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A well-designed landing page leads to excellent lead conversion, so it’s important to get it right.

The 5 elements below are the core ingredients of a successful landing page that’s focused on driving conversions:

1. A unique selling proposition (USP)
2. A hero image or video
3. The benefits of your offering
4. Some form of social proof
5. A single conversion goal (or your call to action)

1. Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

This must be the first section on the screen, and needs to focus on copy that clearly and powerfully describes how your product or service delivers value, and why it’s better or different from competitors.

A great way of thinking about it is to answer the question “What makes our product or service offering special?”

If you can answer this in a succinct and compelling way, customers will understand the value and benefit you provide.

Your USP description needs to be set out in the following way:

1. The main headline
   Keep this punchy and direct. The shorter the better, and aim to clearly describe what the customer will gain.
   
2. Headline supporting copy
   Just like the headline, the shorter the better here as well. However this copy is where you can provide additional information to back up and further expand on the statement in your headline.

2. The Hero Image or Video

This rich media sits behind the Headline and Supporting copy, so it’s imperative to be mindful of the following:

1. The image or video needs a “non-focus” area for the copy to be positioned on top of.
   So if using an image, select a landscape photo that has an area where text can fit without having to sit on top of the main focus of the media (i.e. a photo where the copy sits on top of a person’s head isn’t going to work).
   
   If using a video, make sure the video can sit in the background as a textural feature that communicates and supports the copy, but doesn’t compete with it. Also ensure the video is void of any text.
   
2. The image or video should show the context of your USP.
   For the imagery to have maximum impact, it should communicate the context of your product or service to assist it communicate the value and benefits communicated in your USP copy.
   
   So if your selling something that improves the quality of people’s lives, show an image or video of this occurring.
   
3. 1st impressions count big time.
   Make sure the image or video you use has visual impact and is on brand. If you use something that is poor quality or doesn’t paint your product or service in a professional and connected way to your USP copy, you’ve got an uphill battle from the outset to convert the prospect.

Focus on copy that clearly and powerfully describes how your product or service delivers value, and why it’s better or different from competitors.

3. Features and Benefits

No matter how good your USP Headline and Supporting Copy is, you’ll need back up information to seal the deal. This is where the Features and Benefits section comes in, and it’s focused on communicating the quality and/or impact your product or service provides.

As a general rule, it pays to communicate the features and benefits together, as this provides the ability to enhance the persuasion you need to convert. Always lead with the benefit first though, as this communicates the value.

When defining the content for this section, remember the difference between features and benefits:

1. A benefit describes a positive impact your product or service delivers.
   This is the value the product or service provides; how it helps improve people’s lives in some way.
   
2. A feature is a specific quality of your product or service.
   A feature is a specific component or mechanism that delivers the benefit; how the benefit is achieved.

For example:
“The tastiest ice-block this summer is made from real fruit.”

4. Social Proof

Social Proof has become one of the most important elements in converting customers. The reason is that people are naturally skeptical – and for good reason – as it’s easy to say anything in marketing copy.

Social Proof however allows you to prove what you are saying is legitimate.

Nothing beats positive customer reviews or testimonials. Make sure though that you use real customers showing their real names and photographs (it’s very easy these days to spot the fakes).

If you can’t get real customer reviews, the following methods are also very good:

1. Short case studies (make sure these are succinct and displayed in the landing page – do not link to case studies on other pages within your website).
2. Logos of companies using your product.
3. Customer Review scores from reputable sites like Yelp, Amazon, or Google – again though, make sure you display these in the landing page and don’t link directly to the external sites.

5. A Conversion Goal (Your Call to Action)

This is the action that allows the person to convert.

Leads = enquiries form

If you are service company looking for new client leads, a short and simple enquiries form is what you’ll need to capture the lead’s contact details.

Keep the form simple though and only ask the minimum amount of information required. Always remember that the more fields your form has, the less likely it is to be submitted.

So ask yourself “What is the key piece of information we need?” to follow up on this lead?

99% of the time an email is all you need, as this gives you direct ability to actively follow-up and begin further discussion with the prospect. In a lot of cases the email will also inform you of the person’s name and company they work for.

But if you’re compelled to get more information than an email, never have more than these 4 fields:

• Name
• Company
• Email
• Telephone

Sales = standalone “Buy” or “More info” button

If you are selling a product, you’ll want a standalone button to either allow the prospect to buy immediately or be taken to a detailed eCommerce product page where the sale can be completed.

Make sure this conversion button is clear and stands out. A good rule of thumb is to use a background colour that contrasts with other colour/s on your landing page; you want this to stand out.

Social Proof has become one of the most important elements in converting customers, as it allows you to prove what you are saying is legitimate.

One more thing…Only ever have 1 link on the page

Your landing page can only ever have one link – and that’s the Conversion Goal’s ‘call to action’.

So make sure you remove all other navigation links from the page, because if you provide links away from the page, there’s a huge probability the viewer will click them and lose focus of your call to action, and in doing so, not return to the landing page and complete your conversion goal.

So this means:

• Only 1 form on the page, or
• Only one standalone button, and
• Removal of all other website navigation links