The Ultimate Guide to Converting Landing Pages

If your goal is to boost conversion rates, it's time to leverage the power of high-converting landing pages.

A landing page is a standalone page designed for a specific campaign. It is where a visitor will end up after they click a link in an email, check out an ad on Facebook, or visit a URL printed on a physical postcard.

The ultimate goal of landing pages is to increase conversion rates and lower acquisition costs. Here's what you need to know.

The main elements to include on a landing page

Remember, the primary objective of your landing page is to convert visitors into leads — so make it easy for visitors to take that next crucial step. Consider these elements for your next campaign if your goal is to create high-converting landing pages.

Simple design + Autofill form

Landing pages should be simplistic in design, acting as a teaser trailer. The page should include a header, sparse copy, and a form. It should generate action from the visitor, encouraging them to fill in the provided form.

Speaking of forms, when someone visits your landing page, whether a prospective customer or a loyal follower, you want to make it as quick and easy as possible for them to provide the information you seek. One way to do so is to incorporate an autofill form, allowing users to submit required info up to 30% faster.

Although a simple design is recommended, don't underestimate the importance of personalization. If your content management system (CMS) is savvy enough to show different versions of a landing page based on UTMS, then images, headers, and text should be personalized for that audience.

Tip: Your lead form should always be above the fold. That way, it's readily accessible to those who wish to convert immediately.

Minimal number of fields

Ideally, you'll want to gather as much info about your lead as possible. However, how many questions you ask will depend on where that customer is in their buyer's journey and what it is you're offering.

For example, limit the number of fields if your goal is to collect contact info. Data shows that only 3% of users will fill out four fields on a contact form. Most contact forms will ask for the visitor's name and email, which are more than sufficient. You may include more fields if your landing page features an event registration form or contest form.

Tip: To potentially collect more data without deterring some of your prospects, include optional fields.

A call-to-action (CTA)

A CTA helps guide visitors to take the next step. After reading the body copy, which reflects the value of what you have to offer, your CTA acts as the site of conversion.

To create CTAs that convert, focus on personalization. Just like when you're sending direct mail, consumers prefer personalization. That way, they're not overloaded with irrelevant info. The key is to know your audience so that you create targeted CTAs. Taking the time to do so could allow your CTAs to perform over 200% better than basic CTAs.

For example, did you send postcards to consumers in a certain location based on your leads, encouraging them to visit your campaign's landing page? If so, you could tailor the content and create higher converting landing pages by targeting visitors who live in that area.

Tip: To optimize your CTA, you'll want to test the landing page to ensure it's triggering the right action.

Read more: Here's an example of how lending companies send personalized messages based on online triggers.

Social proof and testimonials

Data shows that 70% of people will trust reviews from people they have never met. So, it's crucial to leverage the power of social proof — the online version of word-of-mouth. Including testimonials on your landing pages is an excellent approach. However, this is just one example of social influence.

To build trust and encourage higher conversion rates, display whatever makes sense for your brand. For example, you can showcase that you have 2 million members, followed by a link to your 8000+ reviews. You can display a sample of reviews or show some of the customers already using your product or service via customer logos.

Tip: Add the type of social proof that makes the most sense for your target audience. For example, would case studies be most appropriate, or would endorsements be more effective? You can also combine several types of social proof on your landing page, including star ratings, customer data, recent sales, etc.

Acquisition best practices

Unlike brand awareness, the acquisition process focuses on the customer. You want to nurture leads, reach out, and bring prospects into your business as new customers. This approach is particularly effective when prospects are in the consideration stage. This process targets your audience by capturing their attention and encouraging them to move through your marketing funnel.

Here are some best practices to consider.

• Set goals and track conversions. This strategy will help you better understand if your approach is working or if you need to switch up your tactic. When setting goals, remain mindful of your target audience — who are your leads and prospects? What will draw them into your business? Your ability to answer these questions will allow you to target visitors more accurately and achieve a greater ROI. To better understand which referral sources are sending the most traffic or leading to the highest conversions, it's important to include tracking links.
• Use an omnichannel strategy, leveraging the best channels based on where the customer is in their journey. For example, blogging, email marketing, and direct mail are excellent strategies that can significantly boost conversion rates when strategically combined. For example, when digital and direct mail is combined, marketers experience a 53% increase in leads and a 68% increase in website visits, resulting in a 60% increase in ROI.
• Create demand for your product or service. For example, are you offering a limited-time special? If so, you'll want to market that special, guiding consumers to your carefully crafted landing page. For example, if you're sending direct mail, you'll want to message match. If you send out a flyer advertising your upcoming special, your landing page will need to provide all relevant info and guidance on how the visitor can take action.

Related: How iExit drives 155% ROI with intelligent direct mail

Reactivation best practices

Building an email list can be costly, so how do you deal with inactive or passive subscribers?

Landing pages are a great way to get previous customers or subscribers to re-engage with your brand. This approach can help you transform unengaged subscribers or even those who unsubscribed into active users or customers — but how do you launch a reactivation campaign using landing pages?

Here are some best practices to follow.

• Think outside the "email box" and invest in the effectiveness of direct mail. ThirdLove is a prime example of how beneficial this retention strategy is. Lob was a game-changer for this company, helping them automate campaigns for users who unsubscribed to email. With this approach, you can send a personalized message encouraging the recipient to visit a strategic landing page. They may not want to subscribe to email but engage by entering the sales funnel.
• On your landing page, remove distractions and focus on a single conversion goal. This is not the time to include links to your homepage or multiple CTAs. If you have targeted visitors who took that initial step to check out your landing page to re-engage, you want to make it as simple as possible for them to convert. For whatever reason, these visitors unsubscribed in the past. Use the data you have to draw them back in. Again, personalized messaging is crucial.

Partner with Lob to drive direct mail traffic to your high-converting landing pages

Although key elements are critical when creating high-converting landing pages, they are only one piece of the puzzle. The channels you leverage will significantly impact how well your campaigns convert.

Lob is the only automation platform transforming direct mail into intelligent mail at scale. As a marketer, you will be able to move prospects through the lead funnel faster, thanks to hyper-personalized direct mail.

Want to learn more? Connect with a Lob expert to access a demo today!