Landing Page Usability: More Than Just the Curiosity Factor

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A landing page is the page that visitors first see after becoming curious enough to click on a link to your site.

In many cases, the landing page is the site's home page-but not always, even within search engine results pages, landing pages can appear anywhere within a Web site.

The Purpose of the Landing Page
While all site pages have a purpose (at least on well-designed sites) a landing page typically has a special or singular purpose: to sell a particular item, to announce a product sale, to entice visitors to opt in, complete a questionnaire or perform some other MDA (most desired action).

First determine the MDA the landing page addresses. Then, design everything-from headlines and text to graphics and pictures-to support the completion of the MDA.

Landing Page Design Principles

1. Create a headline that accomplishes the following:

Clearly states the purpose of the landing page-the MDA

Engages the visitor, piques interest and encourages the reader to continue

2. Use short blocks of text and single sentences surrounded by negative space (white). Visitors tend to scan rather than read the entire page, even if the text is pure poetry.

3. And because readers scan instead of read site text, use lots of headers, subheads and bullet lists.

5. Employ an unambiguous call to action. "Order Now!" "Call now before you forget!" Leave no doubt what action is expected of the visitor.

6. Choose a type font that's easy on the eyes. Avoid script fonts and fonts with lots of curly-Qs.

7. If the landing page sells one or more products, provide visitors with pictures of the products.

8. Prices, including shipping and handling costs, should appear below the fold. But they should definitely appear.

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Friday, March 19, 2010