How to Write Good Landing Page Copy - Connect the Dots

When writing landing page copy for your web site (or any other marketing piece), don't assume that the reader will understand why he should do business with you. Don't overestimate the intelligence of the reader. Write in such a way that a person who doesn't know anything about your industry will understand what you are saying. Don't worry about insulting anyone's intelligence. Connect the dots.

In addition to producing more sales, a detailed page written for a wide audience will be easier to read. It will flow. The reason is that reading on a computer screen is more difficult than reading on paper. It's hard on the eyes. So short sentences and short paragraphs, along with bullet points and other visual effects, are easier to follow.

Use stories, anecdotes, facts and figures to make it crystal clear to the reader why she must do business with you. You probably won't accomplish this by listing the details of what you do or sell. You must convert those features (of the product or service) into benefits (to the customer). Provide an inventory of all the benefits that will accrue to the customer. One after another. This is no time to be modest.

Give proof that what you say is true. If you have specific training, education, or certifications in your industry that are evidence of your status, then tell about it. If you have specific experience and have accomplished certain results, then tell about it. You will do this after discussing the benefits. In essence, you are trying to entice the reader into purchasing from you, and then using concrete evidence to reduce skepticism.

The final dot that needs to be connected is what action the reader needs to take. Again, don't assume that it will be obvious to the reader what he should do. Tell him what button to click, what phone number to call, when to call, what email to use, when to email, what web site to go to, etc. etc. etc. Use the ideas of scarcity ("supplies are limited") or time constraints ("Offer ends this Friday") as ways to prod the reader into action. People naturally procrastinate, so you have to do something to force action.

Ultimately, no matter how much you study copywriting, no matter how many times you re-write your copy, and no matter how much you scrutinize your copy, it is absolutely impossible to predict what copy will be most compelling to your readers. Therefore, for each ad group in your paid search campaign, you should run two or more ads that link to different landing pages. This way you can generate solid data proving which one works best.

If you follow the above suggestions, you will find that the quality of your landing pages improves, which eventually will translate into more sales or leads. A warning: don't expect superior results overnight. It takes time - time to learn how to write good copy, and time to split-test different versions of your copy to determine what works best. Think of it as an investment in time, that will eventually make your investment in money pay off a whole lot better.