The Secrets to Landing Pages that Work

Yesterday, Brian told you how to avoid hopelessly screwing up your landing pages.

But does that guarantee your landing page is good, much less great?

Survey says … not so much.

Turns out, Brian’s already told you about a three-step “big picture” approach to crafting copy that results in a killer landing page. You might have missed it because it was delivered under-the-radar. He does that.

So, we’re discussing that today in even great detail, all in glorious THX Certified audio goodness.

In this episode Brian and I discuss:

The ancient three-step art of creating compelling landing pagesHow to know what your audience wants — even if you don’t have an audienceThe single concept that makes every other part of your marketing clickHow to beat better writers when it comes to conversionDiscover how to make great landing pages quickly and easily

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Click here to download the mp3 | 34.2 MB | 29.52Click here to subscribe via iTunesClick here for the RSS feed (non iTunes)Want to discover the smartest ways to mix social media, content marketing, and SEO? We’ve got you covered with Internet Marketing for Smart People. It’s a FREE 20-part course and email newsletter that delivers the techniques and strategies you need to know as an online marketer.

Links from the Show:

5 Landing Page Mistakes that Crush Conversion RatesHow to Craft a Marketing Story that People Embrace and ShareLanding Pages Turn Traffic Into MoneyWhat’s the Premise?About the Author: Robert Bruce is Copyblogger Media’s resident raconteur and copywriter.

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Find out more about the framework featuresCheck out the Genesis demo and the variety of child themesSee example designs in the Genesis design showcaseBookmark and Promote!Like this post on FacebookSubscribe to CopybloggerBookmark on del.icio.usDigg this postStumble this postFurther ReadingThe Ultimate (Free) Landing Page ResourceLanding Pages Turn Traffic Into MoneyQuick and Easy Sunday LinksLanding PagesHow Crappy Landing Pages Kill Email CampaignsSites That Link to this PostCopyblogger Weekly Wrap | Copyblogger | January 22, 2011 CommentsMichael Martine says: January 20, 2011 at 9:08 am

Some great landing page advice in the podcast and I’m definitely looking forward to Premise. If you haven’t already, I hope you can get in touch with Grant about ensuring compatibility with Headway.

ReplyBrian Clark says: January 20, 2011 at 9:15 am

Hey Michael, good to see you! As far as compatibility goes, it’s already taken care of.

ReplyDerek says: January 20, 2011 at 9:25 am

Split testing built into the WordPress interface? That sounds fantastic.

ReplyRandy Kemp says: January 20, 2011 at 9:34 am

Brian:

I’m happy the radio show continued to cover the landing page topic from yesterday.

How do you know the landing page is effective? Testing! Spit testing! Reviewing analytics. It doesn’t matter what the marketer, copywriter, client, etc., “ultimately” thinks. What does the data say?

But before getting to measurement, the points you cover are great. Know your audience. This is one of the key provisions to good copywriting. What are their pain points? What motivates them? Hang around forums in your user niche, hang around social media, etc.

J.D. Salinger could have continued to perfect better works in seclusion – similar to James Joyce (i.e. Finnegans Wake and Ulysses). In other words, Salinger gave up.

I like the example of spelling errors saying, “turn over for winning lottery ticket.” I reminds me of a piece of copy by Joseph Sugarman. You could get so much off for finding each copy spelling error.

I’m happy you emphasized research.

Quentin Tarantino? Glad you mentioned Pulp Fiction. Quentin knew what makes the bad guys tick. You can see it in his films. He knows his audience.

Well Brian. If folks listen to folks like you, Clayton Makepeace and his merry band of marketers, Ben Hart, and others in your group – they will be on the right road.

Aristotle? Good ideas but one famous philosopher says he’s as “dry as wood”. I prefer Plato myself. Socrates is a better master of getting folks to the conclusion he wants.

Randy

ReplyDev Basu says: January 20, 2011 at 10:00 am

Great podcast – I use WordPress to setup quick and easy LP’s all the time and then split test them. Used to test with Google Web Optimizer, but I find Visual Web Optimizer easier and more intuitive these days.

ReplyMary E. Ulrich says: January 20, 2011 at 10:52 am

Notes and thoughts after listening to the audio:

“How do you know where to go when you don’t have an audience?” I’m buried under that one. I like the idea of a “Perspective audience” that is out there–they just don’t know it.

I’m hoping you’re right and “Good copywriting just seeps into you.”

The home page is Direct Response Copywriting (everything must connect to the action).

1. Know your Audience’s Worldview: You are part of the audience, so know yourself.

2. Frame: Lazer-focus that worldview. Narrow your story so people will pay attention and do what you want(thanks Aristotle).

3. Premise: Execution–the audience takes action (hook, “Purple Cow,” USP).

Thanks for your ongoing information, hope I got the main points right.

Copyblogger is great. I’m still trying to figure it all out and each post and audio helps. Thanks.

ReplyMartyn Chamberlin says: January 20, 2011 at 10:56 am

Robert, you’ve got the coolest job on the planet.

Brian, you’ve got the coolest podcast show on the planet.

If Apple were a blog, it would be Copyblogger.

ReplySonia Simone says: January 20, 2011 at 11:01 am

Ha! All the Apple fanboys around here just fainted.

Thanks.

ReplyMarina Goldberg Klima says: January 22, 2011 at 4:02 pm

I love you, Sonia

I am not a copyblogger, just a person trying to boost business, crawling along to understand how to do stuff on the web, I have along way to go, who doesn’t. But I enjoy your posts.

ReplyChris "The Traffic Blogger" says: January 20, 2011 at 11:19 am

Understanding audience is so key to all aspects of marketing your brand online. I love that you find ways to incorporate this theme into everything you do, including pitch page design!

ReplyHashim Warren says: January 20, 2011 at 12:13 pm

The podcast is helpful. Hearing Brian riff on landing pages in audio makes it stick for me better than just reading.

It’s funny for me to think about a landing page for a blog, since I grew up on the thought of a blog being a continuous stream of information that doesn’t ask for much but a blip of your attention.

ReplySonia Simone says: January 20, 2011 at 12:32 pm

Which is a great, pithy way to explain why so many successful bloggers can’t make any money.

ReplyVivek Parmar says: January 20, 2011 at 12:44 pm

it’s a nice podcast. its necessary to create effective landing pages as it helps you to make more money. It becomes more important when you are in affiliate marketing business and landing pages works as golden coin in increasing sales

ReplyAurelius Tjin says: January 21, 2011 at 5:34 am

Nice topic! thanks for the info.

ReplyLuke says: January 21, 2011 at 1:02 pm

Here on Copyblogger you use landing pages for your main keywords. For a company site would a page describing a service that you offer to a particular audience also be considered a landing page. Multiple pages for different services and audiences.

Sorry if its a basic question, just not too sure what landing pages for our company would look like.

ReplyJack Price says: January 21, 2011 at 5:38 pm

Quick question for Brian or Robert: would you say that “frame” is similar in concept and function to “storyworld” in fiction?

Very helpful lesson.

Jack

ReplyBash Bosh says: January 22, 2011 at 4:32 pm

Thank you for sharing this with us Robert.
Especially like the streaming… I think we all have learned a valuable lesson from there.

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