How to write a landing page that sells

5 mistakes to avoid to write a damn good landing page

I created 20+ startups and here's what you need to convert visitors into customers: Create a damn good hero section on your landing page.

Here are 5 mistakes I see solopreneurs make, and how to fix them.

Estimated reading time: 3 min 46 sec.

1. Your brand (name + logo) doesn’t matter

I see websites with a massive 56px brand name and enormous logo in the center. Yes, your brand matters. But only to you.

Internet is crowded. People have no time. They aren’t looking for a new brand with a cool name. They want solutions to their problems. And your brand name isn’t one of them (unless you’re Nike or Apple).

Let’s fix it:

  • Make your brand name and logo smaller. 18 pixels max. for the font, and 32 pixels max. for the logo.

  • Alight them at the top left corner.

  • Make your brand name super simple (i.e. Zoom, Stripe, Butter) or objective-oriented (ShipFast, MakeLogo, HeadshotPro).

2. Your headline does 80% of the job

This is the first part of your site that people will read. It’s like the first Tinder profile picture or a YouTube thumbnail. Miss it, and they’ll leave.

Let’s fix it:

  • Every site needs a headline (I’ve seen some without).

  • The font size should be BIG. 36px to 48px is a good font size

  • The headline copy should answer this question: Why should a stranger stay on your site for more than 10 seconds? Write about the pain it's relieving, the problem it's solving, or the pleasure it's giving. This could be a dedicated issue, let me know if you want to read more.

  • Align your headline in the center or on the left if you have a product demo on the right.

  • Write 5 variations. Send them to 5 friends. After 24 hours, delete the message. Ask which one they remember. Pick that one.

3. People don’t trust you yet

Asking for money, or even just an email is a lot on the internet. There have been too many scams and humans are risk-averse. If there’s no social proof on your site, the conversion rate will plummet.

Let’s fix it:

  • Don’t call your users, users. They are students, product managers, or solopreneurs.

  • Don’t fake it at all. People are really good at spotting suspicious stuff. If it seems suspicious, people will leave in a second. Confused shoppers don’t buy.

  • Get testimonials before you launch. DM the right people on Twitter, post in the right subreddit, or ask relevant friends.

4. Let me try it!

Echoing the previous point: Asking for money, or even just an email is a lot on the internet.

Is it worth my time? People want to see what’s in it for them.

This is how you show them:

  • Add a demo of your product on the right side, or in the center, under the headline/supporting headline/CTA block.

  • An image is good. A video is better. A demo is best.

  • Remove clutter, especially if your product is complex. You just need to show the most important feature.

5. OK—Can I buy it now?

Visitors on your landing page aren’t users. They are just a little bit interested in what you have to offer. Make it very easy for them to start once they’re ready.

Let’s fix the Call-To-Action:

  • Your CTA should be a big button of the same color at different locations of your site.

  • Don’t add other CTAs. If you have a log-in button, use a neutral color or a link.

  • Don’t bury your call-to-action button somewhere on the page. Add one in the hero section, usually under the headline/supporting headline block.

  • Avoid Get Started or Sign Up. Remind the benefits to the user. Use this formula: Verb + Benefit. Learn Korean now, Get your headshots, Make my logo.

  • Answer objections in a small paragraph under the CTA:

    • I bet it’s expensive → Start for free

    • Another subscription… → One-time payment

Finally, launch your website as soon as possible and find out how people react. If there isn’t much conversion, try tweaking your headline for the most impact.

Whenever you're ready, there are 5 ways I can help you:

  1. ShipFast: Ship startups in days, not weeks with the NextJS boilerplate loved by 1,500+ developers.

  2. LaunchViral: Grow your startup with viral launch videos.

  3. IndiePage: Showcase your startups and get more customers. Join 3,000+ solopreneurs!

  4. ByeDispute: Don't let a dispute get you banned from Stripe.

  5. ZenVoice: Stripe invoices without the fee

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