Introduction: The Benefits of Landing Pages
Landing pages are focused webpages designed to guide visitors towards a clear call-to-action, usually signing up for a mailing list, making a purchase, or downloading content. By eliminating distractions and honing in on a singular conversion goal, landing pages can boost conversion rates significantly compared to general website pages.
Well-optimized landing pages have been shown to increase conversion rates by 200-400% compared to home pages. For startups and SaaS companies, landing pages are essential for capturing leads, driving trials and onboarding customers in a targeted manner. But many founders and marketers dread building landing pages due to the coding and technical skills required.
This is where pre-made templates like those offered by Unicorn Platform come in handy! With professionally designed templates, anyone can quickly build beautiful, high-converting landing pages through an intuitive drag-and-drop editor. Customizing a template with your own content and branding is much faster and easier than coding a page from scratch.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll cover tips and strategies for selecting and optimizing landing page templates to maximize conversions. You'll learn how to:
- Choose the right template for your business, goals and audience
- Customize the template with your own content, visuals and branding
- Integrate lead capture forms, multimedia, and other elements
- Optimize page copy, CTAs and design for higher conversions
By leveraging pre-made templates, even non-technical users can build stunning landing pages that drive results. Let's dive in!
Choosing the Right Landing Page Template
With the wide variety of templates available, how do you select the right one for your business? Here are some tips:
Consider your niche and ideal audience when choosing a template. Pick industry-specific templates tailored to your target customer, like software demos for SaaS. For more general businesses, multipurpose templates work well.
Prioritize mobile-responsive templates that adapt for optimal viewing on any device. With Google prioritizing mobile-friendly pages, responsive design is essential.
Look for uncluttered templates with plenty of negative space. Simplicity and a singular focus convert visitors better than crowded pages.
Test a few different options to see which template performs best. The visual design and layout that converts well for one business may not work as well for another.
Match the template to your goal - email list building, event registration, video sales page, etc. Leverage templates optimized for your specific conversion objective.
Types of Templates
Here are some common template categories to consider:
- General and multipurpose templates work for most businesses with some customization. They have versatile designs for different goals.
- Industry-specific templates tailor the messaging and visuals for niches like SaaS, ecommerce, nonprofits, coaching, agencies and more.
- Lead generation templates prominently feature email signup forms, contact forms or live chat to capture leads.
- Webinar and event templates optimize registration and promotion of online events, summits, classes and workshops.
- Long-form video sales page templates sell products and services via an in-depth explainer video.
Benefits of Unicorn Platform Templates
Unicorn Platform offers a variety of professionally designed landing page templates built for the needs of startups and SaaS companies. Benefits include:
- Modern, minimalist responsive templates crafted to convert visitors.
- Built to boost conversions with clear CTAs and minimal distractions.
- Easy drag-and-drop editor to customize fonts, colors, content and more.
- Mobile-friendly designs look stunning on smartphones and tablets.
- A/B test different templates to determine the highest converting option.
Customizing Your Chosen Template
Once you've selected the right template, it's time to tailor it with your own content and branding. Here are some tips for customization:
Focus on clarity above all else. Remove any unnecessary content that distracts from your core message and call-to-action.
Replace placeholder images with high-quality photos, graphics and illustrations consistent with your brand style.
Craft your headline and subheads carefully. These should stop visitors in their tracks and entice them to keep reading.
Personalize the template with unique copy, color schemes, fonts and visuals. This branding customization helps your page stand out while building trust.
Test different CTAs like "Start Free Trial" vs "Schedule Demo" to see which convert visitors best for your business.
Editing the Content
When modifying the template's copy, consider these tips:
- Keep paragraphs short, around 3-4 sentences maximum. Break up long blocks of text.
- Use conversational tone and language your ideal customers would use. Avoid jargon.
- Highlight benefits and value prop with bullets, numbers and keywords prospects search for.
- Replace placeholder copy with branded messaging aligned to your products, services and positioning.
- Include social proof elements like customer testimonials, case studies and recognizable logos.
Optimizing Page Visuals
When updating the images, graphics, colors and fonts, keep these best practices in mind:
- Choose visuals that convey the emotion you want visitors to feel. Stock photos of smiling faces build trust.
- Ensure images reinforce your headline and core messaging through appropriate concepts.
- Compress and optimize images for fast load times. Large uncompressed files slow pages down.
- Illustrations efficiently communicate complex topics and make pages more scannable.
- Pick a color palette aligned with your brand style guide. Colors evoke emotions and recognition.
Integrating Forms, Video, and Other Elements
Once your core page copy and visuals are in place, you can enrich the experience by integrating interactive elements like:
- Lead capture forms to collect emails and contact info from visitors
- YouTube or Vimeo videos to engage audiences and convey your story
- FAQ schemas for SEO and clear communication with prospective customers
- Chatbots or live chat to enable real-time communications
- Dynamic elements like countdown timers or progress bars to build urgency
Lead Capture Forms
Email signup forms are essential for capturing site visitors. Here are some form optimization tips:
- Place forms above the fold near your CTA for high visibility.
- Only ask for essential info like email address, name and phone number. Don't overcomplicate.
- Allow previewing some content before requiring an email signup to reduce friction.
- Offer an irresistible lead magnet like a coupon or free trial in exchange for an email address.
- Send automated and personalized emails to nurture new subscribers into customers.
Multimedia
Video, audio, images and other multimedia make for more engaging landing pages:
- Product videos and GIFs quickly convey what you offer.
- Infographics efficiently communicate data points and statistics.
- Photo galleries of products, team members and culture build credibility.
- Podcast and audio samples showcase your expertise to visitors.
- Illustrations and animations can present complex topics in a simple, visually appealing manner.
Optimizing for Conversions
Now that your landing page is complete, here are some tips for optimizing conversions:
Focus on minimizing friction in form fills and checkout flows. Don't require unnecessary fields or steps.
Spotlight credible third-party proof sources like press mentions, client logos and testimonials.
Clearly and prominently explain the value proposition of your product or service.
Ensure your CTA button stands out on the page. Bright contrasting colors catch the eye.
Build urgency with scarcity messaging like limited spots or expiring offers. But avoid overly hypey claims.
CTA Best Practices
Follow these guidelines for effective CTAs:
- Use action-driven language like "Get Started" or "Join Now". Avoid passive phrases like "Learn More".
- Make CTA buttons big, brightly colored and high-contrast compared to background.
- Limit to 1-2 CTA buttons on page. Too many options causes choice paralysis.
- Match CTA language to your desired conversion - "Start Free Trial" vs "Schedule Demo" vs "Buy Now".
- A/B test CTA wording, color, size and placement to determine the best converting variant.
Troubleshooting Issues
Here are some common troubleshooting tips:
- High bounce rates may indicate the page is too cluttered. Try simplifying elements.
- Low conversion rates could mean lacking social proof. Add testimonials or recognizable logos.
- Slow load times are often due to unoptimized images or code. Compress images and minify code.
- Poor conversions from lead gen likely means your offered content doesn't provide enough value. Improve it.
- Unclear messaging can be fixed by simplifying copy and clearly articulating your value proposition.
Conclusion and Key Takeaways
Leveraging pre-made templates is a quick, easy way to build high-converting landing pages without coding expertise. With the right template customization focused on simplicity, clarity and conversions, anyone can create landing pages that drive real business results.
Some key tips covered include:
- Carefully select templates tailored to your niche, goals and ideal audience. Test different options.
- Customize every element with your own content, visuals and branding for uniqueness.
- Keep copy concise and focused on your value proposition and CTA.
- Integrate lead capture forms, multimedia and other engaging elements.
- Optimize page copy, design and CTAs for maximum conversions.
Ready to start building your own high-converting landing pages? Check out the drag-and-drop landing page templates offered by Unicorn Platform to get started. Their templates are designed specifically for startups and SaaS companies looking to quickly create effective, conversion-driven pages. Learn more about Unicorn Platform's features here.
What's your biggest takeaway from this guide? Feel free to share any landing page success stories or questions below!
