A website landing page is a standalone web page designed to capture a visitor’s attention! The purpose of a website landing page is to encourage a specific action, this can include signing up or subscribing to emails, better still purchasing a product or service and to enable easier business contact. As website designers in Melbourne, Confetti Design are often asked to design a landing page that converts. To do that, we recommend the landing page focuses on a single goal or offer, with clear messaging, visuals and a strong call to action.
This is an important part of website design as you build a landing page instead of sending traffic to your homepage because it is focused on that single goal, such as generating leads or sales, without distractions. Website homepages are designed for exploration, while landing pages are optimised for conversion — guiding visitors toward one clear call to action.
Website Landing Page in Detail
Let’s explore landing pages in more detail. A landing page is the page that visitors see after clicking on your Facebook ad, promotional email or if you provided a link in a traditional marketing piece – flyers, handouts etc. It can be a specific page on your website or a separate page created exclusively for search engines. A landing page is designed to direct visitors to take a specific action, such as making a purchase, completing a registration, or subscribing to your mailing list.
When the team at Confetti design a website, time is spent considering the client, their business personality, brand and most importantly, their customers. Every website design element must meet these 2 criteria. The desired result is for the pages to connect with the visitor so they will feel trust and thus pick the phone or act.
When it comes to designing a landing page or sales page we have to consider the key elements to convert a visitor into a targeted action – that action of signing up and paying on the spot.
These two website goals may sound the same but when it comes to web design, copy and photography they are subtly different. This is no better time to employ a copywriter with landing page expertise.
Lets look at the 9 key elements of Website Design to convert your Landing Page
Headline
For a high converting landing page, the website design for the headline must be very visible. It is the first thing your website visitor sees and it must offer a benefit. Keep your headline succinct, straight to the point and create urgency for the website visitor to act there and then.
Ensure your website landing page headline it is the same headline you are using in the ads or the links that get your customer to this landing page. Your prospective customers have acted on a headline, it is best not to confuse them into thinking they have been directed to an incorrect page by being tricky with your headlines.
Supporting sub-headline
A website landing page sub-headline will give visitors a reason to read your entire copy, instead of skimming or scanning it. Keep repeating this sub-headline to reinforce the benefit and to give context to the attention grabbing main headline. Always use simple language.
One focal point
The brain processes visual information quicker than text. Just as an artist or interior designer always has one feature you notice more so should your landing page. Always add a visual focus to your landing page, such as your headshot, the product or a short video of benefits.
One call to action
The purpose of a landing page it to convert a visitor to take ONE specific action.
The action needs to be highly visible as a button to subscribe, download, purchase, share or a form to complete. More options you offer of actions the less you will see convert. The language needs to be simple and clear. The colour you choose as the ‘call-to-action’ button may need to be tested. HERE is another blog about the use of colour that will help. It is ok to use this ‘call-to-action’ several times on your website landing page, just don’t keep changing or having different CTA’s.
Remove distractions
When visitors come to your website, they tend to click on different pages and navigate around your website. A well designed landing or sales page there is no navigation, no clutter, menu’s, links or extra buttons. The purpose is for the visitor to see the benefits, identify as someone who needs the solution you offer and then act on that message. You don’t want them navigation away or delaying with confusing messaging.
In particular these are landing page website design you should exclude from your landing page:
a. links to other parts of your website such as “about” or “contact”
b. any pictures or images that don’t relate to the offer; these will only serve as distractions
c. small sized font, must be at least 14 px
d. any links along the lines of “click here to subscribe” or “click here to read more.” If your website design can’t include all your content into the upper fold of your landing page, just let the user scroll down. Scrolling is almost always better than clicking to the next page.
e. cumbersome forms with too many unnecessary fields such as “title” or “fax” – just get the least amount of information to effect the action – purchase or sign up
f. “clear fields” button
There are always exceptions and you usually can’t copy best practices to use on your site, but this advice given here should be your starting point. Get the essentials in place first, and tweak from there.
Customer/client testimonials or social proof
Add in testimonials as part of your landing page website design to prove what you are offering. Testimonials can overcome barriers to purchase. See my blog HERE for more on that.
Maintain your brand
Keep your landing page looking as similar to your website is good design. Your brand is still communicating all the principles of your business and connecting in the same way, we are guiding visitors to act more definitively on a sales or landing page. Keep the consistency of colours, fonts – the overall look and feel of your main website. This will enforce the brand awareness on your website.
Length of Landing Page
Do I need a long or short landing page design? Answer these questions: How much money are you asking for or how complex is the decision making process? How much emotion is involved? Or what level of anxiety is involved? The rule of thumb is the more you ask for the longer the website landing page. The greater investment emotionally or time or financially the more you will need to include.
Testing for Conversion
You need to always test what colours, copy and images you have used and are they working. There is no magic wand as your customers will respond to your website landing page offering differently to others. Here are a couple of guides to help you understand A/B testing:
1. The Ultimate Guide To A/B Testing
2. What is A/B Testing?
We have identified the 9 key principles in website design as part of your landing page. Finally, you need to ensure you don’t break these 2 web design rules before you go live:
Rule #1: Never send website traffic to your home page
To get people to your sales or landing page you will need to advertise, market it on social media or traditional print or email marketing. The purpose of the website landing page is create the urgency and get the customer to act, therefore you never drive traffic onto your website’s home page. The design of your website homepage has a navigation where the visitor will go wandering and can easily exit before finding your offer.
Rule #2: Design your landing page so it is relevant to YOUR customer.
We have just seconds before a website visitor makes a decision about whether our offer is useful or relevant. They will click away if they can’t find what they want or if it doesn’t entice easily without effort on their part. Confusion or miss-targeting will result in abandonment and no sales or sign ups.
Rather than let that happen, make the few seconds you have their attention count and answer the questions that are on their mind:
Does this website have what I am looking for?
Does this business understand what I want?
Is there enough information to make an informed decision?
Can I trust this person / business or product?
How long & much will this all take?
Great web design for your landing page must entice visitors to stay and complete the action for conversion, whether that be filling out a subscription form or buying a product. Before you send your request off to your web designer to get working on your landing page get the copy right. Sit down and create it on a blank page with a pen and map it out and answer these 2 questions.
This will save you lots of time.
Question 1: Who is my target audience?
Make sure the landing page talks to a specific audience. Know the problem, the need and want your target audience has. You want to write the words with a particular person in mind.
If aren’t too sure about this then Johannah’s Clarity Process is a must. Read about the effectiveness here in identifying your competitive advantage and defining who your target customer is.
Question 2: What do I want the website visitor to do?
Define your desired action as part of the web design. This is the one action people should take when landing on the page. What is the sole outcome you want for this page? Opt-in to build your list, purchase a product, attend a webinar?
Question 3: What is my message?
You know your audience, the problem they have and the solution you can offer, write a simple and an easily understood message. This message will need to be tested but you have to start somewhere but above all else be straight forward, keep the tricky language out!
Once you have these you can either send it to a website designer in Melbourne, like me! Or do it yourself by following the 7 key principles above.
Good luck and don’t forget that effective web design for your landing page is to constantly test and measure!
Below is an info graphic to give you a visual representation of how our web design principles will work in action.
Ready to Set Up Your Landing Page?
Are you about start a Google Ads or Social Media marketing campaign. Have you got an existing online store that would benefit from an expertly designed landing page?
As website design and website development experts in Melbourne, we’re passionate about helping business owners with their website conversion. Confetti Design will work with you to prioritise your goals while being sensitive to your budget.
Our team has extensive web design, development and marketing experience and can walk you through your landing page options.
Give us a call or ‘Enquire Now‘ to talk with our website design experts in Melbourne.
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