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Should your landing page be short and sweet and to the point? Or should it be long, fact-filled and loaded with irresistible benefits?
The answers to these questions depends on what your landing page is trying to accomplish.
A little background ... landing pages are of two types:
1. A long landing page can be used to "sell off the page."
In other words, you can try to make a sale and actually complete a transaction right on the spot.
EXAMPLE: My friend Bob Bly is currently selling an ebook entitled "Writing E-Books for Fun and Profit" from a landing page. To check out Bob's very effective, copy-heavy landing page, click here.
2. A short landing page is used simply to capture data.
The goal of this kind of landing page is simply to get prospects to cough up some basic personal data (like name, title, email address) in exchange for allowing them to access your free offer (like a White Paper, "How to" Guide, Executive Report, whatever). KEY POINT: No attempt is made to complete a sale.
EXAMPLE: To check out an example of a short, clean, to-the-point landing page, click here.
The bottom line?
If your intention is to make a sale right off your landing page, don't hesitate to go for length.
You'll need to:
All of this takes space and the more you tell, the more you sell.
However, the exact opposite is true if you're trying to get prospects to raise their hands and provide some information about themselves.
For the short landing page, you'll need to:
Ivan Levison is a freelance direct response copywriter who works for companies like Bank of America, Fireman's Fund, Intel and Microsoft. Levison writes direct mail, emails and web copy. For a free subscription to his monthly email newsletter for marketers, and a free copy of his report, "101 Ways to Double Your Response Rates!", visit www.levison.com.
The answers to these questions depends on what your landing page is trying to accomplish.
A little background ... landing pages are of two types:
1. A long landing page can be used to "sell off the page."
In other words, you can try to make a sale and actually complete a transaction right on the spot.
EXAMPLE: My friend Bob Bly is currently selling an ebook entitled "Writing E-Books for Fun and Profit" from a landing page. To check out Bob's very effective, copy-heavy landing page, click here.
2. A short landing page is used simply to capture data.
The goal of this kind of landing page is simply to get prospects to cough up some basic personal data (like name, title, email address) in exchange for allowing them to access your free offer (like a White Paper, "How to" Guide, Executive Report, whatever). KEY POINT: No attempt is made to complete a sale.
EXAMPLE: To check out an example of a short, clean, to-the-point landing page, click here.
The bottom line?
If your intention is to make a sale right off your landing page, don't hesitate to go for length.
You'll need to:
- Fully explain all features and benefits
- Build trust and confidence
- Overcome skepticism and resistance
- Spur immediate action
- Issue a compelling, clear call to action
All of this takes space and the more you tell, the more you sell.
However, the exact opposite is true if you're trying to get prospects to raise their hands and provide some information about themselves.
For the short landing page, you'll need to:
- Provide a quick "thank you" for responding to the offer
- Capture the minimal information you're after
- Avoid asking prospects when they're planning to make a purchase or what their budget is. (Way too pushy!)
- Provide a promise of privacy and make your policy clear
- Thank them again. Let them click to the download. KEY POINT: Get out fast!
Ivan Levison is a freelance direct response copywriter who works for companies like Bank of America, Fireman's Fund, Intel and Microsoft. Levison writes direct mail, emails and web copy. For a free subscription to his monthly email newsletter for marketers, and a free copy of his report, "101 Ways to Double Your Response Rates!", visit www.levison.com.
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