Landing pages are mission-critical to your marketing strategy. You can drive all the traffic in the world, but if you’re failing to make that momentary connection, you’re throwing your branding dollars out the window.
- Do your high bounce rates bring you to tears?
- Do you feel like you’re flushing your web traffic down the toilet?
- Do your A/B tests feel like you’re running in a hamster wheel?
- Do your leads feel like leprechauns — mythical creatures who perpetually run and hide from your engagement tactics?
Add spice to your landing page
British Design Experts comes to the rescue with the following infographic, outlining the recipe for a perfect landing page. In a nutshell, you need the following elements:
- An eye-catching headline
- A compelling image
- High quality text (designed for smart humans)
- One awesome call-to-action
- A clear sign-up form
- User testimonials (social proof)
Use only high-quality ingredients
When sitrring up your own landing page recipes, keep these important guidelines in mind:
- Add a dash of emotion, which is more than twice as effective as logic in advertising.
- Leverage power words that resonate with your prospects.
- Prioritize trust through security certifications, partner logos, social proof, and testimonials from your favorite customers.
- And most importantly, keep it simple.
Resist the urge to add multiple calls to action. It only confuses visitors. All you need is one CTA that is clear, compelling, and concise. Any more, and your landing page becomes an instant mess.
Taste-test some inspiring recipes
Let’s look at a few sample landing pages that do it well. They’re beautiful, engaging, and well-designed.
1. WeHostels — Value in Few Words
WeHostels is a mobile startup that helps travelers find hotels. Simplicity, efficiency, and innovation are values that are core to the product’s mission and vision.
WeHostels is a company that does more than simplify travel accommodations. Their goal is to “increase unity in the world by empowering youth to travel and to connect with and learn from others.” 
The landing page screams that exact value proposition, loud and clear:
- Beautiful imagery instantly showcases the beauty of world exploration.
- A strong CTA tells users exactly what to do to get started.
- The subheading, “make friends around the world,” positions WeHostels as an emotional and transformative life experience.
Keep scrolling down the landing page, and you’ll find an explainer video that brings these values to life.
The key takeaway? How much WeHostels communicates with so few words. Awe-inspiring imagery and video do all the work of orienting users.
2. NewsCred — Data Humanized
Data is a double-edged sword: equal parts confusing and compelling. When marketing for B2B, however, numbers are invaluable for explaining your company’s value proposition.
Take NewsCred’s homepage as an example. This content marketing and syndication platform explains a powerful metric, that clicks from shared content are five times more likely to drive a purchase. It’s a simple, single-digit number that signifies strong results.
The key takeaway? Humanize your data as a storytelling tool to move your prospects to a clear and simple action (via your CTA). 
3. Pulse — ‘You’ Is the Magic Word
Whatever your marketing message, make it about your users. Right off the bat, using the word “you” can build instant rapport. It’s also the simplest way to strike an emotional chord.
Take a look at Pulse’s homepage, and stake a step back. How does it make you feel? It’s a mobile news reader that’s customized to you.
The key takeaway? Get to know your customers, then introduce details that let them know you “get” them.
What are some of your favorite landing page tactics? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
