THREAD: My step-by-step guide to writing landing pages

There’s two parts of a landing page:

a) what’s immediately visible (above the fold)
b) what the user scrolls to (below the fold)

Let's start above the fold.

“A caveman should be able to glance at it and immediately grunt back what you offer” — Donald Miller

Here’s my formula:

1/ Explain the value you provide (title)
2/ Explain how you'll create it (subtitle)
3/ Let the user visualise it (visual)
4/ Make it believable (social proof)
5/ Make taking the next step easy (CTA)

1/ Let's start with titles.

When your product is unique all you have to do is explain what you do as simply as possible.

Most products aren't unique. So a hook adds *oomph*.

The easiest way to write hooks is to address your customer's biggest objection.

Some startups transcend hooks.

Another pattern is to own your niche in one line. Write with conviction. You're THE solution.

2/ Subtitles are where you get specific.

Introduce the product. Explain how it creates the value in your title.

3/ Visual

Show off your product in all its glory. The goal is to get as close to reality as possible.

Don't show me fancy illustrations. Show me your product. Or even better, your product *in action*.

4/ Social proof (above the fold)

Adds instant credibility to the value you're promising.

Take Privy for example. Any startup can write “How small brands sell more online”. But it's their “18,000+ reviews” that make you believe it.

5/ CTAs

Most buttons emphasise action: “Sign Up, Start Trial etc.”

But buttons which emphasise “value” over “action” usually perform better. The trick is to fulfil the value your title promises.

Another simple CTA trick:

Add a few words to your button to handle the user's biggest objection to clicking.

One more for luck:

Pair email capture with your CTA to make signing up as easy as possible.

This doesn't mean sacrificing customer info. You can collect during onboarding.

Alright, so above the fold you *earn the customer's attention*. Below the fold you *earn the sale*.

Let's go there. Time for the last five steps. Dun Dun Duuuun!

The first thing you do below the fold is make concrete the value you promise above the fold.

Take Riverside for example. Their title promises “podcasts that look and sound amazing”.

Their first two features make this concrete.

The second thing you do is handle your customer's biggest objections. This means talking to customers.

Group together reoccurring objections. Use their own words to handle them.

Time for more social proof. Use existing customers to *bring to life* the value you promise.

• “Get a smile you love” ⟶ Customers smiling
• “Email reinvented” ⟶ Customers describing the difference
• “How small brands sell more” ⟶ Sales numbers

Now, there's going to be features and objections you want to mention that don't fit in neatly above. This is where your FAQ comes in.

Write them down. Reframe into questions and answers.

We've done the hard selling. It's time for our 2nd CTA.

This time we've got the luxury of space. So instead of dropping one measly button remind the customer why they're clicking.

Finally, you leave the customer with a story that makes you easy to sum up.

1/ Put yourself in their shoes
2/ Explain their problem
3/ Take ownership of it
4/ Show the happy ending

You're walking them down a path they'll want to walk themselves. Oh, and people buy from people.

Putting it all together...

One last thing.

Your landing page is your sales pitch. Never forget this. Examine each element and ask:

“Would this help me sell if I met the customer in person?”

If not, remove it.

And if you don't know go out and *sell to customers in person.*

You'll learn that fancy words and random images of people shaking hands don't get you far. But more importantly, you'll learn the attitude of your customer and the words you need to convince them.

And that's a wrap. Phew. Anyone still with me?!

I won't lie, this took a while. If you're feeling a little smarter please do share 💕

Over and out — Harry

Ps: This is a guide. Not an instruction manual.

https://t.co/Zp9JjKjffR

PPs: Every fortnight I send out a newsletter with some short, sweet, practical marketing tips (or a new guide)

If that sort of thing tickles your fancy!

https://t.co/7gnJQydfDz

THREAD: My step-by-step guide to writing landing pages

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