DO YOU NEED TO CREATE A WEBSITE LANDING PAGE FOR YOUR NEWSLETTER COMMUNITY?

Have you heard the term “website landing page” before?

Chances are you might. But if you’re a new blogger, then you may not have heard of it (and a lot of other terms for that matter).

It can be super overwhelming when you first start out on your blogging journey.

But for any blogger, I always recommend that you have an email list. And in order to grow that email list, a website landing page is a really good tool to have.

I have A LOT of landing pages. These are dedicated pages on my website that help me grow my email list.

But do you need one? And what actually is it anyway?

WHAT IS A WEBSITE LANDING PAGE?

To say it in a very simple way, a website landing page is a singular page that has one specific purpose and one specific message. It can be a place someone ends up when they click one of your links on social media, or your website’s home page.

Take this tweet from Nesha Woolery.

Learn how to use Asana to manage your design projects with my FREE 6-day course! https://t.co/hia8wzWhXR pic.twitter.com/R4tSfMaF7y
— Nesha (@neshadesigns) June 28, 2017

When you click on that link you are taken to a specific website landing page promoting that course. You get the chance to sign up for an email course that teaches you how to use Asana.

Remember how we said the landing page has to have one purpose and message? Here’s how that works for this example:

Purpose: to get more email subscribers
Message: to download the free email course

It’s very focused and by having that focus, that’s how you can convert more casual readers into subscribers.

Let me be a little clearer. Here’s what a website landing page shouldn’t have:

Social sharing buttons
More than one call-to-action
Other links

Take a look at this landing page I created on the Blogging Breakthrough website. It specifically promotes the Facebook community that I want people to join.

The specific website landing pages on my website all promote free workbooks, guides or checklists that visitors can download. I have a picture of the freebie and create a sign-up for just for that freebie too.

ARE ALL WEBSITE LANDING PAGES THE SAME?

Not necessarily.

For instance you could have a landing page as a welcome mat. So this is a page that appears before you get to the person’s actual website. This is great if you’ve got a launch going on, a giveaway, or something in particular you want to promote.

Again, you’ve got to make sure it has a specific purpose, which will usually be to get more email subscribers. The good thing with a welcome mat is if you don’t want to sign up, you can just click to go onto the blog instead.

Now for all transparency, I wouldn’t recommend going down this route. Mainly because they don’t do you any favours when it comes to SEO. Instead, you could go for a similar option in the form of a pop-up box, which can be just as effective.

You could also do this but instead of showing it to website visitors when they get to your site, you could use it as an exit strategy.

I use ConvertKit for all my forms and for my pop-up you can actually customise to be shown as a user is about to leave my website. There are so many different options, which is why they can be so powerful for getting results.

Personally I think a pop-up box is better because it’s nowhere near as intrusive.

You can also use your home page as a landing page! So instead of having your blog feed as your home page, you can create a website landing page and give people two options: to sign up to your mailing list or visit your blog.

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WHY A WEBSITE LANDING PAGE IS GREAT FOR GROWING YOUR EMAIL LIST

The more options users have, the less likely they are to make a decision. That’s why landing pages are so great, because they give people just one option. And because there’s only one option, the more likely people are to choose that option.

Since I started implementing landing pages, my email list has grown at a rapid rate - I gained 1,000 subscribers in just two months. So if growing your email list is a priority or you want to make money with your blog in the future, a website landing page is really going to help you.

A lot of bloggers are also unsure about whether they really need an email list. But honestly? Having any size list can do wonders for your brand authority, domain authority and social credibility.

And a website landing page is a tool that can help you achieve all that.

Here’s what usually happens when someone signs up to my mailing list:

Enter their details and sign up
Get access to a freebie
Follow up welcome email
Educational email
Get to know each other email

Then when I release a paid product, I’ll add another email on there called “pitch to product”. This will be more effective because you’ll have made the effort to build up a relationship with your subscribers first.

This is otherwise known as a sales funnel and it’s not as complicated as you might think!

Website landing pages are also a great way to add to your brand message. If you’re offering something specific that your target reader won’t be able to say no to, then this with align with your message, which will help to build your online presence.

When you’re creating content upgrades or freebies, it can be hit and miss. Some of mine have outperformed others. Just keep going, get feedback and see which ones your audience likes the most.

HOW TO CREATE A WEBSITE LANDING PAGE

There are loads of different tools you can use to create landing pages, but I’m going to briefly discuss two options here which are the ways that I go about it.

The first is with ConvertKit.

So ConvertKit is an email service provider to help you build your email list and you can create an opt-in form so people can give you their details, and this can come in the form of a landing page.

It walks you right through each step and you’ve got the option to completely customise it too.

Another way to do this is through Squarespace. Squarespace is the software I use to build and host my website.

Squarespace has so many cover page or landing page templates that you can just pick one, customise it and you’re good to go! You can add pictures, videos, links - anything to make it completely branded and unique.

So that’s it! Now you know what a website landing page is and how you can use it for your website. They’re not that difficult to get the hang of and I bet you’ll have no trouble creating your first one.

Have you got any other questions about website landing pages? Leave them in the comments below or reach out to me on Twitter @abranchofholly - I’m always chatting away on there!

Don't forget to download your free guide which will tell you exactly how to get your first 100 email subscribers, step by step.