6 Essential Tips for Writing High-Converting Landing Page Copy for Local Businesses
Your homepage is the face of your business’s website, but landing pages are where you turn visitors into loyal customers. That’s why it’s essential to optimize your landing page copy so it resonates with your intended audience and results in higher conversion rates.
Unfortunately, many local businesses neglect the power of landing pages and make several common mistakes. When you’re competing with others in your community, you simply can’t afford to push away potential customers because of these mistakes.
To rise above the competition and increase conversions on your website, there are some essential tips for landing page copy that every local business should follow. Before we get into those, let’s define what a landing page is.
What Is a Landing Page?
A landing page is a standalone web page designed for a specific goal. While your homepage typically introduces visitors to your business and highlights key features such as products, services, and contact information, landing pages tend to have a single call-to-action (CTA).
These CTAs may include purchasing a product, signing up for a service, or subscribing to a newsletter. Regardless of the goal of a landing page, they all have the same intention, and that’s to convert a user into a consumer.
While it may seem simple, many businesses are hindering their results because they don’t adhere to a few core principles. So without further ado, here are the 6 essential tips that every local business should implement on their website.
1. Prioritize the Headline
The importance of a headline cannot be overstated. According to The Gustavian Weekly, “On average, 8 out of 10 people will read headline copy, but only 2 out of 10 will read the rest.” It’s unfortunate, but most readers tend to skim rather than read every word, meaning your headline must grab the reader immediately.
There are several ways to accomplish this. To start, ensure your headline appears big, bold, and clear to draw attention. It should instantly give visitors a reason to continue exploring the page, so focus on what a potential customer would want to know.
This could include the benefits of your product, the problem your service solves, or the affordability of your offering. For example, a real estate agent might highlight how their service can make the stressful home-buying process fast and easy.
That’s among the most common headline strategies, but not every business has the same goal in mind for their landing pages, which invites variations in headline style.
Some businesses may want to encourage readers to browse the rest of the landing page copy, so they should consider creating a vague headline that builds anticipation. Others may prefer to filter out those who aren’t interested, so they keep their headline short and to the point.
In any case, be prepared to write many variations of the same headline, as you may find your 10th revision is far better than your first or second. If you need help getting started, use the 4 U’s checklist for writing headlines, which includes usefulness, urgency, uniqueness, and ultra-specificity. Not every headline needs all four, but they serve as valuable guidelines to point you in the right direction.
2. Emphasize Benefits Over Product or Service
Gone are the days of “solution-selling,” where salespeople would explain to consumers how to solve a problem they were experiencing. More often than not, today’s consumers already know the type of solution they need based on their own online research.
That’s why you need to take the next step and emphasize the benefits of your solution. While you should still mention the solution to let the user know that they’re in the right place, highlighting the benefits is what will set you apart.
For instance, a local painting company could emphasize its ability to boost home value, save the customer time, and support the local economy. The solution remains the same, but creating a deeper connection with the potential customer increases its value.
After all, people often make decisions based on emotions instead of logic, so emphasizing the benefits can add more persuasiveness. It also shows that you put the customer first, which can increase your credibility.
3. Write Simple and for Humans
Speaking of connecting with your customers, all landing page copy should keep in mind that it’s being written for real people. While artificial intelligence has its advantages, it often won’t resonate with readers the same way human-written content does.
Writing the way you speak is a great way to build a connection. Use a first-person style of writing and incorporate familiar words and expressions rather than opting for more complex language.
Avoid industry-specific jargon that could confuse or alienate visitors, and aim for short, concise sentences that directly relate to the purpose of the landing page. If an idea is intricate, do your best to explain it in an easily digestible way.
4. Create Compelling CTAs
Your CTAs are arguably the most important component of any landing page. They’re the actual mechanism that converts users into customers and are often the biggest roadblock once your website has piqued a user’s interest.
As you’re probably familiar with, many websites use some routine terminology for their CTAs, such as “Click Here,” “Start Free Trial,” and “Schedule Now.” While these are a good start, they don’t evoke the emotions needed to maximize click-through rates.
Instead, highlight the value of the action by using more powerful keywords and addressing potential objections when applicable. For example, saying “Create My Financial Plan” rather than “Get Started” is more compelling and conveys the benefit of the CTA. If you’re offering a free trial, consider including the length of the trial instead of relying on users to click through and learn the details.
Above all, include just one CTA per landing page. According to Wishpond, “Landing pages with multiple offers get 266% fewer leads than single offer pages.” Sticking to a single goal is critical when it’s time for the visitor to take action.
5. Include Reviews and Testimonials
Even if you’ve written excellent landing page copy, your customers’ opinions of your business can be the most impactful information a visitor encounters. BrightLocal reports that 83% of people believe a business is more trustworthy when it displays reviews on its landing pages.
When selecting which reviews to feature on each landing page, make sure they relate directly to the CTA. One or two well-placed testimonials near the CTA can provide the final nudge a user needs to take action. However, avoid cluttering the page with too many reviews, which can overwhelm the reader.
If you’ve collected enough positive reviews, don’t limit them to just landing pages where a purchase is expected. Include them in sign-up pages, checkout pages, and anywhere else they can support your goals.
Finally, keep the reviews fresh and recent, as outdated reviews can hinder your ability to build credibility with visitors.
6. Implement A/B Testing
The odds of creating perfect landing pages that stand the test of time on the first attempt are slim to none. That’s why A/B testing is essential for optimizing performance and maximizing conversions. It’s proven to have made a significant impact in many instances, including for HubSpot CRO strategist Rebecca Hinton, who increased conversions on a single landing page by 20% with just a simple layout tweak.
There are several types of A/B tests you can run, including layout, flow, placement, and many more. The most influential is often the copy itself, which includes the headline, subheadings, and lists of benefits.
These tests can range from something as small as changing a single word in a headline or CTA to completely rearranging the layout of the page. You won’t know which variations perform best unless you test them, so be sure to experiment with as many options as possible.
Where Best Version Media Can Help
These tips will undoubtedly help increase conversion rates on your landing pages, but they’re just one part of the bigger picture. Listings, reviews, and reputation management are critical to local business success, and Best Version Media can help with all of them.
Additionally, BVM offers the ability to bundle geo-targeted social media and display ad campaigns to help you make the most of your marketing budget and reach your intended audience, all from one simple dashboard.
If you’re ready to take your digital advertising strategy to the next level, get in touch with BVM today.
