Good landing page copy begins with a decision: what should a visitor do here? A page built to collect consultation requests needs different details from one selling a downloadable template. Name the action, the audience, and the offer before writing a headline.
Match the page to the visitor’s reason for clicking
Read the ad, search result, email, or social post that sends people to the page. If it promises a free pricing worksheet, the landing page should identify that worksheet immediately and explain how to get it. A page that opens with a broad company story forces visitors to search for the thing they came for. Google Ads advises advertisers to keep the landing page relevant to the ad and its call to action.
Different traffic sources can justify different versions of the page. Someone searching for a specific service may need scope, price, and availability. Someone who clicked an introductory newsletter may need a clearer explanation of the problem and the offer. Write for the actual entry point, then check whether the page answers the next reasonable question.
Write the first screen
The opening should make four things easy to find: the offer, its intended user, the immediate benefit or outcome, and the next step. There is no mandatory headline formula or word count. Specificity matters more than a dramatic adjective.
For example, a hypothetical bookkeeping service could open with “Monthly bookkeeping for independent shops” and follow with “Get reconciled accounts and a monthly report; request a call to discuss your sales channels and current records.” That tells a visitor more than “Take your business to the next level.” The example is a writing illustration, not a claim that this wording has been tested.
Keep the main button label consistent with the action: “Request a bookkeeping call,” “Download the worksheet,” or “See the plan.” If the next step is a form, say what happens after submission and when the visitor can expect a response if the business can support that promise.
Explain the offer and support the claims
After the opening, show what the buyer or subscriber receives. For a service, describe the work included, any important exclusions, the delivery process, and the information needed to begin. For a product, show the format, contents, compatibility, price, and relevant terms. These details are often more useful than a second paragraph of praise.
Use proof that belongs to the business: a demonstrable product feature, a sample deliverable, a named credential, a documented policy, or an authentic customer account used with permission. Do not borrow a testimonial, invent a conversion lift, or imply a result is typical without evidence. The FTC’s advertising guidance requires advertising claims to be truthful and supported, including claims conveyed through testimonials.
Answer the objections that can reasonably stop this particular purchase. Those might be cancellation terms, file format, setup requirements, delivery time, or who provides support. Avoid a generic “Why choose us?” section unless it contains verifiable differences.
Make the action easy to complete
A primary call to action should lead to the promised next step. Check the button, form, confirmation message, and mobile layout yourself. Ask for only the information needed at that stage. If a quote requires project details, explain why the form asks for them. If a signup requires an email address only, extra fields create work without helping the visitor.
Urgency belongs on the page only when it is real and relevant. A fixed application deadline or limited appointment schedule can be stated accurately; a countdown that restarts for every visitor cannot establish a genuine deadline.
Measure the result before rewriting again
Choose one primary outcome, such as a completed purchase or a submitted request. A simple page conversion rate is completed outcomes divided by the relevant visits, multiplied by 100. For example, 20 completed requests from 1,000 qualifying visits is 2%. Make sure the analytics event captures a completed action rather than a button click that may fail to submit.
Google Analytics 4 calls important measured actions “key events” and includes them in its landing-page reporting. Compare like with like: the same event definition, similar traffic sources, and a meaningful observation period. A change in visitor mix or offer can move the rate even when the copy has not improved. There is no universal “good” percentage for every landing page.
When a page underperforms, inspect the evidence before changing every sentence. Are visitors seeing the promised offer? Do form completions fail on mobile? Are people asking the same unanswered question? Revise the specific point of friction, record what changed, and review the result. If traffic is low, treat small swings cautiously.
A short pre-publication check
- Can a visitor identify the offer and intended audience from the opening?
- Does the page deliver the promise made by the link or ad that brought them here?
- Are price, scope, conditions, and next steps clear where they matter?
- Can each testimonial, result, or performance claim be supported?
- Does the button work, and does the completed action register in analytics?
If you are still defining what a copywriter does across channels, see the related guide to copywriting skills and client work.
Frequently asked questions
What should a landing page headline say?
State the offer and who it is for in terms a visitor recognizes. A useful supporting line can add the main outcome, condition, or next step. Avoid an unprovable superlative.
How long should landing page copy be?
Long enough to explain the offer, support important claims, answer likely objections, and make the next step clear. A simple free download may need little copy; a costly or complex service usually needs more detail.
How many calls to action should a landing page have?
Give the page one primary action. You can repeat the same action after sections that answer new questions. Separate secondary links may be useful, but they should not obscure the main next step.
What is a good landing page conversion rate?
There is no rate that applies to every offer and traffic source. Define the completed action, calculate it against relevant visits, and compare periods with similar traffic and measurement. Check lead quality as well as volume.
Can I use testimonials or urgency in landing page copy?
Yes, when they are genuine and accurately presented. Get permission to use customer statements, keep the context needed to avoid misleading readers, and state a deadline or capacity limit only when it is real.
Lorelei has been an online entrepreneur, marketer and writer since 2006. Her biggest passion is WordPress, which is why she switched to being a full-time blogger 20 years ago and hasn’t looked back since. With so many years of experience behind her, she is an expert in copywriting, SEO, marketing and business strategies.
