Here’s the situation: You’ve designed a stellar landing page.
After hours of painstaking layout changes, color choices, and image selections, you can finally say that you’re ready to start adding copy that converts visitors into customers.
But as you sit down at your keyboard, you’re left with one nagging question in the back of your mind: Where do I begin with landing page copy?
Making a landing page look good is one thing, but copy is a different animal entirely. Words can draw someone in and convert them into clients, or they can fall flat and push away valuable visitors.
If you struggle to make magic happen when it comes to word wizardry, it’s alright! Some days, the words flow out like water, and on others, it feels like you’re trudging through the swamps of Dagobah in search of a literary Yoda.
At Carter & Custer, we have a team of wordsmiths who seemingly generate syllabic sorcery on command, and we’d probably make a fortune if we could bottle their talent. That being said, you’re in the right place if you’re looking for inspiration about creating copy that converts.
This article will reveal some of our secrets when it comes to delivering copy that makes an impact. So come along with us as we unpack the elements of compelling landing page copy, look at what you can do to tackle your text boxes, and study what it takes to increase your conversion rate via copy.
The Elements of Effective Landing Page Copy
You need a good framework to build your landing page copy around.
Not all landing pages are created equal, but they tend to have some similarities. When you break down the text on an effective landing page, you’ll notice a handful of essential elements.
There’s always a headline that catches the reader’s eye, a body of text explaining why the reader should get involved with the brand, social proof that shows how your product or service makes an impact, and a call to action that compels the reader to make a purchase or learn more about the product.
Eye-Catching Headlines
Now, you may be thinking, What does eye-catching even mean in this case? And you’d be justified in asking that question.
Everyone has an opinion about what’s interesting, but there are a few things you can do when creating a headline to grab the reader’s attention and encourage them to keep scrolling down your landing page.
- Be more specific: Throw out the idea that a vague headline may be intriguing enough to hold someone’s attention. You want to strike a balance between excitement and information to make your headlines pop.
- Focus on the Reader: Focus on your readers by telling them why they should care, and try to avoid headlines that include the word “we.” You want to begin your headlines with a verb or the word “you” to show that you’re invested in their success, not yours.
- Use headlines to create structure: Use your headlines and subheadings to make the landing page skimmable. Even if your readers don’t soak in every word of your copy, the headlines will help them understand the purpose of your page.
When you can combine intrigue with information and stay focused on the reader, your headlines will help to increase your conversion rate in no time!
A Well-Built Body
No, we’re not talking about health improvements here. You need to create a body of text that gets straight to the point and informs your reader of why they want your product.
Remember that your landing page visitors aren’t looking for your story of how you created your services or products here. They want to know how your offerings can improve their lives if they buy them. So keep a few things in mind as you write the body copy for your landing page.
- Keep your paragraphs short: In school, we’re taught that paragraphs should have an opening and closing sentence with at least three detailed sentences sandwiched between them — throw that idea out the window when you’re creating a landing page. Long blocks of text can kill the interest in your product and encourage your reader to leave.
- Focus on the reader: Yes, we used this tip in the headline, but it’s important to keep the trend going in the body copy as well. When you stay focused on the reader, your copy will show the reader why your product matters in their lives. Ignoring your reader and talking about your brand can keep the reader from connecting with the product.
- Get to the point: You need to stay concise in presenting your product, which means getting straight to the point in your landing page copy. Always keep in mind that less is more when you’re trying to convince someone to buy something from you.
Sticking to these guidelines will develop compelling body copy that drives your landing page visitors toward your product instead of allowing them to make a U-turn along the way.
Confidence-Building Social Proof
You want your landing page visitors to be confident in your product before clicking the “Sign Me Up” or “Buy Now” button. One excellent way to do that is by using social proof.
When we say “social proof,” we’re talking about what previous customers or clients have to say about your product or service, but client testimonials are hard to come by if your product hasn’t launched. We suggest trying one of these methods to get people talking about your product.
- Offer product or service trials before launch: People love free samples! If you can get people testing in exchange for a review before you launch the landing page, you will have a stock of client testimonials to choose from when building your page.
- Provide plenty of survey opportunities: Surveys are everywhere, and if you don’t believe us, use the self-checkout at Walmart. A simple one to five-star ranking that you can attach to the description of your product will build your social proof.
- Use social media to your advantage: Your social media pages are an excellent place to find out how your product tracks with the masses and build your social proof — “social” is the first word of both terms, after all. Comments and likes on posts about your product can be used on your landing page to show people that your offerings are desirable.
Getting people behind your product is essential to increasing the conversion rate on your landing pages. The more you can build trust with your audience, the more likely they will click through to purchase your product, sign up for your service, or join your contact list!
Compelling Calls to Action
Even if you haven’t put thought into creating a call to action, or CTA, you have probably created one in the past without realizing it. Calls to action are exactly what they sound like — phrases that compel the reader to do something.
Your CTA seals the deal with your prospects and generally includes that final button you want your readers to click. The following tips can help you build CTAs that make your visitors click your buttons and turn them from browsers to converts.
- Avoid being boring: Your CTA will often integrate into the button on your landing page. To avoid the same-old-same-old, don’t use worn-out buttons like “Sign Up” or “Join Now.” Instead, choose something that inspires action, such as “Get Started Today” or “I Want My [Insert Product Name Here] Now.”
- Focus on the reader: They say the third time’s a charm, so we’re slipping this rule in one more time. Always keep your focus on the reader. Use language that makes the call to action feel like something they want to do, not something you’re telling them to do.
- Stick to one CTA: Your landing page should only drive your visitors to do one thing. For example, you may want them to purchase a product. If that’s your end goal, don’t try to get them to purchase a product, join your email list, and write a review all at once — it won’t work.
Developing effective CTAs is a skill that requires a bit of honing, so don’t get discouraged if it takes a couple of tries to really make an impact with them. We think Edward Hickson said it best — “If, at first, you don’t succeed, try, try again.”
Three Questions to Ask Before You Write Your Landing Page Copy
You need to know what direction you’re going before you start to write your landing page copy.
Stream-of-consciousness writing may work for some things, but you don’t want to let your landing page follow rabbit trails until it’s complete. Your landing pages will stand out to your visitors when you have a solid plan and ask the right questions.
We recommend that you ask yourself the following questions before getting started on your landing page to know exactly where you’re going and what you want to say before you start:
#1: What Is My Information Hierarchy?
“Information hierarchy” may sound like a complicated term, but it’s really a fancy way of saying that you need a plan. A well-laid-out landing page nudges your page visitors in the right direction and helps you create copy that drives them to buy your product or sign up for your service.
Start making your information hierarchy by listing out the points you want to make a priority. As you lay them out on your landing page, they should stand out more according to their rank.
For example, number one on your priority list should be in the headline so it stands out the most. Then, you need to add your second point into the subheadings, followed by your other points in the body copy.
This structure keeps your reader’s eye where you want it to be as they scan your landing page. If your page is easily scannable, your visitors will be more likely to become converts.
#2: What’s the Goal?
This question goes hand in hand with creating your information hierarchy. You need to have a goal to develop landing page copy that makes an impact, and that goal should be more specific than increasing your conversion rate.
Yes, increasing your conversion rate is the end game, but you need a smaller goal for each landing page you create. Some examples of smaller landing page goals include offering a promotion for a product, getting your potential client to sign up for an online course, or convincing readers to become a part of your contact list.
Keep in mind that your goal needs to be easily attainable for your page visitors. You don’t need a blank form that requests your visitor’s address, phone number, and life story on your page.
You just need something that gets them to your ultimate goal for the page. A simple call to action button or a space to submit their email address is generally all you need to achieve your goal successfully.
#3: What’s in It for Me?
You need to ask this question from your potential customer’s perspective. One mistake we often make when trying to sell something is focusing too much on the product itself.
A product-centric approach can often come across as detached or dull, and it doesn’t pull your potential buyers in from the beginning.
Instead of focusing on what you’re offering, ask yourself what your offer does to benefit the customer. A benefits-focused approach connects prospects with why your product will make a difference in their lives rather than what your product is.
When that connection happens, your prospective converted customer will be more likely to click.