Long copy landing pages can generate up to 220% more leads than landing pages with above-the-fold CTAs (Wordstream).
“All my experience says that for a great many products, long copy sells more than short … advertisements with long copy convey the impression that you have something important to say, whether people read the copy or not.” ~ David Ogilvy
The quote above sums up why the surge in sales landing pages. You’ve seen them. Squeeze pages, landing pages, sales pages, conversion pages, long form pages, they are all the same in that they use long copy. Ever clicked on a link that took you to a landing page that seemed endless to scroll? These sales pages are made that way to guide you down the marketing funnel. They contain a variety of information strategically laid out. Their purpose is to address all potential sales objections, and counter them with scientific principles of influence. In this article we’ll give you 12 landing page optimization Best Practices you can apply to your website.
These pages are also chock-full of code designed to capture specific metrics used to measure ROI more accurately. You can see what videos people watched, if they clicked on the cart button, what campaign is most effective, how far are people reading before they leave the page. Here’s a long page example that we’ll use for reference in this article.
I think the reason why these single pages are more effective than a full-blown website is their efficiency. Users no longer have time to click on a second page. We are a ‘thumb scrolling’ society, and people scan through content a lot faster. Unfortunately, many companies are not able to implement these pages as part of their marketing strategies because their website:
- Was built using private software not easily editable
- Is on a limited template
- Developer will charge a fortune to make these changes
- Or has no idea what you’re talking about
- Or is managed by a corporate conglomerate with loads of red tape
12 Landing Page Optimization Best Practices
There is an art to building a squeeze page and I’ve put together a 12 Best Practices that will increase your page’s effectiveness:
- Make your page a ‘No Index No Follow’ page. This means your page will only measure traffic coming from running ads and not any other type of organic traffic.
- Remove all links on the page. Leave only a BUY button or CONTACT button or LEAD FORM. You want to control the flow, and only have one option for the user – hence the word squeeze.
- Take your headline directly from your customer’s mouth.
- Embed an attention-grabbing video. This is easier said than done. We tend to sell or educate, but this video must also have a bit of entertainment and a hook – cliffhanger.
- List the problems that your clients had before they hired you. If you don’t know them by now, use a survey and ask them.
- Provide a solution to each one of these problems. You have not introduced your company or your services at this point. You are still guiding people’s attention down the marketing funnel. Don’t get trigger happy.
- Point out the most common objections you get in your sales process. Make strong statements that address these objections. And put them to rest. On my page example above you’ll read “How Does Facebook Marketing Drive Results For My Business?” This tackles the most common objection I get which is regarding results.
- Announce that the solution to all their problems is your product or service.
- Describe in detail with stories how your company has worked through the problems. Showcase testimonials. Promise simplicity. Describe features and benefits and uncover the process.
- Personalize with a message from your CEO and their picture.
- Give price options: Package A, B, C. If they have read this far they are ready to do something. Something is better than nothing.
- Offer a limited time incentive. Example: “…for the month of July…”
- Finish strong with a call-to-action. Use command words like BUY, CONTACT, SIGN UP, REGISTER.
There you have it.
This process has a longer turnaround depending on how many people are involved in it. There are 2 great books that you might find helpful for this exercise: Expert Secrets, by Russell Brunson, and Principles of Influence, by Robert Cialdini.
Have fun! Let me know if I can be of any help, and remember: #everythingismarketing