Guide to Landing Pages Pt 2
In our previous guide, we laid out the foundation of a landing page that converts.
Now, let’s put it into practice.
Mastering your Above-The-Fold
Goal: Earn the scroll
Your above-the-fold section is single-handedly the most crucial aspect of your landing page.
It determines whether visitors will keep reading the rest of the page + keep scrolling.
And you only have a few seconds to persuade them.
To earn the scroll, your above-the-fold must include these 5 elements:
A value-focused headline
The headline is the first thing visitors see.
It can make or break a landing page.
We have four formulas to test and see which one works the best for your audience:
2. A complimentary sub-headline
Your sub-headline’s goal is to explain, educate, or introduce how you make the headline a reality.
Make your headline believable.
And the best sub-headlines do two things:
- Explain how the value is created
- How the process/product works
3. Creative
Your creative should bring your words to life - to show (not tell) what you do.
Show real people, real results, and real use cases.
So, they can visualize themself doing it.
And know what to expect.
4. Social Proof
Consumers seek reassurance in their choices, looking for evidence that others have trusted you and had positive experiences.
This is why incorporating social proof on your landing page is not just beneficial, it's essential.
And because youryou're above the fold holds the most weight — it must include the proof to back the claim through testimonials, endorsements, success stories, or user statistics.
It adds credibility. It instills confidence.
And supports that value creation you promise.
Example #1: Hotjar
5. Next Step: Call-to-Action
Your Call-To-Action serves as the bridge to the next step.
And provides the consumer with clear steps to take action.
Most CTAs are vague.
They don't emphasize the value creation on the other side.
And if you want the consumer to feel convinced when they tap your call to action, then remind them of the value on the other side of their decision.
Mastering Your Below-The-Fold
Your above-the-fold laid the foundation.
And now your below-the-fold is where you start building the dream. It's where you cement the value and convert traffic into customers.
It's where you bring them home.
In your Below-The-Fold, these are the 5 essential elements.
Benefits Continued
You should continue to drive home the benefits of what you offer, to make your above-the-fold claims believable and reliable.
There are three approaches that I have found to work best:
Formula A: How It Works
If you told me that you do X, show me how you make X possible.
Formula B: Address Pain Points - Then Remove Them
Benefits are created on the backend of pain points.
Address them — show the consumer their current reality.
Then, showcase how you remove them.
Pain. Dream. Fix.
Formula C: Reinforce The Main Value Proposition
When you repeat something, you hone in on the fact that it's very important.
So keep reinforcing the main value proposition.
2. Differentiate with Features
Your benefits sell the product.
Your features differentiate the product.
And both work collectively to get someone to believe in the product.
3. More Social Proof
Use more social proof to show that your product delivers on the value it promises and that your features deliver on the difference it creates.
4. Frequently Asked Questions
Your FAQ section tackles and answers every "what" and "how."
It continues to tackle the mental objections and roadblocks that could prevent a consumer from taking action.
5. Last Call-To-Action
Now, you just need one more small reminder with a little push over the edge to take action.
And that's a wrap!
To recap, the secret sauce for your above-the-fold is:
- A value-focused headline
- A complimentary sub-headline
- A product photo
- Social proof
- Next step
And your below-the-fold should include:
- Benefits continued
- Differentiate with features
- More social proof
- Frequently asked questions
- Last call-to-action
