Creating Unique Landing Pages for Your Visitors – Design Considerations

This is a guest post by Rob Toledo, if you want to guest post on this blog, please contact us.

Most people who spend some time browsing the web will come upon a steady stream of landing pages; that is, the kind of webpage that is specifically designed to prompt a user to take an action. More often than not, a user will skim the page and pass on by, used to the usual gimmicks. Huge headline riddled with exclamation points? Been there. Lots of arrows pointing to a big, flashing button? Done that!

Whether with a fresh new background image or perfectly tailored content, you can make your landing page stand out from the crowd with just a few considerations. Break away from the average landing page and inject some originality into your next venture.

Use Images in New Ways

The quickest way to make your landing page look generic and boring is to use generic, boring images. Try to avoid common stock photos, such as a smiling, pointing person; that type of image feels cheesy and dated. Even worse, they are recycled so many times on so many different websites that your user might have already seen the same one elsewhere.

However, this doesn’t mean you should avoid using a quality stock photography website. You can find any number of beautiful, unique images to use with a little searching. After you’ve found some great images, play with positioning and scale to up the ante. Also consider using custom illustration or photography for the perfect finishing touch.

Add Other Types of Media

Another new way to make your landing page stand out is to add a short video or a soundtrack. Be careful with both, because most users will not appreciate a blast of sound when they unsuspectingly click on a link. But a video often works without any sound, which is sometimes a good compromise. This can be a great way to add interest, and to make your point much more quickly that text and static images can. For a great example, see path.com’s homepage, as their video adds value and context to their product.

These videos do not have to be huge budget productions either. Consider much of the content on many sites that have landing page videos. Most are not much more than a short YouTube video that explains their product or service. Stock footage clips are a great option, are normally quite professional, and can quickly be edited into your film to add some high quality videography.

But Remember to be User-Friendly

Don’t make the mistake of going overboard in your search for a fresh new spin on things-if your landing page looks confusing or intimidating, you’ll alienate viewers. Always remember to tailor your content to appeal to your target demographic. Every part of the page should take your audience into account; don’t use an avant-garde photo just because it looks good; use it because it relates to the content of the page and the interests of your users. Make sure it’s easy to pause videos or music. Take into account that larger files take more time to load; a wait of just a few seconds can mean the loss of thousands of conversions.

Conclusion

Whether or not you choose to incorporate new ideas into your landing page, remember that clarity and simplicity are always the most important goals to achieve. Don’t add in any elements that aren’t completely to the purpose; every component should support your call to action. Keeping this mind, your new, unique landing page just might make people stop, look, and click!

About the Author!

Rob Toledo lives in Seattle, WA, loves design both in the real world as well as online. He is currently working alongside Shutterstock stock photography and Bigstock Photos hoping to improve design around the web. He can be reached on Twitter @stentontoledo.