It’s important to give some thought to just what type of landing page converts best. You could argue that the best landing pages have just enough copy to convert a browser to a buyer but it’s useful to keep an open mind, as short and long pages both have their place.
Some of the factors that will influence the length of your landing page include understanding why people are visiting your page, how much reassurance they’ll need to overcome any anxieties they might have about your proposition and what the cost of the conversion is.
Short copy is likely to perform better where you have low levels of risk (perceived or real), cost and commitment, coupled with a high desire on behalf of the customer. Long copy may improve the odds of conversion where the proposition is complex, expensive or driven by need rather than want. So if you’re a trusted supplier selling discounted concert tickets to a savvy audience, keep it short, but if you’re a new player with a relatively unknown solution that’s expensive or niche – or both – you may need a longer form to tell your story and pave the way for conversion.
The key is to always A/B test. As a company offering a new service to an established market we were unsure whether a short or long page would work – so we tested both. In the end we ended up with a long page as we came to the conclusion, after reviewing the data, that a longer page was needed to explain our disruptive business model. You can see our early attempt here.
Quantify possible objections
The primary aim of your landing page should be to address any objections your prospects may have. You’ll need to think long and hard about all the things that might stop a potential customer from buying your product or service and then make sure you allay their fears. For instance, it could be that your audience is nervous about spending the asking price without being sure it will work for them. You might combat this anxiety by offering a free trial or a cast-iron money-back guarantee if it isn’t suitable. You can find out more about possible objections by asking your visitors to tell you, using a surveying tool like Qualaroo. The complexity of your offering may result in your having to create a longer landing page than you think is ideal. But it’s more important to answer concerns than it is to be concise.
Consider the size of the ask
Most of us are willing to trade an email address in return for a useful download – which, in turn, means that if that’s all you’re asking for, your landing page can be short and sweet. On the other hand, if your aim is to persuade someone to part with hundreds, or thousands, of pounds in order to buy something from your site, you’d better have a pretty convincing argument! It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’re selling, prospects will always be nervous about a big spend. You will need to take the time to engage with visitors, build a connection and convince them of the value of your proposition – which will usually mean a long landing page.
One step at a time
If you do feel you need a longer landing page to communicate to your target audience, consider breaking down your content into easy-to-digest steps. By creating a series of smaller commitments, you’ll be more likely to lead your prospects to the ultimate goal of buying. Think about how most big ecommerce sites progress sales: firstly by allowing visitors to add products to the cart, then creating a page for customer details and shipping information before finally leading to a credit card checkout page. Each small step makes it more likely that a customer will follow the procedure through to its conclusion.
Make the page fit the message
Don’t set out to create a short or long landing page, instead, determine to produce a high-converting page. Aim to keep it as simple as you can while at the same time answering all potential objections. Don’t try to market more than one thing and keep any navigation options to a minimum. Include plenty of graphics – photos, illustrations, videos – so you can describe your proposition in different ways. It’s important to run some A/B testing to see what works for you best. This may include long and short versions of your page, as well as variations based on your pricing strategy or on including a free trial or a money-back guarantee. Keep your A/B changes simple and measurable and see what works for you.
By Jonathan Russell, Chief Marketing Officer at Bizdaq.
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