A landing page is a stand-alone web page created for the purpose of converting users of the page into customers or subscribers to the site. The landing page is a useful marketing strategy and is also very versatile, as it can also be leveraged for advertising campaigns. Such a page appears after clicking on a search engine optimized result, in an email marketing or social media campaign, or even on an online ad.

The landing page has the function of generating leads, reaching one’s target audience and framing the entire marketing strategy as a whole. They also spur users to click on a specific CTA, call to action, such as a “Buy” button, “Sign up,” and so on.

What is the difference between a landing page and a homepage
The landing page is often confused with the homepage, but the two have major differences: landing pages are used to promote a single marketing strategy or sales objective, whereas the homepage can aggregate several pages, such as the “Contact Us”, “About Us” and so on sections. The landing page contains only the information that is useful for users to respond positively to the call to action.

The landing page is a page that does not contain superfluous links that would divert visitors’ attention away from the CTA: in fact, the only actions that users can take are to perform the recommended action or exit the page. Precisely because they are so direct, landing pages are effective in increasing conversion and sales.

The two main types of landing pages
There are two main types of landing pages:

• Landing page for lead generation, also called lead gen or lead capture, which consists of a mini-site that generates potential contacts by collecting information about users. It contains forms or forms in which visitors can enter their contact information, such as mobile number or email, and this allows the company to maintain contact with its potential customers. In exchange for personal information, the customer can receive incentives such as discount codes and exclusive content to download or receive through the newsletter
• Landing page clickthrough, a page that leads users to another page, which may be sales or sign-up, via call-to-action. This type of landing page is often used by eCommerce businesses, which aim to make immediate sales.

When choosing the type of landing page, it is good to be clear about the primary objectives, so as to create an extremely targeted and functional page.

When it is important to use a landing page
A landing page is useful for achieving various goals:

• Direct users to the product sold by the company through a targeted call-to-action that leads potential customers to the online sales site
• Offering a free trial of the product or service offered by the company
• Get leads from a blog article by turning readers into subscribers or customers and collecting their contact information
• Increase newsletter subscriptions through call-to-actions
• Getting sign-ups for exclusive events
• Increase company website sign-ups by offering users exclusive member-only benefits

What structure should a landing page have
For a landing page to have an optimal structure, it must contain the following elements, which are essential:

• Neat and professional design that draws users’ attention through elements related to the company and that have an emotional impact on visitors, such as videos, images or animations. It is very important that such content be placed in the lower half of the page, so that the information you want to emphasize most, such as the title and call-to-action, is visible at first glance
• Impactful headlines that attract readers and address their needs and questions. The recommended scheme is H1 headline followed by the various H2 subheadings that offer solutions for specific user demands
• Exhortative Call to Action placed in strategic and highly visible locations
• Clearly narrate and explain the product or service offered, with greater emphasis on the improvement they can bring to the customer’s life
• Reviews from customers who have already purchased the product and were satisfied with it-this will reassure other potential customers and make them more likely to buy.
• Effective closing sentence that summarizes and reiterates the reasons why the customer should buy the product

Tips for creating a landing page that works
When developing your campaign, it is very important to follow some guidelines to create a perfect landing page:

• Minimize navigation by avoiding a navigation menu. This is important in order not to disperse user visits and rather direct them more easily to the call to action: the general rule is that the fewer links there are, the more conversions increase
• Optimize readability, preferring short and effective texts that do not bore or distract visitors, while for more in-depth content you can direct the reader to a possible blog
• Always maintain consistency between the ads and the landing page, both formally and stylistically, so that the visual appearance is consistent and in line with the brand and the website
• Emphasize the CTA, always placing it in highly visible positions, even several times in a single landing page: to do this, it is advisable to use concise and direct language and colors that are in stark contrast to those in the background
• Target specific markets by targeting potential customers at a specific stage of the marketing funnel and creating content that responds to the user’s particular intent
• Require simple and clear action while minimizing the chances of confusion
• Create consumer-centric content, highlighting the benefits offered to customers
• Place key content at the top of the landing page so that it is immediately visible and clickable
• Optimize the landing page for mobile browsing as well by making sure it loads quickly