Even if you can’t define a landing page, chances are you have not only seen one, but you’ve used one to enter a contest or gain access to a free guide or a whitepaper.

So, what exactly is a landing page and how could it benefit your business?

A landing page is a webpage with that offers something of value in exchange for the user’s contact information. At its most basic, the page includes a headline, a short description of the offer and a contact form. Having at least one active landing page on your site could help you add prospects to your database who you can nurture and turn into customers.

What could you offer to achieve your landing page goal?

Depending on the nature of your business, your offer to potential customers could be anything from a discount code for a product you sell to a whitepaper about the latest marketing trends. Think about what your ideal customer would want that you are able to provide. It should be something of high enough perceived value that your prospects would be willing to part with their precious contact information to get.

Also take into consideration what you’re looking to achieve with the landing page. Do you want customers to come into your store? Do you want more leads so that your sales team can pitch your newest software? Your offer should align with your goal for the page, which means it should go after your target audience and be an item those people would find useful.

If you’re a local retailer, maybe you want potential customers to opt in to receive your e-newsletter and ultimately to become regulars. An effective offer could be a discount code or a free gift. For business-to-business companies, a more appropriate offer might be a free trial of software or a whitepaper that speaks to one of their known pain points.

Try to avoid giveaways for items like an iPad (unless you sell iPad accessories). You will likely gain a lot of names and email addresses, but most won’t be good prospects for you. They’re just people who want to win a free Apple product. Tailor your offer to your company and your potential customers for the best outcome.

How do you create the landing page?

There are several steps to creating an effective landing page. The following will cover most, if not all, of the tasks you will need to accomplish.

Eight steps:

1. Develop the offer, if it doesn’t already exist.
2. Engage your web developer and/or graphic designer to help you develop and design the page. Note: You will want to make sure the page displays well on desktop computers, tablets and mobile devices. View some current examples on HubSpot’s blog.
3. Write a catchy headline that also explains or reiterates the offer.
4. Craft a short description of the item of value, possibly using bullet points.
5. Display an image representing the offer. If it’s an ebook, use the cover. If it’s a free gift, show that.
6. Create the form. Consider the minimum amount of information you need or want from your lead. Generally, you will at least want an email address. Name and phone number are additional common form fields. Be careful not to ask for too much information to avoid causing people to abandon the form.
7. Develop an email or a series of emails that will be sent out to your new leads. You should at least have a welcome email ready to go before you start promoting the landing page. The first email should include the discount code or the link to download the item, as well as a thank-you message.
8. Test the page once it’s built. This means filling out the form and making sure it works on both ends. It also means sending it to people inside your company and colleagues, friends and family, especially those who represent your target audience. Get their feedback on everything from verbiage to colors to the offer itself.

What’s next?

Promote the landing page so that you can attract your targeted audience. You can do this in many ways. Social media posts, social media ads and Google ads are just a few free or low-cost options. You can also re-engage dormant customers by emailing them the link to the landing page.

If you still have questions and want assistance creating a landing page offer and its content, contact us at klg communications, llc.