10 Landing Page Copywriting Tips to Push Readers All the Way to the Checkout

May 30, 2008 | 2 Comments

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Now, whilst I might stand on my soap box every week preaching on the need to engage prospects with content of value, the fact is that persuasively written landing pages are potent hooks for reeling in sales.

A finely tuned page will catch visitors when they land, push them through your benefits pitch, testimonials and success stories and then park them safely at the checkout till. Landing pages need to keep hold of a reader’s attention, have no distractions and a pitch so convincing that they’ll be falling over themselves to sign up or buy.

Whilst the sales driven approach of a landing page is annoying to web savvy bloggers (there was an interesting discussion on the merits of landing pages in the comments section of an Anywired post, which erupted into some minor mudslinging), the fact is that they can be enticing to those looking for an immediate, well presented solution to their problem.

Now that I’m embarking on joining the ranks of online prospectors seeking to make their fortune from mining niches and selling info products (aka eBooks), I thought it was about time I learnt a few tricks of the trade to help me on my way:

  1. Start by scribbling down all your ideas about the benefits of your proposal, even if it does leave you with a jumbled up mess. Then start carving it down to the core elements until you’re left with a lean, mean landing page freed from excess flab.
  2. Provide a logical argument that states your case clearly: what is the product, how does it benefit the reader, what proof do you have and why should they buy it now.
  3. Follow the normal conventions of short, easily digestible paragraph chunks (five lines max) , bulleted lists and plenty of benefit laden subheadings.
  4. Make the ride entertaining for readers by mesmerising them with your prowess with power words (but don’t go too far and turn into a pushy salesman).
  5. Don’t use hype or you’ll lose trust. Instead your copywriting should be motivating, authentic and engaging.
  6. The short vs long copy debate is too complex for me to even attempt dissecting it here (although longer is known to be better). But for the purposes of a landing page the length should equate to the product’s value, its complexity and what action you want the reader to take. Signing them up for a newsletter will need less arm twisting than selling a twelve part meditation course.
  7. Remove links that might distract readers during your pitch.
  8. Whatever you do - don’t invent testimonials. If/when you get caught out it wont take long for comments in blogs and forums to start sprouting around your Google listing saying what a schmuck you are for lying about your shoddy service.
  9. Always have a call to action link visible no matter where they scroll, because some readers are quicker to persuade than others.
  10. Repeat the juicy parts of your argument at the end.

After you’ve stood back to admire the magnificent landing page you’ve created remember that you’re unlikely to have perfected it on the first sitting.

So test, adjust and test again until you’re happy with the percentage signing on the dotted line on their way out. 5% would be a nice start.

Posted by Matt Ambrose | Filed Under Blog, Copywriting 

Guest appearance at Freelance Writing Jobs

May 14, 2008 | 3 Comments

This week I’ve guest posted over at Freelance Writing Jobs - The Internet’s #1 Freelance Writer Jobs Board.

The topic won’t be new to regular Crucible readers, but I thought FWJ’s subscribers would appreciate a nudge towards promoting themselves as ‘added value writers’, educating their clients on content marketing and then demanding more money.

FWJ’s Deb Ng has linked regularly to The Copywriter’s Crucible, so I thought I’d return the gesture.

Posted by Matt Ambrose | Filed Under Blog, blogging 

Is Your Copywriting Giving Enough Value?

May 8, 2008 | 6 Comments

In a world cynical of advertising and sales spiel, copywriting has to not only persuade but to build trust. An effective way of doing this is to be able to offer value in exchange for your reader’s time - where value is not giving away coupons, but being entertaining or informative.

People like to do business with those they either like, know or trust. Most will keep their credit card firmly hidden in their wallet if they think they’re being manipulated by clever wordplay and false promises.

Promote your authenticity

Being authentic and genuine would be a good start if you want to persuade people to believe in what you’re trying to sell.

Don’t just tell them why they should use your skip hire firm, but show them. Demonstrate your knowledge and expertise in a way that’s useful to the reader, teaches them something new and helps them make a more informed buying decision. Unless you’ve got something to hide of course, in which case your marketing is already in trouble with platoons of online snipers waiting to take you down in the forums if you’re guilty of false advertising or shoddy products.

Unique selling points are not just how long your washing up liquid lasts, but also the people who supply it. Customer service and having a talented backroom team are also USPs. So sprinkle your copywriting with real life examples of your team’s dedication to a high quality service to give it the sparkle of integrity and authenticity missing from the stuffy, robotic corporate copy of your rivals.

Engage with copywriting that offers value

The benefits of marketing that engages with the shared passions of its audience is gaining exposure all the time [link via Engagement Principles’ analysis]. In a low trust world it stands to reason that it’s those offering content of value who’ll garner relationships, rather than those simply shouting one way messages and stamping their feet demanding attention.

Whilst the cost/benefit analysis of engagement marketing might still be missing a few metrics, the nature of value is that you have to be offering it before you can expect any rewards in return.

People now have mental air-raid shelters to resist being carpet bombed advertising messages, but are happy to welcome in those they like and trust.

So aspire to write copy that offers solid value, whether it’s entertainment or education, because it’s what people will be happy to spend their time reading.

Offering value will also build the trust and confidence needed to persuade people to reward you with their credit card details, without them even realising that they’ve just been sold to.

[This post was inspired by a discussion on the Engaging Brand Podcast about the importance of offering value in modern marketing]

Posted by Matt Ambrose | Filed Under Blog, Copywriting, Marketing