10 Website Landing Page

Must-Have Elements Do You Have All 10 Landing Page

Elements in Place?

Below are the10 must-have website landing page elements we’ll be going over:

1. Header 2. Title 3. Subtitle 4. Website Navigation 5. About Page 6. Contact Information 7. Responsive Theme 8. Opt-in 9. Ethical Bribe 10. Focus

What We’ll Be Covering

We’ll go over each landing page element, starting with one of, if not the most important, the header.

Off We Go

You need a header that is relevant to the site’s content and helps let visitors know what the site is about. Along with this, the header should be professionally done. If you use a theme that doesn’t allow for a header or has a very small header, you might not be able to take advantage of a professional header. If this is the case, you might want to look for a different theme. Let’s look at a couple of examples.

The Header

With this header you know exactly what the site is about.

It lists the specific health topics the site focuses on also.

Yuwanda Black has a trademark header that says it all.

This site ranks very high in the Alexa rating, meaning it gets amazing traffic.

This has a clean design with an intended business feel.

The title and subtitle quickly let the visitor know what to expect and

what’s being offered.

This header tells it all with a simple, yet attractive header.

If you’re a writer, the header should certainly grab your attention.

You need an effective, optimized title. Your title should be keyword effective and further cement the focus of your site to the visitor. As with any title, it should grab the reader and let him know what to expect.

If you look at the three headers above, you can see that the titles are optimized – they use keywords.

 

#2 The Title

An effective subtitle is where you can embellish on the title and add more relevant site information. Let’s look at the three headers to check how they used their subtitles.

#3 The Subtitle

The navigation must be quick to see and easy to use. And, it must be above the fold. This means it must be immediately visible upon landing on the site. Let’s take a look at a common navigation bar.

#4 Website Navigation

Notice that most sites, including this one, have the navigation right under the header.

If you have a sidebar navigation make sure it’s at the top, above the fold.

You need an easy to find About Page. Every site needs this page. Visitors want to know who you are, what you’re offering, and why you’re qualified to offer it. Don’t make it a guessing game or make the visitor have to search to find out who runs the site.

#5 The About Page

Here’s an example of an About Page.

Keep the content on this page conversational.

You need easy to find contact information on the Landing Page and all the other pages. A potential customer or client doesn’t want to search for information on how to contact you with questions or a project. Have your contact information on every page (at the bottom of each page works well).

Let’s look at an example.

#6 Contact Information

This is an example of contact information in a footer at WebinarKing.com

This footer appears on every page, including the landing page.

With all the devices your website can be seen on, you need a responsive theme that morphs to all formats: websites, iPads, Smart Phones, etc.

To check how your site looks on any device visit: http://ipadpeek.com. If your site doesn’t measure up, search for a theme that works.

#7 A Responsive Theme

You absolutely need an opt-in to your mailing list. The mailing list is considered ‘golden’ and is the marketing tool that will help you build a relationship with your visitors and readers. It’s the ongoing relationship that builds trust, authority, and conversion.

#8 An Opt-in

Here’s an example of an opt-in above the fold. Changing the color on your opt-in is

pretty simple. But, that’ll be another webinar.

The most effective tool to get a visitor to subscribe to your opt-in is the ‘ethical bribe.’ This offering should be something of perceived value to your target market that will entice visitors to sign up.

Below is an example of an opt-in freebie.

#9 The ‘Ethical Bribe’

This is the opt-in from the previous landing page, but notice how the WIIFM is highlighted.

The visitor knows exactly what she’ll be getting for her email address.

Your website and landing page must have focus. From your domain name to the title and subtitle, to the headlines and content, to the page titles (urls), your landing page must be focused. Your landing page, as well as your entire site, should be focused on a specific keyword. This allows for better search engine optimization and increases your authority.

#10 Focus

Notice how keywords specific to online marketing and an author online platform are used.

This focus helps search engine spiders and visitors quickly realize the focus of the site.

As promised, here are four bonus website tips:

1. Page security: To check if your download pages are secure (meaning if others, aside from those you give the direct link to, can open your PDFs) go to Google search and put in your URL/download.

  2. Old stuff – Every site needs updated content for Google juice (even

if it’s a once a month blog post).   3. Too Distracting: Slow loading and distracting backgrounds cause

visitor anxiety and search engines frown upon them. If you use a wall paper keep it subdued. Remember, simple works best.

  4. Videos- While a very useful marketing tool, don’t have long videos

on your landing page. And, if you do use a video there, make sure it has viewer controls: stop, pause, restart.

Four Bonus Tips

One of the most important marketing strategies is to have Connecting links. And, these links must be front and center.

If you noticed the Working Writer’s Club header – the Connecting links are in the header area.

If your theme isn’t set up like that then be sure to have the links near the top of your sidebar.

Bonus-Bonus Tip

Need Help Getting Your Website and Platform Optimized?

Whether you’re an author or freelance writer, Create and Build Your Author Online Platform is something you should think about. This six-week e-class is through WOW! Women on Writing and has amazing testimonials.

Check for upcoming classes.

You can find all the details at: http://wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/KarenCioffi_AuthorOnlinePresence.php

Or, if you’d rather not be part of a class, visit: http://www.karencioffi.com/author-online-platform-ecourse/

For writing and marketing information visit http://karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com

And, to keep current with free writing and marketing information and instructional webinars, be a part of The Writing World (http://thewritingworld.com).

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