NicoleMarFer

I've been looking for courses or products on how to create an effective landing page. However, everything I found has been too generic with topics like "What is a landing page?" I don't want a product that is dumbed down for me. I want something with specific techniques for an advanced user. I want to take my websites to the next level to increase my conversions. Does anyone have any recommendations for courses or books?

DrewIM

An effective landing page will vary depending on your niche. Different audiences respond to different things so it will be hard to find one definitive guide that speaks to everyone.

Can you be more specific about what sort of advanced level information you are looking for? I don't want to insult your intelligence and give you basic information that you have probably already read

Are you looking at creating your landing page from scratch or using one of the many wordpress "page builder" type plug-ins?

Also is this landing page for leads or sales?

garysvpa

Book
Landing Page Optimization: The Definitive Guide to Testing and Tuning for Conversions by Tim Ash

Course
101 Landing Page Optimization Tips | Landing Pages: Build, Publish & Test Without I.T.

Blog
8 Advanced Persuasion Techniques for Killer Landing Pages | The Daily Egg

garysvpa

Book
Landing Page Optimization: The Definitive Guide to Testing and Tuning for Conversions by Tim Ash

Course:
101 Landing Page Optimization Tips | Landing Pages: Build, Publish & Test Without I.T.

Blog:
8 Advanced Persuasion Techniques for Killer Landing Pages | The Daily Egg

NicoleMarFer

I have a background in public relations so I've always been taught to make sure layouts are clean, professional and look beautiful. However, I've noticed that most landing pages are pretty ugly. I'm just trying to step away from everything I've been taught and look at the facts of why those 'ugly' landing pages convert better. I know that CTAs need to have a colour that stands out from the colour scheme of the site. I know videos and financial stats convert better as well. I'm looking for a landing page for sales. I'm looking to understand landing pages from the mindset of an internet marketer who has success firsthand without having to make it look like a luxurious brand. I'm trying to go after a 'less business' landing page look. Does this make sense?

NicoleMarFer

I bought the book just now. I'll check it out and see if it's what I'm looking for. Thanks for the recommendation.

DrewIM

I hear this a lot on the forum about ‘ugly’ landing pages converting better than ‘designed’ pages but I have yet to see the specific numbers supporting this or sample pages that show both versions. I feel like a lot of people are just re-stating this because they heard it from someone else.

Do you have an example ‘ugly’ landing page you can point me to that you know converts well? And even better, a “designed” version of that same page that did not do well?

I believe that the “designed” pages that people refer to that aren’t converting were just not designed with conversions in mind. Most designers don’t know how to design a page that converts. They just throw a bunch of graphics on a page without even really understanding what the offer is.

If “Ugly” means simple, less distracting, and an easier to digest sales message then yes that will convert better.

Also, how do you know that videos and financial stats convert better? Do you have data to back this up? There are plenty of people on here who will tell you that long form sales letters convert better than videos.

What you will find is that just because someone else’s landing page converts well, that does not mean if you use the same design…or lack of design…yours will too.

People will tell you all sorts of things from the best button color to use, the correct length of your sales video/copy, font size to use., and so on…

You will run around in circles forever if you try to get a definite answer on here.

Copywriters will tell you it’s all about the copy

Designers will tell you it’s all about the design

Marketers will tell you it’s all about your traffic source

etc...

In reality conversion is a combination of all that and more.

Also, you don’t know the traffic source someone is sending to their page. Someone who has an active email list that likes him/her can write an offer on a napkin and still get sales. Does that mean you should?

You need to look at your landing page as part of an overall conversion funnel. Warm traffic (they’ve gotten emails from you) will convert better than cold.

The best thing you can do is test, test, and test some more.

My advice is to start with a very simple landing page which is mostly text that has:

1. Benefits driven headline (The biggest benefit of your product or your USP)
2. A short story to introduce the problem and solution, (people love stories)
3. Benefits of your product, (all the different ways this will improve their lives)
4. testimonials if you have them (social proof is key)
5. Your offer (tell them exactly what they get and how much)
6. Strong call to action. (large buy button with clear call to action)

You can make it look nice with some simple graphics but don't go overboard. You can still use what you know to make it clean and professional but this would give you a strong foundation to build on.

See if that converts before you worry about making it more “designed”.

Once you know you actually have a converting offer (selling something that people are willing to pay for), then you can dive into working on increasing those conversions through design and copy tweaks.

P.S. I have that book on Landing Page Optimization and it’s a heavy read. It’s more geared towards large site with multiple products and not a simple IM style landing page. And it goes in-depth into usability testing and multivariate testing.

NicoleMarFer

Thanks, your response was very helpful. I guess I'm still in the trial and error stage. I own multiple sites (some with many products and some with only one). I guess I have to test things out differently for each site to see which works best for the audience. I'll keep your suggestions in mind as I plow through this next website.

grafx77

Hello Nicole,

Split testing will always define a clear winning LP over a mediocre one, however that takes time, traffic, and patience. No one ever starts out with a game winning LP. A rock solid LP takes time, patience, and a lot of testing.

With that said, you can always jump start your LP conversions by implementing a number of "dynamic variables" which change and cater to each one of your audiences needs. Countdown timers, dynamically changing text, dynamically changing images, geo targeting scripts, etc are just a few ways to start out with an above average LP. The key here is to have your LP speak to each one of your visitors needs as if the sales page was built just for them. You can only get that through dynamic targeting.

I cover a number of these elements within my newsletter below (check signature). I am absolutely certain you will pick up some great tips. ;-)

I go into extensive detail within my course.

http://www.warriorforum.com/warrior-...targeting.html