Quick Tricks For Landing Page Creation
Chad Faith
Director of Content
When developing a website for any purpose, the landing page is a major determinant of the success of the site; whether it’s commercial or not. A common mistake made when designing a website is to cram too much information into it without really focusing on making it hook any user’s attention, then providing them with all the information they need in as little time as possible. By sticking to the right landing page design principles, one can ensure that the page instantly grabs the attention of any user. Some of the critical landing page principles include:
Simplicity
The landing page is designed to capture a user’s attention, and provide them with a brief overview of what the website is about. Having a cluttered, complex landing page is one of the most common mistakes designers make. Keep in mind that the average user will simply glance at a landing page, and most will avoid it if it looks too overdone. A simple landing page projects an aura of professionalism. The key to having a simple landing page that attracts users is keeping it free of too many clickable elements compared to the number of words. Avoid unnecessary links, descriptions, pictures and other elements on the landing page and you are likely to end up with a winner.
Visuals Should Be Well Thought-Out
You will obviously need visuals to make the landing page more attractive and usable. Most people simply use visuals that are somehow related to the landing page content. However, the point of the visuals should be to engage your lead’s attention prior to giving them any more information about what your site has to offer. Place important images on positions that will be instantly seen when a lead scans the page. It is also advisable to avoid having an image-heavy page. This may slow down the loading time for people with slow internet speeds, may affect the page’s rendering on mobile devices and could make the page look too cluttered. Overall, a good tip is to try a minimalist design when it comes to the page’s visuals.
Don’t Overdo CTAs
Call to action links are those which ask the lead to perform an action such as signing up for an email newsletter, entering their email address or providing more information about the product the site is providing. Having numerous CTA elements on a landing page will definitely put most people off, as it makes the page look like a click farm. In fact, once you have prioritized on what CTAs you need the most, you may find that you need only one link to get the lead to click on it.
The Landing Page Should Be User-Friendly
This is probably one of the most important of the landing page design principles. A user-friendly landing page is one that is easy to navigate, does not crash often, loads quickly and provides the exact information the user is looking for. It should also render well on both handheld devices as well as laptops and desktop computers. In some cases, it may be necessary to design mobile versions of the landing page specifically meant for mobile device users. Such a page should offer the same information as the desktop landing page, but should be more compact for faster loading, use of less data when loading and easier to navigate using a small display.