When a person gets to your company’s landing page–whether it’s via search, social, or an email–the clock begins ticking. You have a limited amount of time to explain two things:

1. What they want.

2. How they can get it.

The key to conversions is focusing your landing page without sacrificing communication of the above two steps. Below, we break down how you can focus your landing page’s copy and design as you explain what visitors want and how they can get it. When you put this advice to work, you should have a landing page that is pleasing, easy to understand, and actionable for your visitors.

Step 1: Tell your visitors what they want.

Note that this is not telling them what you want. The first thing a visitor should see is something they want.

Examples of enticing benefits include:

• Receive exclusive travel deals before they’re published on the site.
• Stop hair loss and start growing thicker, fuller hair.
• Simplify your HR processes.
• Learn the proven methods of internet marketing.
• Get a free quote for new windows and a $100-off coupon.
• Support quality education in low-income neighborhoods.
• Get discovered by employers looking for candidates like you.

Copy tips

Keep it customer-centric. This is not about how, but what. The statement needs to be unattached to any action on the visitor’s part. This is about getting them to nod their heads and say, “Yes, I want that.” You can add additional benefits and information beneath your main benefit headline, but make sure that every word remains customer-focused, new, and relevant to the visitors. Do not fall into salesy language that drones on about how amazing your company is. Stick to the benefits. If intrigued, the visitor will naturally wonder, “But how?” (That’s Step 2.)

Design tips

The main benefit to the customer is the most important message to convey, so it needs to be the first thing they read. Make it big, and put it near the top of the page. Don’t use a crazy typeface that is difficult to read. The clearer, the better.

Step 2: Tell your visitors how they can get what they want.

Now that you and your visitor are in agreement about what they want, you need to make it easy for them to get it. This is the “action” in Call to Action. First, focus on only one action. Any more and they will get confused or convince themselves that what you’re offering is not for them. If you have many desired actions for visitors, then you need to create separate landing pages that target these segments.

Examples of actions:

• Enter your email address to receive our free newsletter. (action: subscription)
• Enter your address for a free trial of HairGrow. (action: free trial)
• Tell us what your biggest HR challenge is. (action: schedule a consultation)
• Enter your email address to download the Internet Marketing Secrets ebook. (action: download)
• Enter your phone number and email to receive your coupon. (action: get coupon)
• Login to Paypal to make your donation. (action: donate)
• Connect to LinkedIn to get in front of hundreds of hiring companies. (action: sign up)

Copy tips

Use the actual action as a starting point for the copy that will overlay the button. If they are subscribing, the button should say Subscribe (as opposed to Submit). If they are donating, the button should say Donate (as opposed to Confirm). Including language that puts the visitor at ease is always a good idea: Assure them that you will not share their information with third parties, that they can cancel at any time, etc.

Design tips

Keep your form as minimal as possible. It’s often tempting to get as much information from prospects as you can, but this can annoy people and drive them away. Often all you need is one piece of information, such as their email address. Place the form right alongside your benefits copy. It should be easy to find and above the fold. (No scrolling necessary.)

Now go focus that landing page!

As you build a new landing page or edit your current one, keep these principles in mind to guide your efforts. While there are always exceptions, it’s been shown that a focused, friction-free landing page will always drive more conversions than a cluttered and misguided one.