Your Landing Page is a conversation- Here’s how to speak well.
You have a great idea for a startup that will change the world, your product is ready, fantastic demo video that will wow investors, all that is missing is a landing page to properly communicate what your product and value are to users and investors.
The only problem is you are getting your own way by using technical language, putting irrelevant content and comparing your landing page to companies that are at a different growth stage.
If this is you as a founder or you are a copywriter or content specialist dealing with a client like this then today is your lucky day.
You are not only going to repent of your landing page sins, but in the paragraphs that follow, we will go over the proper outline of an effective landing page, what each section should achieve and best practices.
Amen?
When it comes to a landing page. The common mistake is imagining that it is a monologue where you have an endless supply of time to keep speaking to an audience that cannot leave.
The reality is that a landing page is a conversation. You have to woo your audience, keep them interested and provide the information they need at every point.
At every point of designing the content of your landing page, you must ask yourself, what would they like to know next? Will they be convinced by this explanation? Am I rambling or being too technical?
Every functional conversation has essential moving parts. For a landing page, these are the most important elements you must include and questions you must answer.
Header & Sub copy- Tell me about yourself.
The first element of your website is your header & sub-copy. This is the part where you introduce what your product or company is and why it is different. Imagine that this is a speed dating event where you have a couple of seconds to impress a date. You cannot waste your time beating around the bush, you must immediately project what makes you different, interesting and valuable.
Vague statements like “ Revolutionizing financial access/ Democraticizing investment for all” will only throw them off and confuse them.
Instead, what you should do here is clearly explain what you do and how you’re different. This is called your Unique Selling Proposition and it must be clear from the first second a visitor lands on your page. For instance, if you’re a travel agency offering flight and holiday package support, you’re just one of a hundred similar agencies offering the same service.
Seeing generic messaging like “Book cheap flights with XYZ” and “ Get great deals on flights and hotels” will leave users uninterested compared to saying “Welcome VIP…Activate your concierge with one click.. Available 24/7 to handle your bookings, hotel security and so much more” or “ Get your own personal travel agent for all your travel needs.. Available 24/7, finds the best deals and fantastic locations”
The latter messaging stands your travel agency out instantly. Now you are actively selling a difference- a personalised service that makes every customer feel like a VIP because they have a dedicated service that fixes everything. A personal fixer at their fingertips!
Sample- I love how Slack is deliberate about letting you know its value in its header and sub-copy- faster = flexible work. It also manages to incorporate the attraction of Slack being free for as long as you want. Brilliant!
Unique Selling Propositions — Tell me more.
If you have done your job in the first section, now the user you are speaking to has their interest piqued with only one question on their lips- “How can you do that?’
Now you have more real estate to talk in detail about what makes you different. Let’s continue with our example of a travel agency. Now is where the travel agency can speak about their network of over “ 500+ account managers trained to provide personalised services to customers, partnerships with ABC airline to provide one of a kind discounts and access to 1000+ lounges over several locations”
While you have retained your user’s attention here. You must be careful not to waste it or lose it. This means no rambling. Keep your points, short and sweet to draw them in further.
Sample- I spent a lot of time exploring dating apps last year. I discovered The League — a dating platform built for people with high standards. Its deliberate and niche value proposition is carefully explained after its brilliant header which I added a screenshot of too.
Demo- Show me how
Now your user is completely sold on your promises. You have explained how you are different and gone into more detail to list out the USPs or benefits tied to this.
At this point there is doubt beginning to creep in, your promises have led them here and need to be validated. This is where a great demo video comes in to answer “Show me how”
Your demo should show a step-by-step process of using your product. Simple is always better for your demo. A voice-over carefully leads the user through your sign-up process and across the relevant screens, up till the successful completion of an action”
Sample- If you don’t have a video budget, you can still pull off a great demo. See for instance how Labourhack ( discovered them by watching Toronto Techstars demo day) carefully shows you how it delivers on its promise of providing highly skilled workers for your construction needs.
Testimonials — Who else has used this?
Now your user is one step closer to buying into the possibilities that your product provides. But they need to know that other people like them have used this product or service and trust i.
They need clear social proof to reinforce their faith in the product. If you can afford to, video testimonials from one or two early users will help seal the deal. If not text testimonials with images and designations of these early users are also great.
Limitations- What’s stopping us?
At this point, the user is sold and needs to know if there is anything that will get in the way of them experiencing this fantastic product or service. That’s why it is important for you to carefully outline any limitations the product has. Is the product currently in beta? Are you only available on Google Playstore? Is there a registration requirement? Is this product only available in certain cities?
This is where you address issues like this. Be careful not to lose potential users at this stage because they cannot currently access the product at the moment. If you are only accessible on Android devices at the moment you can ask iPhone users to fill out a waitlist so they get notified when it is available for them. For users in cities where you do not operate, they can also fill out a form to get notified when you go live in their city.
Close- I am ready!
At this point your job is done, your user is convinced of the value of your product and how it helps them solve a problem. They are also aware of possible limitations and what it means. They want to take the ultimate step- signing up, downloading or performing any relevant action.
Bonus-
While it is tempting to think that your customer has to go through all the stages to perform an action ( sign up, download or make a payment), the reality is that they might make that decision at any section of your landing page. To cater to this, you must always be prepared to help them take the next step. You must be intentional about this in your design by creating download/ signup buttons at different portions of your landing page.
There you go, next time there is a company-wide meeting for your next product’s landing page or you and your founder client are fighting over key details to include, refer them to this article.
Shalom.
