In a 2015 study conducted by Microsoft, it was revealed that we now have an attention span of eight seconds–making our attention span shorter than that of a goldfish (at nine seconds).
Your readers have short attention spans.
I’m sure that’s no big surprise to you. In fact, you probably browse the Internet at light speed, too, scanning titles and subheadings, skipping to the bottom of sales pages, and fast-forwarding through videos just so you can get to the next thing. I know I do.
The same is true for your readers, and if you want to capture their attention long enough to entice them to opt-in to your mailing list, then you have to keep that in mind.
Keep your landing page short, sweet, and benefit driven.
Have you ever noticed that everything you need to know about a news story is in the first paragraph? Journalists are trained to answer all the questions—who, what, where, when, why and how—in the first few sentences, just in case the story gets cut off when the paper goes to print.
In today’s online world, where some content marketers sing the praises of longer articles, this type of story formatting isn’t quite so critical, but it’s still a useful tip to use when you’re writing a landing page.
Think about it: If your readers are skimmers (as most of us are) then making sure you include the most important information right at the top of the page is going to greatly improve your conversion rates.
For landing pages, that means putting the biggest benefits in your subject line and following it up with two or three sentences that build on your headline. That’s it. Keep it short, sweet, and benefit-driven, and you’ll have greater success than you would with longer content.
Graphics matter on your landing page.
“Images increase someone’s willingness to actually read the associated content by 80%.” ~Kissmetrics
Whether your opt-in incentive is an eBook, a video, or even a simple checklist, having a graphic representation of your offer is an important component of your landing page.
Typically, you’ll create (or have created) a digital book or CD cover. You can easily outsource this, but be sure you follow these strategies:
- Bold fonts and short titles make your cover more readable.
- Use high-contrast colors for more visibility.
- Be true to your brand. Stick with colors and fonts your readers expect.
Crafting a Compelling Call to Action for your Landing Page
While it seems as if you can expect readers to know what to do when they arrive on your landing page, it’s just not true. You have to invite them to take the next step and tell them what that step is. Give them specific instructions and you’ll have higher conversion rates.
Your call to action should tell a reader exactly what to do, like this:
- Click here to download
- Enter your name and email for instant access
Watch the text on your form buttons, too. After all, “Subscribe” or “Sign Up” doesn’t exactly make you feel excited, does it? Consider using a phrase that matches your call to action instead, such as:
- Get the Checklist!
- Send the Video!
For more information on how to write a compelling call to action, read this blog post.
Take a look at your landing pages. Do they follow these strategies? If not, consider making some changes to your copy, your images, and your calls to action, then watch your results. You’ll more than likely see a boost in conversion rates if you do.
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If your not techie or just need an extra hand putting together your landing page, contact me today. I offer landing page creation at affordable, project pricing. Let’s create yours together!
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