Do you know what key factors determine whether a page is a landing page or not? This article will explain what to look out for when creating landing pages that drive conversions.
The best blog posts have an interesting story behind them. This article is no exception.
I experienced an incident in my day-to-day copywriting job just a short time ago.
I was writing a blog post about B2B landing pages for one of my clients.
They asked if I could interview a marketing manager about a landing page they created to add some flavour to the piece.
‘No problem!’ I said, and toddled off to find some experts to talk to on HARO.
My request was reasonably straightforward, or so I thought. Send me a link to a landing page you created for your business, and tell me a bit about it.
I got about thirty requests in total, a grand amount of content, and I was super excited to read the results.
However, do you know how many of the requests I could use as an example in the article?
One.
One out of thirty. Three point thirty-three recurring per cent. That’s rubbish.
About half of the people totally misread the brief and talked about their top tips for creating landing pages.
The other half linked to pages that weren’t technically landing pages at all.
And this is what this article is all about.
I want to explain to you what type of pages count as landing pages, and which don’t.
That way, if your manager asks you to create a landing page that delivers results for your business, you’re all set to impress.
Let’s get started!
So, what is a landing page?
A landing page is a standalone web page on your site with one specific aim – to get visitors to convert.
Let’s say you have an eBook you want people to download in exchange for their personal details.
The best way to encourage them to do so is to build a highly targeted web page that:
- Explains the benefits of your eBook
- Displays testimonials and quotes from people who have already downloaded it
- Provides a form for them to fill in so they can access the eBook
A landing page is a vital tool in getting people to carry out certain tasks, whether that’s buying a product, giving you their contact details, or signing up for your newsletter.
And the fantastic thing is, you can have as many of them on your website as you need to achieve your specific goals.
Now, let’s run through some different types of web pages and see whether they count as landing pages or not.
Is a homepage a landing page?
Answer: Probably not, sorry!
The homepage of a website has a lot of different aims.
For example, take the homepage of this website. I want people to check out my services, read my portfolio, check out my blog, and reach out to me to get me to write their copy.
I know, I know, I’m greedy.
This is why homepages typically aren’t landing pages.
- A landing page has one goal in mind. A homepage has multiple goals in mind
- A landing page targets one very specific audience. A homepage appeals to multiple audiences
However, a homepage can be a landing page in certain circumstances.
If you sell an extremely specific product or service, it might be that your homepage may double up as a landing page.
If you have a single-page domain with the aim of driving conversions, your homepage and landing page may be one and the same.
But most of the time, a homepage is not a landing page.
Is a page with a form on it a landing page?
Answer: Not necessarily…
Forms are a valuable way of getting information from page visitors. For example, encouraging them to sign up for a newsletter, request a quote, or download a document.
However, does having a form on a page automatically make it a landing page? Not always.
The two questions you need to ask yourself here are:
- Does my page have one well-defined purpose?
- If the answer is yes, does the form help achieve that purpose?
So, let’s say your page encourages people to sign up for a webinar.
If you’ve designed the form to capture people’s names and email addresses so you can send them information about the webinar, it’s likely that you’ve got yourself a landing page.
It’s also important to remember that a landing page doesn’t necessarily need to have a data capture form on it. For example, you may want prospective customers to call or email you rather than complete a form. And that’s okay.
So, a page with a form isn’t necessarily a landing page, and a page doesn’t always have to have a form on it to be a landing page. Clear as mud, right?
(Who said digital marketing was easy?)
Is a pricing page a landing page?
Answer: It depends on who you ask
Here’s where the water gets murky. Some digital marketers will say that a pricing page is a landing page, while others will say it isn’t.
Why might a pricing page be considered a landing page? Typically, a pricing page has one key aim – to encourage people to sign up for a service.
These types of pages also have minimal navigation. This is a key feature of landing pages, to discourage prospective customers from wandering off.
So, why might a pricing page not be considered a landing page?
The argument against this is that these types of pages are overly complex. Many pricing pages have multiple pricing tiers and go into extensive detail about the benefits of each tier.
As a result, these pages are not clear and streamlined in the way traditional landing pages might be.
My thoughts? I think pricing pages count as landing pages, as they’re all about driving conversions.
But like all things, YMMV.
Is a blog page a landing page?
Answer: Most aren’t, but some are
Nine times out of ten, a blog page isn’t a landing page.
Let’s take this article about landing pages as an example. Who is the target audience?
I wrote this article with digital marketers in mind, which is far too broad of a target audience for a landing page.
There isn’t really a highly defined call-to-action unless, of course, you want to get in touch to find out more about my copywriting services.
However, let’s say my target audience was more specific, for example, female Gen-Z digital marketers in the North of the UK with a particular interest in landing pages.
Let’s also say I had a specific call-to-action at the end of the article, perhaps to fill in a form to download a landing page checklist.
In this situation, you could argue that this blog post was a landing page.
So, is my page a landing page?
It can be hard to gauge whether a page is a landing page or not.
However, there are a few key indicators that can help you decide. In conclusion, a landing page typically:
-
- Focuses on a specific, highly targeted target audience
- Has one clear purpose and call-to-action
- Has minimal navigation and distractions
Hopefully now you’re one step closer to identifying landing pages and keeping your bosses happy!
Want landing page copy that gets leads? I can help with that!
It’s important that landing page copy is straightforward, snappy, and persuasive. Get it right, and you’re one step closer to making sales and getting leads!
If you need support with words for your latest landing page, I have experience of creating landing page copy for a variety of industries.
Just tap the button below, and let’s talk!
