OCTOBER 8, 2024

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Welcome to The Tilt, the newsletter for content entrepreneurs from Tilt Publishing. Together, we're redefining what it means to be a publisher.

How To Improve Your Landing Pages

Is your online “place” ready to welcome the audience and motivate them to take action?

I’m not talking about the home page on your website. I’m talking about your landing pages – the URL destinations where you direct them in your calls to action.

Unlike the home page, which showcases all aspects of your content business, a landing page has a narrower purpose. It’s designed for an audience targeted to perform a single call to action (CTA). It could include a landing page for your online course that you linked to in your newsletter. Or it could be the place to go for people who click a CTA in a social media post. Perhaps it’s the destination for your audience who just heard your latest speaking gig or your new book launch page.

Yet, many entrepreneurs spend a lot more time working on their general website than the landing pages. That’s a missed opportunity, especially since landing pages directly serve the business, converting the audience to do what you want them to do.

To help, we asked some experts through Qwoted for their tips and the biggest mistakes they see people make:

“A landing page isn't just a random part of your website. This is your chance to turn someone browsing your site into someone willing to sign up or buy what you're selling,” says Kraig Kleeman, founder of CEO Branding Worldwide. “It is the handshake, the first impression, and the closing of a deal.”

“Everything about a strong landing page starts with a good value proposition,” says Cache Merrill, founder of the tech company Zibtek. He says it starts with the first line. Reveal the problem your audience experiences that your content product solves. Then, explain how it solves the problem.

​Chris Dukich, founder of Display NOW, agrees: “Comprehension of the precipitated value becomes instant.”

Once you get the visitor to see your service or product “gets” them, you want them to take the desired action. That manifests itself in a single call to action – direct the user on what to do next, Chris says.

​Farhan Siraj, CEO of OSHA Outreach Courses, an online health and safety training provider, summarizes the advice with these three pillars of a good landing page. It:

• Communicates clearly the benefits of the product or service. It delivers the message in an assertive manner but does not resort to exaggerations.
• Removes doubts and second thoughts among visitors by showcasing social proof. It includes testimonials, reviews, and, in some cases, statistics and case studies that validate the product's effectiveness.
• Provides a seamless user experience. Visitors who want to convert do not face hurdles. The page is fast, mobile-optimized, and free of any bugs.

Think site speed

​John Butterworth, founder of Mint SEO, says that showing clearly defined benefits and a strong call to action should happen with a lightning-fast page load to maximize conversions.

It makes sense, as Bogdan Krstic, founder of Krstic SEO, explains. He says research in the SaaS space finds conversions on a landing page fall off 10% to 20% each second of a longer loading time.

What’s a good page load time? Three seconds, ideally less than two, Bogdan says.

You can use Google’s free PageSpeed tools to assess your website. Bogdan also recommends his clients use a free WordPress plugin tool, Seraphinite Accelerator, to handle speed optimization in a few clicks.

Maximize above-the-fold elements

The phrase “above the fold” comes from the newspaper days. It’s the top half of the front page visible in the newspaper vending box to entice people to buy it. On digital pages, it’s the top of the page instantly visible (so it doesn’t require the visitor to scroll).

Mint SEO’s John Butterworth says the banking site Suits Me has a well-done landing page. Its headline (the personal account that suits you) and image (mobile screenshot and two credit cards) make it immediately clear what the product offering is. It also has a clear CTA for opening an account and highlights the key features in a list format so they’re easily scannable.

But Suits Me doesn’t stop there; it uses social proof by highlighting its strong Trustpilot score from over 16,900 reviews. “Visitors gain this essential product info straight away without needing to spend time searching through the page. This approach boosts conversions and wins more customers,” John says.

Credibility is a critical factor for content entrepreneurs. Bogdan says he uses an “as seen in” feature on every page, displaying the media logos in which he has been quoted to boost consumer trust and lead acquisition.

Kraig explains, “People believe what others say about you more than what you say about yourself. Add reviews, testimonials or statistics about how many customers have benefited from what you offer."

“There is no need to exaggerate, but a few concrete examples of happy customers can make a big difference.”

– Ann Gynn

​Read the eight mistakes frequently made on landing pages in the full article (scroll to the bottom).

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Entrepreneur: Joe DiSanto

Biz: Play Louder​

Tilt: Finance, business, investment ideas and coaching

Primary Channel: YouTube (4.28K)

Other Channels: Website, LinkedIn (1.1K), X (600), Instagram (300), newsletter (4K), Facebook (250), Pinterest (3.1K)

Time to First Dollar: 12 months

Rev Streams: Consulting/coaching, digital products, service packages, courses, affiliate marketing, website ads

Our Favorite Actionable Advice

• Visualize and actualize your goals: Joe used his three-hour train commute to a job he hated to envision and plan what he wanted to achieve. Years later, when burned out on his “dream” entrepreneurial business, he created a new life as a content entrepreneur.
• Use what you know: His content tilt stems from what he learned to prevent him from struggling financially as his mom did when he was young.
• Know your numbers: Entrepreneurs must understand the finances from day one. You have to know where your money is going. Don’t wait until you’re in trouble to figure it out.
• Don’t chase quick wins: It’s easy to get caught up in trying to go viral or rank in search engines, but real success comes from building a brand that people trust.

– Marc Maxhimer

​Read Joe DiSanto’s story.​

Know a content creator who’s going full tilt? DM us. Or email tilt@thetilt.com.

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• ​You Need More No In Your Strategy (Content Inc.)
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• ​How to Drive Book Sales Without Offering Discounts​ (Publish & Prosper)
• Join the conversation at the weekly Tilt Your Business podcast at 12 p.m. US EDT Tuesdays.
• ICYMI: Joanna Penn Turns Early Days of Blogging and Podcasting Into Multiple Six-Figure Business​

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