Landing Page Tips Part 5: How to Write a Landing Page that Converts

Most people have no idea how to write a landing page that
converts. Instead, they slop together elements that they have
seen used in other landing pages – but usually do not put them
together in the same way the owner of the successful landing
page did.

One major problem is copy. And that's fine. Not everyone is
going to be an excellent writer – nevermind a copywriter.
But as someone selling a product or trying to build a list, it is
important that you know your strengths and weaknesses –
and that you either spend the time to overcome them or hire
someone else to do it for you.

With copywriting, for instance, it is important to use a mix of
compelling sales points with powerful psychological triggers.
Most people who create a salespage miss either one or both of
those elements.

For instance, they might concentrate so much on building hype
that they don't actually explain what solution they are providing
– and for whom they are providing it. If I don't have a specific
problem that your product solves, why would I buy it? I wouldn't.

Now, if they fail to sprinkle in psychological triggers, such as
“scientifically proven,” “guaranteed,” and “shocking,” no one will
feel compelled to continue reading, as the benefits will have a
low or average perceived value.

In addition to these two problems, some salespages lack coherency
and direction. The copy looks amateurish and it doesn't slowly
grind forward, breaking down the visitor's resistance to the sale
– and compelling him or her to buy more and more at each sales
point.

Additionally, if there aren't multiple calls to action – another
form of psychological trigger – then a potential visitor might
never feel compelled enough to pull out his or her credit card
on the spot and make the purchase.

In addition to careful copywriting, there are other important
things you must take into consideration when writing a landing
page that converts. For instance, it is important to build a
compelling case for a time-bound offer.

Now, this doesn't mean you have to invent fake deadlines and
constantly revise them each week. This is a good way to guarantee
your complete loss of credibility in the shortest amount of time
possible.

However, when planning your copy, you will want to make sure
that you constantly urge the reader to act immediately by
inserting a number of “calls to action,” as I've mentioned
previously.

You may want to consider using fly-ins or pop-ups to create
more urgency – or to make a time-bound offer. Perhaps you can
use a countdown to build urgency (i.e., when someone arrives
at your landing page, they have five minutes to purchase the
product at the lowest price).

Now, if you're creating a squeeze page, you might want to
employ slightly different tactics. Rather than building a
compelling case with multiple triggers and calls to action
over the course of 1000 words, you may want to simply
condense that all into a compelling headline and one paragraph
of “benefits.”

For a completely free-to-join squeeze page, you more than
likely wont have a considerable amount of resistance to
joining, unless the visitor:
1. Doesn't see any benefits, and
2. Suspects that you will sell their email address to spammers.

Both of these problems are relatively easy to overcome.
In your headline, simply state the exact benefits they will
receive for joining – as always, mixing in psychological triggers.
In your first paragraph of copy, give them a compelling reason
to join now (i.e., the price might go up, the list might become
private, you'll get this amazing report).

Now, to overcome the second problems, simply include a short
line under your opt-in form that explains that you will not –
under any circumstances – spam them or sell or give away their
email address and name.

Part 6 to follow...
Click here to read Part 4

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