’re dropping off. Metrics like bounce rate, time on page, and conversion rate give you a clear picture of what’s hitting the mark (and what’s not).
And that means you can make changes that actually make a difference. A/B testing different headlines, layouts, buttons, or even images lets you fine-tune things and steadily improve results. (For more on A/B testing, check out our previous blog post here.)
Landing pages shouldn’t be “set and forget.” As you learn about your customers – and how they behave during your campaigns – you should be tweaking and adjusting your landing page. If people aren’t staying on your landing page, that means you’re not captivating them. So look at adjusting your design and messaging. If users aren’t clicking on your calls to action, then your value proposition (i.e. your offer) might not be convincing enough.
And if people are sticking around but still not converting? It could be the way you’re asking them to engage. Maybe they don’t want to have to pick up the phone, or perhaps they don’t like the idea of filling out your contact form. So try a variety of different engagement methods. Direct messaging, an email, or perhaps a reward or freebie for submitting your contact form are options you could explore.
The point is: keep testing, keep tweaking, and pay attention to what’s working (and what isn’t).
6. Building trust and credibility
Trust is everything online, and your landing page plays a big part in building it. A well-designed page with clear, honest content gives people confidence in what you’re offering. Things like testimonials and reviews help too – they show you’re credible.
When people feel secure and trust your brand, they’re far more likely to stick around, click that button, and become long-term customers.
Always chase down reviews, shout outs, tags, anything and everything that gets people talking about you or your product positively. You may have 100 word of mouth champions, but, on the web, they don’t exist if Google can’t see the reviews. It’s never too late to go back to an old customer or client and ask for a review. Start building your credibility now and you’ll see it pay off ten fold further down the road, which in turn will help your landing page performance.
7. Mobile optimisation matters
The majority of internet users (over 60%) access content on mobile devices, so having a mobile-friendly landing page isn’t negotiable. A responsive design makes sure that your landing page looks and functions well across various screen sizes – which means no one should have a crappy experience of your site.
It’s not going to do you any favours if someone taps a link on their phone and your landing page falls apart – or looks like a total mess. So think mobile first. Think about that limited screen space and how to make the most of it. A smooth mobile experience isn’t just nice to have – it’s essential. We’ve even got a couple of blogs for you on that: “Why mobile-first design matters: don’t let your site suck on small screens” and “How to design for mobile-first: 7 essential tips.“
So is a landing page right for you?
A landing page isn’t just a box-ticking exercise – it’s a seriously useful tool that can make a big difference to how your online efforts perform. When it’s done well – with a clean design, a clear call-to-action, and content that actually speaks to your audience – it sets you up for real results.
They’re especially handy if you’re launching a new campaign or promotion. Not only do landing pages give you a focused space to direct your traffic, but they also give you proper data on what’s working (and what’s not). Plus, they seriously boost your chances of turning curious visitors into actual customers.
Think a landing page might be right for you? (Spoiler: it probably is.) We’d love to help. Take advantage of our ever-popular, always-free advice – and let’s chat.