At Ogline Digital we focus on direct response digital marketing (a fancy term for Facebook ads, Google ads, and their pay-per-engagement cousins). In essence, we drive cold traffic to our clients’ digital experience. It’s the fastest, most powerful way for brands to drive traffic to their message and, in essence, “buy growth.”

But often I need to have a “come-to-Jesus” meeting with our clients about the digital experience we’re driving those cold prospects to. If it’s a crappy, outdated website, we have a problem. We could drive a million prospects to that site, and the client won’t see their revenue increase a red cent.

To deliver maximum value to our clients, we have become experts at designing landing pages that convert. Successful landing pages follow a very specific sequence. The sequence walks visitors through the psychological steps of the customer journey — essentially making the decision to convert for them!

Want to turn your landing pages into automated conversion machines? Make sure it includes the following steps — in order!

Section 1: Hero

The hero is the topmost section of the landing page. It must grab your prospects’ attention immediately. Elements that appear in the hero may include:

• Header (what problem do you solve?)
• Subheader (drive it home)
• Benefit-based bullet points
• Image(s) or a sales video
• A top testimonial or result
• A call-to-action (CTA)

The CTA is crucial. Some visitors will be ready to convert right then and there. Don’t make them search down the page for the opportunity to do so.

The content in the hero is short — you usually have sentences, not paragraphs, to get the message across. Pro tip — don’t focus on you. Make it about them. Don’t focus on your company’s history, values, mission statement, or whatever you think makes you awesome.

Focus on your prospect’s pain points, core desires, and hopes for the future.

Section 2: Why

This is where you introduce your brand and why you are so awesome. Talk about your solutions to pain points, value propositions, and what sets your company apart.

Section 3: Brag Bar #1

Here, you brag about your accomplishments and track record. You can tell a little of your brand story and maybe include a short testimonial.

Section 4: Close #1

Introduce the product, service, or solution. Use appealing pictorial images. List the features, but don’t stop there — list the benefits of those features and the desired outcome.

Use this formulation: “The product does __________, which allows you to __________ so you can finally __________.”

Include another call to action here. They know what they’re buying — give them the chance to buy (or become a lead) there and then!

Section 5: Testimonials

Include your most rapturous user reviews. If you don’t have reviews or testimonials yet, remember that the point of reviews is proof of value. You may be able to accomplish this through credentials, industry statistics, analytics, or personal endorsements.

Section 6: Value Proposition

Take the starting point of your “Why” section and flesh it out in more detail. Ram it home. List even more features, including benefits and desired outcomes. You might include a guarantee to remove all risk from the buying decision.

Section 7: Brag Bar #2

If the prospect has gotten this far down the page, they may need more convincing that your solution is everything it’s cracked up to be. Take this opportunity to flood them with even more testimonials, industry data, analytics, and obnoxious social proof. Really rub their faces in it.

Section 8: Comparison Chart

This is a good place to create a comparison chart. Create one column with the features of your offers, then more columns comparing you side-by-side to competitors. Ideally, your brand has check marks all up and down the column, ticking off every feature of your offer, while the sparse checkmarks in your competitor’s column makes them look pathetic by comparison.

Section 9: Close #2

Your closing salvo. Depict the offer again, restate the features, create urgency (limited time offer, limited supply, etc.) and hammer it home with one more CTA. It’s in the hands of the prospect now. You have done your job.