Today’s consumers navigate the internet at a rapid pace, jumping from website to website in seconds. Your site will need to make a bold first impression to capture your target audience’s attention. One way to do this is with sophisticated landing pages that are built with your customer journey in mind.
There are many different types of landing pages to choose from, each intended for different points in the sales funnel. So let’s dive into the unique types of landing pages you might use in your marketing campaigns and the use cases for each one.
What is a landing page?
A landing page is the first webpage on your site that visitors reach after clicking on a PPC ad, social media campaign, email ad, or other digital marketing asset. Landing pages are designed to guide users through the sales funnel and encourage them to take a specific action.
Some people use landing pages and home pages interchangeably, but landing pages are actually structured differently and serve a unique purpose. They’re typically short, focus on a specific action or goal, and have minimal navigation to the rest of your site.
Alternatively, a homepage serves as the front page of your website, featuring extensive navigation menus and information about your brand as a whole.
It’s important to optimize landing pages for each campaign and the marketing goals you’re trying to reach. For example, if you want to expand your mailing list, you might create a Bitly landing page that asks for visitors’ contact information in exchange for a discount or freebie.
Landing pages can boost conversion rates and are more engaging than sending visitors directly to your homepage. In fact, the average conversion rate for landing pages across all industries is 5.89%.
But it takes careful planning and strategy to get a good conversion rate and return on investment (ROI). The key is to tailor the page to your audience and goals and focus on a specific call to action.
Why are there different types of landing pages?
There are several different types of landing pages that you can create, each with its own unique purpose and function. For example, a landing page promoting a specific product will look very different from a lead generation landing page.
So you’ll need to choose the right landing page type when building your digital marketing campaigns. If you use the wrong type of landing page, you risk confusing potential customers, leading to wasted time and resources and a low conversion rate.
By selecting the appropriate landing page type for your campaign, you’ll maximize your resources and create a great online experience for your potential customers. Choosing the right page type also makes the landing page optimization process more straightforward.
9 common types of landing pages you should know
There are nine common types of landing pages, and each serves a unique goal or purpose. So let’s take a look at your options for your next digital marketing campaign.
1. Lead capture pages
Lead capture or lead generation is the process of gathering contact information from potential future customers. You can then use this contact information to market directly to these leads in upcoming campaigns.
Lead capture landing pages typically contain a form where customers can provide their name, email address, phone number, and any other relevant information. For example, a B2B brand might also ask for the lead’s company name and the industry they work in.
In most cases, a lead capture page offers a free resource—called a lead magnet—in exchange for filling out the form. Exclusive ebooks, white papers, or webinars are all great options for this content marketing strategy.
A lead capture landing page is ideal for brands looking to expand their pool of warm leads, build trust, and strengthen relationships with future customers. Lead capture landing pages are most popular among B2B brands but can also work for B2C brands, depending on your product and industry.
2. Squeeze pages
Squeeze landing pages capture email addresses from visitors. Unlike lead capture pages, a squeeze page only focuses on email, rather than collecting other types of contact information.
Like lead capture pages, squeeze pages often use lead magnets to incentivize visitors to share their contact information. However, squeeze pages tend to be shorter and more concise than lead capture pages.
Ever been plagued by relentless calls from a company after giving them your phone number? Then you can understand why some people might be hesitant to fill out a long form with multiple types of contact and demographic information.
But they may be more willing to provide just their email address, which is why squeeze pages can be particularly effective.
Email remains one of the most effective ways to reach both current and potential customers, with the average email open rate across all industries coming in at 37.72%. And a squeeze page is a powerful way to build your email list for future marketing campaigns.
3. Splash pages
If your primary goal is to make a great first impression and grab visitors’ attention, a splash landing page might be just what you need. Splash pages are pages that appear before the visitor makes their way to your homepage. They usually look more like a pop-up window than a separate landing page.
Splash pages are pretty versatile and serve a variety of purposes. They might promote a specific offer or ask the user to verify important information. For example, U.S.-based alcohol brands often use splash pages to confirm that visitors are over the age of 21 before letting them into the site.
Splash pages usually have minimal text and bold visuals to make a strong first impression. Some splash pages also double as squeeze pages, asking the user to provide their email in exchange for a discount code, newsletter, or other promotion. The main difference is that users can exit out of the splash page and go directly to your site’s homepage.
4. Click-through landing pages
Click-through landing pages are a simple but effective way to boost sales and generate engagement. A click-through landing page features detailed information about your product or service, paired with a button that visitors can click to take the desired action.
Software providers often use click-through landing pages to promote free trials of their products. In this case, the landing page would feature detailed information about the software’s features and benefits. There would also be a CTA button directing users to “start their free trial” or something similar.
Click-through landing pages are a great option if your standard web pages aren’t generating the engagement you’re looking for. By providing more detailed information about your products and services, you can entice visitors to take action and move them through the sales funnel.
Click-through landing pages work particularly well as a complement to PPC or social media campaigns.
5. Product landing pages
As the name implies, product landing pages promote specific products or services. They feature detailed descriptions and images of the product, and may even have videos of the product in action. These landing pages may also include customer reviews and other social proof to make the product even more appealing.
As with other landing pages, a product landing page typically features a strong call to action—usually one encouraging visitors to make a purchase.
Product landing pages are very effective for promoting specific items or packages, rather than promoting your brand as a whole. They work particularly well for e-commerce brands, although they can be useful across a variety of different industries and contexts.
If you promote your products on social media, you can use product landing pages to help convert visitors that come from those ads.
6. 404 pages
404 pages display error messages when users attempt to visit a page on your site that doesn’t exist. This usually happens when users click on a broken link or type in an incorrect URL.
Instead of having a generic 404 page, you can create a branded alternative that gently redirects users back to your website. An effective 404 page uses your brand’s colors, logo, and imagery and contains engaging copy to redirect visitors back to your homepage or product pages.
Your landing page might say something like, “Oops! That page doesn’t exist. Want to check out [product/service] instead?” Using a branded landing page ensures that you don’t miss out on new leads due to typos or broken links.
7. Thank you pages
Saying a simple “thank you” goes a long way toward building healthy relationships with your customers.
A thank you page displays a branded message of gratitude after a customer takes a desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up for your email list. You can also include links back to your homepage, blog, or social media pages to keep users engaged.
For example, a thank you page after a purchase might show the estimated delivery date or provide a link to track the order. You might also display a thank you page after a customer has subscribed to a newsletter or downloaded a lead magnet.
8. Pricing pages
As they weigh their options, most potential customers will want to review your pricing to see how your product or service fits into their budget. A detailed pricing page breaks down exactly how much your offerings cost, with a CTA encouraging readers to sign up or buy.
This type of page is most useful for subscription-based products with multiple tiers. It lets potential customers easily see all your pricing options at a glance and learn what’s included with each tier.
Companies that provide enterprise services don’t always list pricing directly on their website, encouraging users to request a quote instead. But when only 60.4% of SaaS companies have pricing pages (and only 79% of those actually list their prices), a comprehensive pricing page can set your business apart and garner more customer trust—and more sales.
9. Long-form sales pages
A long-form sales landing page features a detailed pitch for your product or service, usually supported by photos, videos, or interactive content. These pages typically have multiple calls-to-action sprinkling throughout the content.
Long-form sales pages work best for promoting high-cost, premium products with complex features, where a standard product landing page might not be enough to close the deal. Here, you can offer all the extra details that customers need to see before making a final decision.
Strong copywriting is key here—if your language isn’t engaging enough, readers could get bored and click away from the page before making a purchase.
Build the type of landing pages you need with Bitly Pages
With so many different types of landing pages to choose from, it’s easy to find the perfect fit for your sales goals and your target audience. But now you’re probably wondering how to create a landing page.
No worries there—Bitly Pages makes it easy to build and optimize landing pages for every marketing campaign!
Bitly Pages has all the tools you need to create tailored, mobile-friendly landing pages for any use case. No coding or web design experience? No problem! Bitly Pages has a library of user-friendly landing page templates that you can customize in minutes.
Sign up for Bitly Pages today and take your conversion rates to the next level!