Have you ever been caught unprepared or off guard?
That’s how you’ll feel if someone shows up on your blog if you didn’t want them to be there.
Janice, you might say. Blogs are on the internet. They are public. There is no way to stop someone from going to our blogs.
On the contrary, there is definitely a way to stop visitors from seeing what is on your blog and ensure they only see what you want them to when they arrive.
This post is about how to put your best foot forward when someone arrives on your blog.
Receiving a page view and never seeing the visitor again should not be your goal.
This post is about how you can use landing pages to make the best impression you can, so your visitors turn into subscribers.
Why You Should Use Landing Pages
The reasons you may not want visitors to see certain things when they arrive on your blog vary.
- I can only use myself as an example. I am interested in guest posting for a marketing blog. If I do, I may not want the marketers who hopefully come over to see my linky parties. I don’t feel linky parties are representative of my posts offering blogging and marketing tips.  By giving the link to my landing page, I ensure the reader will land on information I want them to see, and I can make the best possible impression.
- Perhaps there is an under-performing article on my home page. That snoozer might not convince a visitor to sign up for future articles. In contrast, I want them to be so impressed they will become a blog subscriber. I need to redirect them so they don’t land on Mostly Blogging’s home page.
The way to ensure they only see what I want them to see is to have a designated landing page.
The Value of Pages
There are many reasons to have static pages on your site. Most bloggers have an About page. Since I became a published author in November, I now have a “Books” page.
My post How to Write a Killer About Page that Will Attract New Followers explained how to write an About page which will lead to conversions.
This post explains how to write a landing page that will lead to visitors to convert to subscribers.
What to Include on Landing Pages
There are certain elements you want to have on your landing page. Remember, this is your attempt to make such a great impression, people will convert to permanent subscribers.
By examining my landing page, you can see the following:
- Why visitors should sign up for your blog Here is a quote from my landing page explaining why visitors should sign up for my blog: “I have many more great tips and strategies for getting more eyes on your content, and I’m happy to share them with you… Are you ready to see your blogging improve and your traffic increase?” Put the message in the first few sentences of the landing page in case your visitors don’t scroll down.
- Who the message on your landing page is for Who is your target reader? Direct the message on your landing page to them. Look at the text at the beginning of my landing page: “I have many more great tips and strategies for getting more eyes on your content…” Immediately, visitors know my blog is for anyone wishing to increase their website’s visibility such as bloggers and marketers.
- What visitors will get for subscribing Is that the same as Bullet #1? No. Readers need something concrete, tangible, for signing up. There are too many blogs out there. What will you give them? “I’ll send you directly to some of my best blog posts. You will receive a free private PDF of 89 blogging tools just for signing up,” explains my landing page. In addition, my landing page makes assurances: “Imagine having my free blogging tools all in one compact list that you can download and print. Referencing it will save you hours of time.”
- Call to Action Sometimes, people need to be told what to do. Tell them to sign up for your blog. Here is the Call to Action on my landing page: “There is something else I’d like you to do first… Just to make sure we don’t lose touch, please subscribe to my blog by clicking the link below.”
- Buttons that stand out Look at how visible mine is–
Click Here to Get My PDF of 89 Free Blogging Tools!
It’s also centered on my page.
- A place to put in their email. If Bullet 1 and Bullet 2 convince them, you want visitors to be able to enter their emails immediately.  The text “Click Here to Get My PDF of 89 Free Blogging Tools!” is a link to my MailChimp opt-in form. When they fill in their email, they will be added to the list.
- A promise of confidentiality On my landing page, visitors receive a promise they won’t be spammed.
- A promise you won’t send them too many emails. This has been cited as one of the main concerns of readers.
What Not to Put on Landing Pages
- A lot of words
- BacklinksÂ
Both result in cluttering up the landing page and detracting from the message– readers should sign up for your blog. The backlinks will actually take visitors away from your landing page when your goal is to keep them on, so they sign up.
Other Landing Page Examples
Landing page formats differ. For example, many bloggers have graphics on their landing page.
For example, Benjamin Carter Riley shows the incentive visitors will get for subscribing on his landing page. He shows a picture of his downloadable ebook.
Who Will Get the URL of the Landing Page?
- Interviewers If people interview you one-on-one, give them the URL of the landing page to use. The anchor text should be the name of your site.
- Bloggers who include you in Weekly Roundups. If you are ever interviewed in a group, the same tip applies. Give the host of the roundup your landing page URL, not the URL of your home page.
- The hosts of your guest articles Do you guest post? Make sure your host bloggers link to your landing page.
Whoever will be sending visitors your way should be given the URL of the landing page, not your blog’s home address.
Testimonials
Blogging guru Neil Patel observed, “There are few other things that create a first impression the way a strategically designed landing page can. Many [websites] have seen their conversion rates and profits soar thanks to a properly created landing page.”
Conclusion
The goal of my landing page is to increase conversions. You want readers to convert from being visitors to subscribers. Therefore, your Call to Action tells them to sign up.
Although there are many types of pages, and even other types of landing pages, this post was about landing pages that get visitors to get on your email list.
What if your landing page strategy doesn’t work and visitors to your site don’t convert to subscribers?
Simple! Revamp your landing page. I have tweaked my landing page many times.
Trial and error is part of the journey toward a successful blog.
Readers, please share so other bloggers know how to construct a landing page for their blogs.
What has your success rate been with your landing page? Do you feel it converts? Have you checked any metrics to know for sure? Do you have any added landing page tips?
Related Posts:
This is How to Write the Best Call to Action That Will Boost Comments and Subscribers
How to Immediately Increase Your Blog Subscribers
1 Shocking Way to Be Successful at Getting More Blog Subscribers
This is What You Need to Know to Get Subscribers at Medium
Source:
The Definitive Guide to Landing Page Optimization
