How to Write Great Landing Page Copy and Step Up Your Website’s First Impression
When a potential customer, collaborator, or editor you’ve just pitched, lands on your website you have less than 10 seconds to convey exactly what your business is, and convince them it’s worth staying and looking around!
You want to try and do this initial work “above the fold”, or in that space on your computer screen before you start scrolling.
One key piece of this puzzle is how you describe your business in words — simple words. Creative businesses are often visual-first, writing copy can be a pesky task.
That’s why we pulled the best examples from design, consumables, and accessories to show you how to write great landing page copy and step up your website’s first impression.
A great website first impression includes 3 key elements:
High-quality, compelling imagery (aka a great banner photo or reel of photos)
Consistent graphic language and POV (logo, color, layout, navigation, graphic elements)
Short, clear copy that states the who, what, how of your biz (what we like to call your “elevator pitch”)
Effective landing page page copy should do 3 key things:
State clearly what you do or sell
Be relevant to your ideal client
Point out what makes you different
Each of the nine examples we’ve outlined below includes these three essential elevator pitch elements and some additional tactics that we hope you find useful!
PS- Be sure to read to the bottom of the post where we’ll give you step-by-step tips to get started writing or updating your own landing page copy.
1. Use links that direct visitors to key website pages.
This first example is from Hygge & West, a pattern-focused wallpaper and home goods company.
This is a great example of the “above the fold” portion of a website.
The graphics are simple and clear, reel of banner images compelling, and the landing page copy states exactly what they do “sell high quality wallpaper” and how “in collaboration with designers, artists, and makers.”
They have also included two in-text links in their elevator pitch where you can quickly see how they make their wallpaper or browse through images of full installs. Hygge & West is a DTC company so they are talking directly to their ideal customer — a home owner — by inviting them to see H&W products in real homes.
Landing page design pro tip
We love an elevator pitch directly below a super high quality banner image. Visitors will immediately see and read what you do.
Disclaimer: We worked directly with Hygge & West as part of our PR Strategy services to help them elevate their overall web presence.
2. Tell us what your product or service does and who it’s for, then expand.
Notch is a niche software startup for real estate and interior design industries.
Clarity, clarity, clarity.
This is an excellent example of an elevator pitch because of it’s clarity. The what- “procurement software” for the who- “multi-location brands & businesses.” If you’re looking around at software websites, for a productivity platform, for example, you immediately know this isn’t the right place. If you are a restaurant chain looking to open new locations you immediately know this software IS for you.
Notch was able to distill the what and who into just a few words and then expand upon this initial copy with a more detailed description about what the software actually does. “We help teams build spaces and maintain inventory with easy-to-use planning, specification, and purchasing tools.” Potential clients who struggle keeping track of furniture inventory across locations can see themselves in this copy. Notch is speaking directly to their ideal customer.
They’ve also included two buttons with clear calls to action directly below their landing page copy where potential clients can “Get Started” or “Book a Demo.”
Landing page copy pro tip
If there is a very specific action you’d like someone to take when they land on your website, like looking at a new collection or sale, consider adding a button with a clear CTA just under your copy.
Disclaimer: We also worked with Notch as part of our PR Strategy services on an overall product launch and content development strategy, website buildout roadmap, and media opportunities evaluation.
3. Keep it short, sweet, and to the point.
Archivist is a clothing company based in London.
Try making your elevator pitch as short as possible.
We covered this a bit in #2, the section about Notch, but when all else fails distil, distil, distil. Archivist doesn’t have to say that their brand is sustainable or eco or environmentally conscious, we know it because they’ve shown us in their copy— we know their shirts are made from upcycled material. They also don’t have to tell us that the shirts are “high end” or “high quality” because they’ve told use they’re made from luxury hotel linen, which paints a clear picture in our minds of oh-so-amazing expensive hotel sheets.
Copy length pro tip
Do what Archivist has done here. Write the shortest possible elevator pitch that specifically states what you do or sell. Cut out all jargon and superlatives. This will likely be your best copy yet!
4. Use a mini elevator pitch in product-specific banners.
àplat is a culinary design company that makes totes and accessories locally and sustainably in San Francisco.
Small to read in this screen shot, the banner image copy above reads:
A Smaller Eco Paw Print
Pet goods from 100% upcycled textile off-cuts and surplus
All clear specific copy will improve your website’s first impression
Creative businesses that sell products or design services often include banner images at the top of their home page to show off products and projects they’ve just launched, seasonal work, sales, and collaborations. In this example, àplat has used an “elevator pitch” formula to also write copy for their pet goods line. The first line is a fun play on “smaller footprint” and the descriptor below tells us exactly what they sell (pet goods) and how it’s different (made from 100% upcycled textile off-cuts and surplus). This phrase is followed by the ever important CTA button- “shop sustainable.”
àplat’s main elevator pitch under the banner is also compelling. Instead of specifically stating who their ideal customer is, like Notch did with multi-location brands & businesses, they speak to the values and pastimes of the type of people who buy their product. People who like “sharing food, wine, and more.”
Website banner pro tip
Do you have an individual project or product highlighted in your banner? Write a specific elevator pitch for it.
5. Make your landing page copy mission-driven.
Everlane is a US-based e-commerce and brick and mortar clothing retailer.
If the mission text is too tiny to read above:
The mission: Make the world’s lowest impact sneakers. Make them last.
Make them carbon neutral. And never stop pushing to make them better.
Avoid jargon and feel good fluff copy on your landing page
Everything Everlane does relates back to their mission of creating and selling clothing that has the lowest environment impact possible. What many in marketing would call a “mission-driven company.” If you’re like us and just hearing that term makes you feel queasy BUT if you also make something that has a strong social or environmental mission, this copy is a great reference. They’re not pulling the wool over your eyes with jargon or feel good fluff copy, they’re simply telling you exactly what their doing and what their goals are.
The “copy paste test” pro tip
A lot of mission-focused copy feels super generic. Try what we call the “copy paste test.” If you can copy your elevator pitch and paste it on another website and it still makes sense, it’s not specific enough yet.
6. Pair it with key information.
Jennifer Newman Studio is a furniture design shop based in London.
How to write great landing page copy??? Keep it to-the-point.
You get the point by now. In our humble opinions short, clear, to-the-point copy is one of the best ways to improve your website’s first impression. Jennifer Newman has done just that on her website here. Also notice the position and large font just under the banner image. No confusion here!
Since the Studio sells their own products and designs furniture for outside brands, they have included a super clear list of their specific services, markets, specialties, and location.
Copy pro tip for service-based businesses
If you are a service-based creative business consider including short bulleted lists of what you do, who you serve, your specialties, where you work, etc on your homepage.
7. Tell us what it’s made of and what it does.
OLIPOP is a tonic beverage company with products available online and at grocery stories.
List specific ingredients and materials in your elevator pitch copy
Like “mission-focused” companies, food and beverage brands who make consumables often suffer from the same unspecific and jargon-focused language… like “healthy,” “natural,” or “clean.” At the end of the day we really don’t know what any of that actually means. OLIPOP tells us exactly what’s in their drinks (prebiotics, plant fiber, and botanicals) and what the benefit is (digestive health).
Also, notice the top section where they use an elevator pitch and CTA button for their new summer flavor Orange Cream.
Pro tip
Tell us exactly what’s in your stuff. Is it prebiotics? Remember #4, the luxury hotel linen example? Or #5, the upcycled textile off-cuts?
8. Let your customer see themselves in the copy.
Bonus: include a clever tagline.
Wilder Condiments is a small-batch condiment company based in California.
Be sure your brand’s POV comes through in your landing page copy
Wilder is a fun brand that embodies the California beach vibe. This specific point of view is apparent in their packaging, images, website, and copy- a complete package. Their elevator pitch copy starts by simply stating what they make and where. They then speak to the vibe, the ideal customer, with phrases like “made in the spirit of long sunny days and big communal tables.” You can imagine what this place feels like.
They’ve also created a clever spin on the shortest possible elevator pitch- “far out mustard from way out west” or mustard made in California, which isn’t nearly quite as fun.
Pro tip to help your ideal customer identify with your copy
Speak to something they know and will automatically visualize. Do you make food totes? Maybe the thing is warm pies. Do you sell handmade ceramics? Maybe it’s hot coffee.
If you want some additional tips and inspiration brand elements you can head over to our post: How to Make Sure Your Logo Reflects Your Creative Business.
How to write landing page copy, our tips to get started:
Find 3-5 elevator pitch examples that resonate with your biz.
Pull from this list and look for a few from your industry.
Also, make note if there is something you don’t like and why.
List your essentials:
what do you do / sell?
who are your clients?
how are you different?
Use the list you made above to write the shortest descriptive sentence you can.
Make a few versions of this and get feedback from your peers.
Is there a specific action you want people to take after reading your initial landing page copy?
You may want to consider including a CTA button or intext link that goes to a sale, new service, or launch page.
This CTA doesn’t have to be set in stone. You may update it as you release new stuff.
