From concept to conversion: building a landing page that sells

For startups looking to carve out their niche, an effective landing page is a powerful conversion tool. As we explore the crucial elements of its design, we’ll show you how to transform casual browsers into committed buyers. Read on as we uncover key strategies that can help elevate your startup from simply being seen to being truly successful.

What is a landing page?

Landing page stands as a competitive tool created specifically for marketing or advertising campaigns. In simple terms, it’s a spot where a visitor “lands” after they click on a link in an email, ads from Google, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, or similar places on the web.

Whether your goal is to sell a product, collect contact information, or lead users to a specific call to action, a landing page is designed to captivate and convert. It’s where potential becomes reality, first impressions take form, and your company’s message meets the world.

7 steps to create a landing page

From conceptualization to final execution, there are a bunch of essential stages of design, content, and strategy. In this chapter, we’ll outline 7 steps you need to consider when creating a landing page to transform a simple webpage into a conversion powerhouse.

1. Preparation

The initial preparation stage is often overlooked, although it’s the groundwork for a successful online presence. It involves a deep understanding of the target audience, clarity about the product or service you are offering, and a solid grasp of the unique value proposition that sets you apart in a competitive market. 

In the preparation phase, every decision is guided by strategic thinking and a clear vision of your end goals.

A landing page cannot do without the essential elements. These include a compelling headline that grabs attention, persuasive content that speaks directly to the needs and desires of the audience, and visually striking imagery that complements your message. By focusing on these foundational aspects, you set the stage for a landing page that captures attention and fosters a connection with visitors, turning them into loyal customers.

2. Register a domain and hosting

The next critical step in landing page development is selecting and registering a domain name along with securing reliable hosting. The first hint of the brand’s identity, a digital nameplate, should resonate with the audience and embody the essence of your offering. To reflect the core of the business, choose a memorable name, making it easy for customers to find and recognize you in the vast online landscape.

Once you have the perfect domain name, choosing a hosting service is the next stride. After selecting the provider, you’ll get the necessary space on a server to store the page’s content, making it accessible to visitors online. In that case, it’s crucial to look for hosting solutions with high uptime, robust security features, and scalable options to accommodate the site’s growth.

Great hosting boosts your website’s performance, keeping a landing page accessible for every visitor.

3. Design

The design of the landing page has the power to captivate or repel potential customers. It’s an excellent tool to build a strong online presence, leaving an immediate, lasting impression on visitors. This stage is about creating an intuitive and smooth user experience that guides them effortlessly toward the desired action. The design must reflect the personality of your brand while remaining practical, with each element having a specific role in the story you want to tell.

Key elements in landing page design include a neat layout that highlights content and contains colors and fonts that fit the brand and set the right mood. The main goal is to make the message clear and engaging for the viewer without distracting objects or vast text blocks. Visual elements like high-quality images or videos should be used strategically to break text monotony and illustrate your points. Additionally, ensure the design is responsive so that your landing page looks and works flawlessly across all devices.

The design of your landing page is a golden mean between form and function, where every detail contributes to a balanced and persuasive user experience.

4. Development

As you transition from design to development, the landing page begins to take on a life of its own. This is the phase where you translate ideas and designs into tangible, interactive experiences. It’s a critical stage that requires attention to detail and a deep understanding of user experience to make the final product look good and perform well. Also, this part of landing page creation has several important points to consider. So, let’s take a look at them.

• Choosing a landing page builder. The first step in development is often selecting a suitable landing page builder. Whether you opt for a drag-and-drop builder for ease of use or a more advanced platform for greater customization, the choice depends on your specific needs and the complexity of the design.
• Transferring your design or using a template. Depending on the chosen builder, you can transfer a custom design into the platform or utilize a pre-designed template as a starting point. If you choose a template, ensure it’s not the same as those of your competitors and that it can be customized to fit specific goals.
• Setting up lead generation forms. The lead generation form should be an integral part of your landing page. This is where visitors submit their information, transforming from anonymous web surfers to potential leads. The form should be user-friendly without compromising the visitor’s comfort and privacy.
• Adding animations. Incorporating animations can bring your landing page to life, creating a dynamic and engaging user experience. Use these elements sparingly to highlight key features and smoothly guide the user’s attention without overpowering the overall experience.
• Adding a scroll-to-top button. For longer landing pages, a scroll-to-top button is a thoughtful addition. It enhances user experience by providing a quick and easy way to navigate back to the top of the page, especially on mobile devices where scrolling can be more complicated.

These elements are the foundation of an effective landing page that combine aesthetics, practicality, and sophistication in your digital presence. Each step ensures the website captures attention and delivers a memorable and smooth user experience.

5. Search engine optimization

The next step of landing page creation is making it visible and appealing to search engines as well as to the target audience. SEO is about adapting your page with the algorithms that determine online presence, enabling your message to reach the right people at the right time. Keyword research is the fundamental step in this phase that helps identify the search terms and keep your landing page resonating with user queries.

To make the landing page structured, do it through the strategic use of H1 to H4 tags. They serve as signposts, guiding search engines and users through content. Additionally, it’s important to create a strong SEO title and description, as they act like brief, powerful summaries in the meta tags, clearly outlining what your page offers. These small yet impactful elements help search engines and users quickly understand the value of your content.

6. Testing

We slowly move to the next step — testing. It’s the fine-tuning process that transforms a good landing page into a great one. This stage is about scrutinizing every element of your product to ensure it meets and exceeds user expectations. Start by testing the functionality of all components — from links and forms to the loading speed of images and videos. This process ensures your visitors will have a smooth, frustration-free experience, which is crucial in maintaining engagement and boosting conversions.

Even the smallest changes can lead to significant improvements in user engagement and conversion rates.

But testing goes beyond just functionality — it’s also an exploration into the effectiveness of content and design. Utilize A/B testing to compare different versions of your landing page. Experiment with varying headlines, images, call-to-action buttons, and layouts to discover which combinations work best with the audience. Analyzing user behavior and feedback during these tests can also provide invaluable insights, allowing you to refine and perfect the landing page.

7. Analytics

Last but not least is the analytics phase. It’s a storytelling tool that narrates the journey of every visitor on your site and helps collect valuable numbers. By integrating robust analytics tools, you can track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as visitor traffic, bounce rates, conversion rates, and the time spent on the page. This data is invaluable, providing a clear picture of what works and what needs improvement.

The real power of analytics lies in its ability to offer actionable insights. It helps understand the behaviors and preferences of the audience, allowing you to customize the landing page for optimal engagement.

For instance, by analyzing which sections of the page attract the most attention, you can optimize the layout to enhance user experience. Alternatively, understanding where visitors drop off can help fine-tune the landing page and adjust the content to keep customers hooked.

Get help from Halo Lab

By following all these steps, you’ll be well on the way to creating a memorable and functional landing page. However, if you have any difficulties or want to hire specialists — Halo Lab is always ready to help. With dedication, creativity, and a keen eye for detail, our team will develop a landing page that can become a powerful engine for growth and success in the digital marketplace. Do you want to discuss the project? Fill in all the details in the contact us form, and our managers will get back to you as soon as possible!

Final point

Creating a landing page may sound easy, but it’s not as it might seem at first glance. Every part of the process, including design, fine-tuning, and analyzing how it performs, is important for your online marketing success, while neglecting them means losing clicks.

Equipped with all the points we wrapped up in this article, you’ll be halfway to creating a highly-performing landing page. Use these insider tips and keep an eye on our blog, as we have many more interesting things to share with you.