Landing Pages

7 Secrets to a High Converting Landing Page

Landing pages are a type of web page that converts the best.

That means that you are almost certainly leaving money on the table if you aren’t using them in your business.

But merely having a landing page is not enough – you need to make sure that the design, the copy, and the offer are on point.

That’s why today we are going to discuss seven secrets to creating a high converting landing page.

#1: Design Your Sales Funnel First!

Landing pages don’t exist in isolation.

In order to create an effective landing page you need to understand:

  1. The big picture aka your sales funnel
  2. How that landing page fits into that big picture

That’s why we recommend designing your sales funnel first – this will allow you to place your landing page in its proper context.

There are several popular sales funnel models out there. So which one should you use to grow your business?

We believe that the most effective way to sell anything online is the Value Ladder sales funnel.

It was created by our co-founder Russell Brunson who then used it to take ClickFunnels from zero to $10M+ in annual revenue in just one year (it’s at $100M+ now!). 

This sales funnel has four stages:

  • Bait – You offer the potential customer your lead magnet in exchange for their email address.
  • Frontend – You offer the potential customer your least expensive and least valuable product or service.
  • Middle – You offer the customer a more expensive and more valuable product or service.
  • Backend – You offer the customer your most expensive and most valuable product or service.

Ideally, you also offer a continuity program of some sort, meaning, a subscription product that generates recurring revenue. 

We also recommend adding downsells, upsells, and cross sells to these core offers in order to maximize your revenue. 

The reason why this sales funnel works so well is that it allows you to:

  1. Start the relationship with that person by offering free value
  2. Nurture that relationship by continuing to provide free value via email
  3. Build trust by providing progressively more paid value at each stage

Here’s how Russell explains it:

All this can seem overwhelming but you don’t have to build your entire Value Ladder in one go.

You can start with just the lead magnet and the frontend offer, then add more offers over time. 

While in theory, the term “landing page” can be applied to both lead generation pages and sales pages, in practice when people use it they are typically referring to the former. 

That’s why in this article we will focus on creating a high-converting lead magnet landing page and setting up the Bait stage of your sales funnel. 

#2: Create a Super Valuable Lead Magnet

Your lead magnet is the foundation of your entire sales funnel. 

No amount of copywriting skill, conversion rate optimization techniques, or A/B testing will help if your lead magnet doesn’t resonate with your dream customers. 

The reality is that while using a lead magnet is still the best way to generate leads, the effectiveness of this marketing strategy is going down. Why?

Because that’s what happens with all marketing strategies – they are extremely effective at first and then lose their effectiveness over time as everyone starts using them. 

10-15 years ago compiling a few blog articles into a PDF and giving it away as a free ebook was enough to grow your email list… But those days are long gone!

Here’s what you need to understand if you want to use lead magnets today:

People won’t give you their email addresses unless you offer them something SUPER VALUABLE in return. 

That’s why the key to designing an effective lead magnet is to create something that your dream customers desperately want and then give it to them for free. 

But how can you do that?

Conduct Extensive Customer Research

You want to learn as much as you can about your target audience.

The easiest way to get started is to figure out where your dream customers hang out online and then observe the conversations happening there. 

We also recommend making an effort to talk to them one-on-one whenever possible – you can do that by attending relevant events and striking up casual conversations with people there. 

Keep in mind that the better you understand your dream customers, the easier everything else will be.

So don’t skip this step!

Identify the Most Painful Problem That Your Dream Customers are Struggling With

If you do your customer research properly, this should be easy – people love to complain about their problems, so all you need to do is pay attention to what they say. 

What problem comes up the most often?

That’s the one you should focus on. 

Create a Lead Magnet That Offers an Effective Solution to That Problem

If you want people to give you their email addresses, offering generic information is not enough – you need to provide a solution to the problem in question. 

We recommend approaching creating your lead magnet the same way you would approach creating a paid info product. 

Once again, your lead magnet is the foundation of your entire sales funnel, so you want to go all out with it!

How Does Your Lead Magnet Fit Into Your Sales Funnel?

Ideally, the problem that your lead magnet addresses should be either the same one or related to the one that your frontend offer addresses so that the former would set the stage for the latter.

You know how you sometimes see those free sample stalls in the supermarket where you can try some food item for free, then buy it if you like it?

Your lead magnet should serve the same function as those free samples – it should give the potential customer a taste of the value that they can expect from your paid offers, particularly your frontend offer. 

For Example:

Dating coach Matthew Hussey has a lead magnet called “9 Texts No Man Can Resist”.

It’s a guide that features nine text message scripts that women can copy-paste and use when texting men.

Matthew also has a frontend offer called “The Momentum Texts” which is a guide that features 67 more text message scripts.

If a woman downloads his lead magnet, tries out the free text message scripts, and gets positive results she’ll likely be interested in checking out “The Momentum Texts”.

See how there’s a seamless transition from the lead magnet to the frontend product? You want that in your sales funnel as well!

Finally, when it comes to the format of your lead magnet, you should pay attention to these factors:

  1. What is the best way to present this information? – Text-based lead magnets are the easiest to produce but video-based lead magnets and webinars tend to be more effective.

    Note that niches that revolve around physical skills (e.g. fitness, cooking, knitting) tend to favor video content.
  2. What are your personal strengths and weaknesses? – Some people are good at writing, others are naturals on camera, while yet others are great at public speaking. You want to lean into your strengths whenever possible.
  3. Where is the traffic coming from? – You will have the best chance of converting potential customers into leads if you offer them content similar to the content that they are already consuming.

    Say, if you have a blog, then a text-based lead magnet such as an ebook is probably the best bet.

    Meanwhile, if you have a podcast, then an audio-based lead magnet such as an exclusive interview or a Q&A session might make sense.

    And if you have a YouTube channel, then you should probably consider going with a video-based lead magnet such as a video masterclass or a video course.

    Of course, if you are just starting out, then none of this matters because you will be running ads anyway.

It’s also important to be cautious and not overinvest in an unproven lead magnet which is why we recommend using the Lean Startup methodology here:

Create a minimum viable version of your lead magnet, put it in front of your target audience, and then start investing more into developing it further if you see that your dream customers are interested in it. 

#3: Choose the Right Lead Generation Funnel for Your Lead Magnet

Okay, so you have your lead magnet, what now?

The next step is to choose the right lead generation funnel for it. 

Here are the three most popular lead generation funnels:

  1. The squeeze page funnel
  2. The reverse squeeze page funnel
  3. The webinar funnel

Let’s take a closer look at each of them:

The Squeeze Page Funnel

The squeeze page funnel is the most basic lead generation funnel where you use a simple squeeze page as your lead magnet landing page.

Squeeze Page Funnel Structure

Here’s what the squeeze page funnel looks like:

Page 1: A squeeze page

Page 2: A thank you page

For Example:

We are using this simple, yet high-converting squeeze page to promote one of our lead magnets:

And here’s the thank you page:

When Should You Use the Squeeze Page Funnel?

This funnel should be your default choice. Why?

Because it’s easy to build, it’s effective, and it can work well for all kinds of lead magnets. 

That being said, it works best for text-based lead magnets such as ebooks, reports, email courses, and so on. 

Learn More

You can learn more about the squeeze page funnel by watching this video:

The Reverse Squeeze Page Funnel

A reverse squeeze page is a squeeze page that features a video that the potential customer can watch without providing their email address.

The key difference between the regular squeeze page funnel and the reverse squeeze page funnel is this:

The former keeps all free value behind an opt-in wall, while the latter offers some free value upfront (the aforementioned video).

Reverse Squeeze Page Funnel Structure

The reverse squeeze page funnel looks like this:

Page 1: A reverse squeeze page

Page 2: A thank you page

When Should You Use the Reverse Squeeze Page Funnel?

This funnel works best for video-based lead magnets such as video masterclasses and video courses.

You can use your reverse squeeze page to either show a highlight reel of the content behind the opt-in wall or to provide an introduction to the content behind the opt-in wall. 

Alternatively, you can use your reverse squeeze page to build trust by featuring a video where you share how you overcame the challenge that your dream customers are struggling with.

Learn more:

You can learn more about the reverse squeeze page funnel by watching this video:

The Webinar Funnel

The webinar funnel is a funnel where you use a webinar as your lead magnet.

Webinar Funnel Structure:

Page 1: A webinar registration page

Page 2: A thank you page

Page 3: A webinar page

Page 4: A product order page

When Should You Use the Webinar Funnel?

This sales funnel holds a special place in our hearts because that’s what Russell used to get ClickFunnels off the ground during our first year in business. 

To this day he believes that the best business model in the world is to create a webinar and then do that webinar live every single week for a year at least once a week. 

You can use this funnel to sell pretty much anything but the caveat here is that you need to either be already good at public speaking or commit to becoming good at it.

Hosting live webinars inevitably means that there will be awkward moments that will make you cringe but if you are willing to accept that then this approach can enable you to grow your business faster than you ever thought possible!

Learn more:

You can learn more about the webinar funnel by reading our guide on it:

“Your Ultimate Guide To Building a Successful Webinar Funnel”

#4: Use a Proven Landing Page Template

Now that you have chosen the right lead generation funnel for your lead magnet, it’s time to create a landing page for it. 

We don’t recommend building it from scratch if you don’t have any previous experience designing landing pages. Why?

Because you would likely be better off using a proven landing page template instead. Why waste time reinventing the wheel when you can simply do what works?

ClickFunnels includes a template library full of proven, high-converting landing page templates for pretty much any use case imaginable.

We have all that and more!

Also, we have been obsessively A/B testing our landing page templates for nearly a decade now.

This means that all templates that you see in our template library have been proven to work for real businesses – they don’t just look good, they also convert well!

Start Your Free Trial

#5: Follow Best Copywriting Practices

Once you have picked a landing page template, it’s time to start writing copy.

We recommend following these copywriting best practices:

Make Sure That Your Landing Page Headline Conveys the #1 Benefit of Your Free Offer

When it comes to landing page copy, the headline is its most important element. Why?

Because your headline is your one and only chance to grab the potential customer’s attention before they get distracted by something else. So how can you do that?

One of the most important copywriting principles that you need to understand is the distinction between features and benefits:

  • A feature is a function or a quality of a product (e.g. “These shoes are waterproof!”)
  • A benefit is the value that the customer will get from that product (e.g. “These shoes will keep your feet dry!”)

People take action based on benefits, not on features.

That’s why you need to emphasize the #1 benefit of your lead magnet in your landing page headline. How will it make the potential customer’s life better? 

For Example:

Nick Stephenson, a best-selling author and a business coach who teaches writers how to market their books, uses a free video course as his lead magnet.

Here’s what you see above the fold on its landing page:

As you can see, the headline emphasizes the #1 benefit of this free video course – it will teach you how to go from zero to $1k/month as an author. 

Note how this promise is:

  1. Specific – It’s not about “making a living writing” or “being a full-time author”, it’s about reaching the concrete goal of making $1,000/month from book royalties.
  2. Realistic – There’s a common misconception that the more bombastic your headline, the better your landing page is going to convert.

But this is completely misguided because if people feel that what you are promising isn’t realistic, they won’t be inclined to take action.

Nick could have used a headline along the lines of “From Zero to $100,000/year” instead but it would likely convert worse. Why?

Because to a writer that’s struggling financially, $100,000 a year is a meaningless number because it seems so unrealistic – it might as well be “From Zero to a Gazillion Dollars Per Year”. 

Meanwhile, $1,000 per month might feel ambitious but it also seems realistic, which means that the struggling writer will want to hear what Nick has to say. 

Also, when you make realistic promises, it’s much easier to help people get those results, which helps build trust that then enables you to sell them more expensive products in the future.

Emphasize the Benefits of Your Free Offer in Your Landing Page Copy

Now let’s talk about the body copy of your landing page.

Here’s what you should do:

  1. Reiterate the #1 benefit of your lead magnet that you mentioned in the headline
  2. Introduce additional benefits of your lead magnet

You should always emphasize the benefits of your offer when writing copy – it doesn’t matter if we are talking about a squeeze page with just a few short sentences or a long-form landing page that goes on forever. 

As for the features, the general rule is that the more affordable the offer, the less attention you should give to its features when writing copy.

Your lead magnet is free which means that you don’t need to mention its features at all besides making it clear what it is (e.g. an ebook, an email course, a webinar, etc.).

That being said if you go above and beyond with your lead magnet and make it more comprehensive than what the potential customers would normally expect, then discussing its features might make sense because it can help increase its perceived value.

For Example:

As you scroll down the “0 to $1k Per Month” video course landing page, you’ll find a video, customer testimonials, more information about what’s included in the course…

And also a detailed breakdown of the course:

Nick’s lead magnet is exceptional – he could probably sell it as a paid product if he wanted to – doing a breakdown like this that emphasizes its features and helps to showcase just how valuable this free offer is.

Of course, if the lead magnet was a simple report or a short ebook, then a feature breakdown like this wouldn’t make sense.

Provide Social Proof

Social proof is a psychological principle that says that when people are unsure of what to do, they look at what others do to determine the best course of action.

In the business context, this means that whenever potential customers are unsure of whether to trust you they will seek indications that other people trust you. 

Sometimes, they will do it consciously by looking for independent reviews of your product, but often this is a subconscious process. What does any of this have to do with your landing page copy, though?

You can take advantage of this human tendency by providing social proof yourself right there on your landing page. 

There are two types of social proof:

  • Direct social proof that relates to the offer in question

    Can you get any testimonials from people who have benefited from your lead magnet?

    The more specific the testimonial, the better. What results did this person get?

    Ideally, you want to display their photo, their full name, and their Twitter handle so that potential customers could be sure that this is indeed a real person and not a fictional character that you made up.
  • Indirect social proof that relates to you as an individual or to your company

    This can mean mentioning relevant education, credentials, and accomplishments, displaying “As Seen On” media badges, and featuring endorsements from people that are well-known in your niche.

If you don’t have any social proof yet, we strongly advise acquiring it because it can do wonders for your conversion rate. 

#6: Test Your Free Offer With Paid Ads

Here’s a harsh truth that you need to accept if you want to do well with online marketing:

You can’t know whether a lead magnet resonates with your target audience until you put it in front of your dream customers. 

And the best way to do that is to start driving paid traffic to your lead magnet landing page.

All major social media platforms allow you to run ads on them:

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • TikTok

So pick the platform that’s favored by your dream customers, create an ad campaign, set up a small daily budget, and start running ads. 

Then sit back and watch what happens. Are people interested in your lead magnet?

If they are, then your next step should be to figure out how to run ads profitably, at which point you can start gradually scaling your ads campaign.

And if they aren’t, then you need to analyze the situation and figure out what the problem is. 

Here are the three main possibilities that you should consider:

  • Your free offer doesn’t resonate with your target audience
  • Your landing page copy doesn’t convey the value of your free offer
  • You are driving low-quality traffic to your landing page

You might need to come up with a better lead magnet, improve your landing page copy, or increase traffic quality.

Keep in mind that it might take several attempts until you find a lead magnet that truly resonates with your dream customers.

So don’t be discouraged if you need to go back to the drawing board and restart the whole process from scratch.

#7: Use A/B Testing to Optimize Your Landing Page

Once you have validated your lead magnet, it’s time to start optimizing your landing page with A/B testing:

  1. Create two variants of your landing page: variant A and variant B. There should be only one difference between them. That’s the element that you are testing.

    Say, the variant A call-to-action button color is green and the variant B the call-to-action button color is red.

    Everything else should be exactly the same in both variants.
  2. Split your traffic in half and send half of it to variant A and half of it to variant B.
  3. Let the experiment run until it reaches statistical significance, then look at the results – which variant converted better? That’s the one you should keep!

Any software with a decent A/B testing functionality will do the mathematical heavy lifting for you but we recommend reading up on A/B testing statistics.

That will help you design better experiments and interpret their results more accurately.

Also, it’s unlikely that any given A/B test will lead to a drastic increase in the conversion rate so don’t get your hopes up in that regard.

Conversion rate optimization is a methodical process -while you might get an occasional big win, the real power of A/B testing lies in small conversion rate increases that add up over time. 

You never know what hypothesis will turn out to be true, so your best bet is to test everything you can. 

You should always be testing something!

Build a Sales Funnel for Your Business with ClickFunnels!

ClickFunnels has everything you need to build a sales funnel for your business:

  • Sales funnel and landing page templates
  • Visual editor that you can use to customize those templates
  • A/B testing functionality that you can use to optimize the pages in your sales funnel

What’s best is that we have a free trial which means that you can check out our software without any risk.

So why not start building your Value Ladder sales funnel today?

Start Your Free Trial

John Parkes

John Parkes is a Master at driving web traffic. For more than five years now John has been a coach and stage presenter to tens of thousands of marketers looking to up their Facebook ads game. As Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at ClickFunnels he runs the entire organic and paid traffic teams and dominates the markets he jumps into. Having spent millions in ads and generated tens of millions he knows his way around ad campaigns like the back of his hand. John has been featured on several podcasts: FunnelHacker Radio, Just The Tips, Next Level Facebook Ads Podcast, Trent Talks, and The Big Shift to name a few. Whether it’s optimizing things on the campaign, audience, or ad creative level, John is the man with the skills, strategy, and experience to create world class results.

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