Guide: Create a landing page, test it, go live

Step 1: Create concept, goal and target group

Before you get started with text, design, or technology, you need to clarify what your landing page actually amounts to. Because a good landing page is a strong line of argument with a defined goal.

a) What do you want your landing page to achieve?

Each landing page has exactly one task. The more you are aware of this, the easier it is to tailor the content and elements to it. Typical goals include:

• Have a contact form filled out
• offer a download
• sell a product
• Promote an event
• trigger an application

The site may only lead to this one action. If you're trying to accommodate multiple goals at the same time, Do you weaken the effect too much off. This is because the user then no longer knows what to do.

Ask yourself specifically: What should happen in the end? How can I make the action as easy as possible for the visitor?

b) Who do you want to talk to?

The best landing page is useless if it ignores the target group. Therefore: Think carefully Who you're building the site for and what that person needs to take action. Appropriate speech is particularly important here.

Typical questions that will help you:

• Who should land on the site? (e.g. managing director, end customer, applicant)
• What does this person already know? What else doesn't she know?
• What pain does the visitor want to solve or what desire (=need) does he have?
• What doubts or expectations does he bring with him?
• What motivates visitors to keep reading? On the other hand, what would lead to jumping off?

Don't create a one-size-fits-all offer. Instead, create a formulated persona that you will then convince. Not all features, questions, wishes, thoughts that you write down need to be included on the landing page later. However, they help you to thoroughly understand the target person and then choose the right way to address them. Act like an author who works out the entire backstory of a novel character.

Example of a persona:
The provider plans and builds high-quality solid brick houses.

Typical customer profile (=persona):
- married couple, 38 and 41 years old
- Two children (elementary school and daycare)
- Both working (commercial/technical), regular income
- Living currently for rent in a city apartment
- Yearn for peace and space

Typical pains:
- City apartment too tight, noisy, no garden
- Children can barely play outside
- Parking situation is annoying, neighbors are changeable and noisy
- Rent is high, with no lasting value
- Feeling: “It's time to take root”

Typical needs:
- Private house with garden and space for the family
- Solid construction, no compromises in living comfort
- If they want to build, do it once, and do it right
- do not want to determine a catalog solution, but rather a lot for themselves
- also need advice on financing

c) Where does traffic come from?

A landing page is almost always accessed from one or more channels. And it is precisely this start that influences how you set up the site. If it is just one channel, you can tailor the landing page perfectly to it. If traffic comes in via multiple channels, you'll need to find a compromise.

examples:

• Google Ads: The user has actively searched; he wants to receive an exact, clear answer.
• Social media: The user was surprised, you need more curiosity and an explanation that requires no previous knowledge.
• email: The reader already knows you, you can argue more directly.
• QR code: The user scans spontaneously, the page must work perfectly on smartphones, the content must get to the point quickly.

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The question is therefore not only what you want to show, but also where the user comes from and what they expect. Coordinate the introduction and content precisely.

Step 2: Plan structure and content

The landing page works best through its internal logic. The page must specifically guide the visitor through a chain of arguments: from initial interest to specific action. To do this, you need a well-thought-out structure and the right content. Everything else is a nuisance.

Building a compelling line of argument

Every good landing page tells a story in a condensed form. This chain of reasoning shimmers along the thoughts that your persona typically has in mind. Take the persona “by the hand” and guide them through these thoughts to the desired action.

• Getting started with a problem or request: The visitor recognizes himself straightaway again, e.g. with a headline that addresses his pain point.
• Deeper into the problem (or wish) go there and show: We understand you very well.
• Present a range of solutions: Show that you already know the problem of many others and that you now offer a concrete solution.
• Make benefits clear: What does the user get out of it when they react? Why right now? How is it without your offer, what is better with your offer?
• Create trust: Customer testimonials, examples, guarantees or experience to reduce any last doubts.
• Correction of an issue: Show that you know their doubts or reluctance and show the user that they have nothing to worry about.
• Trigger action: A clear call-to-action. This is placed prominently at the end, but not only there. It also appears in suitable places beforehand.

This chain must be logical, concise and easy to read, especially on a smartphone. At no point should the reader be bored, so sometimes less is more.

Strong (before/after) images, comparisons, bullet points with benefits and functions, certified test seals and awards, customer quotes, a short explanatory video or animations are suitable.

On the other hand, refrain from menus or page links, general information about the company, about us texts and any distractions.

Step 3: Create a visual design for the landing page

How the content is arranged determines how well the visitor can perceive and understand it. A landing page doesn't have to look spectacular. Instead, she must lead very well.

The visitor must see at a glance what it's about and what's next. In addition, he won't read long texts and has no patience to wait a long time for the page to make sense.

• Headline above, large and concise
• meaningful subheadings that give the reader the next idea
• Paragraphs very short
• Design with subheadings, images, and icons
• Visually highlight important messages (e.g. with frame, different background, positioning)
• Control your gaze: from top to bottom, from left to right and in an F shape

Mobile optimization of a landing page

The majority of users will see your page on their phone. That's why your landing page must always support this reduced version and look just as good there as on the big screen.

Important points for a landing page on a smartphone:

• CTAs always visible, possibly running
• Buttons big enough for the user to hit them on the first try
• Select spacing and font sizes so that everything remains legible
• Use text sparingly and very specifically, never fill the entire screen area of the smartphone with text

Test the site on multiple devices. If it's messy on mobile, it won't work, no matter how good your content otherwise is.

Step 4: Technical implementation of your landing page

A landing page must always function reliably from a technical point of view. It doesn't matter whether you program them yourself, use a construction kit or the Let a service provider create a landing page. If you want to create your own landing page, we'll show you tools and providers for that here.

a) Platforms for creating a landing page

Within an existing CMS; create a landing page with WordPress:

• Elementor or Beaver Builder (visual page builder, widely used and intuitive)
• Good if you already run a website and can place your landing page in the CMS. As a rule, it is still possible for the landing page to be visible as a standalone page when viewed from the outside.

Standalone landing page tools (construction kit):

• Webflow: visual builder, also suitable for developers
• Unbounce: designed specifically for landing pages, with a focus on conversion
• Onepage.io: specialized in landing pages
• Mailchimp landing pages: simple, particularly suitable if you want to link to the landing page from an email newsletter.

These tools are common in the Swiss market and can be used independently of the rest of your website.

b) Landing page hosting and domain

For the domain of your landing page, you can extend the domain of your existing website with a directory or create a completely new domain.

Landing page as part of your existing website

• Example: yourcompany.ch/offer
• You continue to use your existing domain and web hosting.
• Usual to give individual services the necessary depth of argument

Standalone landing page with separate domain or subdomain

• Example: aktion-bauen.ch or bewerbung-elektriker.ch
• Suitable for campaigns, recruiting or topics that should not appear permanently in the menu.

Tip:
If you work with providers like Webflow, Onepage.io, or WordPress.com, you can book domain and hosting directly from there. In this case, you don't need an additional host. These platforms offer everything in one package: design, technology, hosting, domain and security (SSL) included.

If you want to build your own landing page and host it separately:

You need web hosting (server), domain registration, an SSL certificate, and the option for FTP access or CMS installation.

Well-known hosting providers in Switzerland:

• Cyon: Provider with server location in Switzerland, user-friendly interface, well suited for small to medium-sized projects.
• Hostpoint: Swiss web hosting with a large infrastructure, offers domains, hosting, email and support in one system.
• Infomaniak: Hosting provider with data centers in Switzerland, also offers email, video hosting and calendar solutions.
• All-incl: German provider with a focus on simple package solutions, including FTP, databases and SSL certificates.
• IONOS (by 1&1): International provider with scalable hosting packages, domain and cloud services, and modular systems.

Step 5: Test and optimize your landing page

You should test a newly created landing page intensively. Some of the tests are carried out before the go-live, and in some cases only afterwards.

a) Before going live: Play through the page, find errors

Before you go live, check your site like an outsider, and do it thoroughly:

• Test on various devices: smartphone, tablet, desktop and with various browsers (Chrome, Edge, Safari)
• Submit forms: Is the CTA working? Is confirmation coming? Is everything running smoothly, even on the go?
• Read texts: No spelling mistakes, unclear terms or pitfalls?
• Check charging time: Does charging take noticeably long?

b) Live test: feedback from your environment

Then let others test your own test. Please include 5 people who fit the target group or who can give neutral feedback, e.g. colleagues, acquaintances, customers or friendly managing directors.

Ask them to go through the entire page and honestly say what they notice. What is unclear, what has a strong effect, where do they get stuck? Are there boring parts? Are individual texts too long? Which buttons were overlooked? Which statements are baseless? Where were they skeptical because of a lack of trust?

c) Use A/B testing

When your landing page is up and running and initial data is there, you can create variants and test which variant works better. This means: You show two slightly different versions of your page, e.g. with a different headline or button color, and measure which of them leads to the desired action more often.

A/B testing of a landing page:

• Platforms such as Webflow, Unbounce, Mailchimp landing pages offer A/B testing directly integrated
• A/B testing with VWO or Convert

Important:

• Only change one variable at a time (e.g. only CTA text, not also image and position at the same time)
• At least 100-200 visitors per variant before you draw conclusions
• Don't immediately adopt the better version as permanent
• First check again whether the result remains stable

Optional step 6: Add thank you pages to the landing page

Many landing pages end with a submitted form and then leave the user without further information. That's wasted potential and you can do better with your landing page.

After the conversion, there is an opportunity to further strengthen trust, deepen contact or even take the next step.

Confirmation and next steps

After clicking “Submit,” your user should see a friendly thank you page. This has three tasks:

• Give confirmation: “Your request was successfully submitted. ”
• Strengthen trust: Brief information about what happens next, such as “We'll get back to you within 24 hours. ”
• Extend contact relationship: Indication of additional content, such as a helpful blog article on your actual website

The thank you page shows: You take the contact seriously and keep it going.

Common mistakes when creating landing pages

Many landing pages do not fail due to technology or budget, but only later due to lack of interaction. Here are typical pitfalls that you should avoid if you want your site to work really well:

• Unclear objective: If you don't know what your landing page should achieve yourself, the visitor won't recognize it either. Several goals at the same time, such as making contact, buying a product and subscribing to the newsletter, dilute the message. Rule: One page, one goal.
• Too much information: A landing page is not a place for detailed explanations, running texts or company profiles. If you have to scroll too long or are bored, jump off immediately.
• Lack of optimization for smartphones: If the site doesn't work on mobile, whether due to moved layouts, buttons that are too small, or long load times, you lose the majority of your users.
• Weak or even too many call-to-actions: A “submit now” button without context or an entire block with five different calls to action? Both cause the user to hesitate. Better: A CTA, clearly visible, placed multiple times, but always with the same message.
• No trust: Lame stock photos and baseless promises without supporting documents seem dubious. If customer feedback, guarantees or a clear contact person is missing, the conversion will not occur.

Takeaway: What you can take with you to create a landing page

When creating your landing page, it is important that you proceed step by step as shown: Clarify the goal, build the structure, focus on content, implement it cleanly and then test and improve.

The clearer the page, the stronger the effect. The better you understand your target audience, the more likely they'll take action.

If you want help implementing your idea, you can read in our guide how to get a Have a landing page created can, and what you should pay particular attention to.

If you already know that you don't want to do the creation yourself and you now have an experienced Service providers for websites search, get in touch with us. We support you from the conception stage and develop a landing page for you that really delivers results.

• Narrow down your target group, create the persona
• Tackle your target group's pain/need
• logical chain of reasoning
• Building trust (testimonials, seals, cases, customer reviews)
• clear and perfectly placed CTA
• elegant thank you page and follow-up for users
• Leads and purchases directly into your CRM and other systems

‍Tip: In our portfolio You can find landing pages and websites from our customers.

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