How to Build a Landing Page: Layout, Copy and Form

What makes a landing page

A landing page is a single page with exactly one goal, for example an enquiry, an appointment booking or a sign-up. It differs from an ordinary subpage in that it leaves out everything that distracts from that goal: no sprawling navigation, no sidebar full of topics, just one route to action. It makes sense wherever visitors arrive for a specific reason, such as an advert, a newsletter or a QR code, and come with a clear expectation.

Step 1: One goal, one audience, one offer

Before you write or design anything, answer three questions in one sentence each:

What should the visitor do? (for example “request a consultation”)
Who is the page for? (for example “owners of medical practices who want to renew their website”)
What do they get in return? (for example “a no-obligation initial consultation with a concrete assessment”)

If you have two goals, build two pages. A landing page that is meant to inform, sell and collect newsletter sign-ups all at once usually does none of them well.

Step 2: The layout from top to bottom

Visitors decide within a few seconds whether to stay. The top section therefore has to answer: Am I in the right place? What do I get out of it? What should I do? A tried-and-tested layout:

Section	Content
1. Header area	Headline with the benefit, one or two sentences of explanation, main button
2. The problem	The visitor’s situation in their own words
3. The solution	What you offer and how it works, in three to five steps
4. Proof	References, figures with their source, certificates, a contact person
5. Objections	Short questions and answers (price, duration, risk)
6. Close	Form or button, alternative way to get in touch

The main button appears at least twice: at the top and at the end. On long pages, add it once more in between.

Step 3: The copy

The headline

It names the benefit or the result, not your company name. “Your new website in six weeks – at a fixed price” says more than “Welcome”. Pick up the promise of the advert or link the visitor came from. If the page departs from it, visitors leave.

The body text

Write from the customer’s point of view, with “you” rather than “we”, and name concrete things: duration, process, scope. Avoid claims that every provider makes. What matters here is explained in Writing website copy from the customer’s perspective.

The button

Label it with the action and what follows: “Request an initial consultation” rather than “Submit”. A sentence underneath removes hurdles: “We usually reply within one working day. No sales pressure.” – but only if it is true.

Step 4: The form

In our experience, every additional field reduces the number of submissions. Ask only for what you need for the first step: name, email or telephone, and a free-text field for the request. Sort out everything else in conversation. Label fields clearly, mark required fields and show a confirmation after submission that explains the next step. More detail: Designing a contact form properly.

Data protection is part of this: a note with a link to the privacy policy next to the form, and a cookie banner if you use services that require consent. This is not legal advice; the basics are described in Cookie banners and data protection on your website.

Step 5: Technology and measurement

Loading time: The page should appear quickly on mobile too. Improving Core Web Vitals gives some pointers.
Mobile view: Check it first, not last. The button must be reachable without scrolling.
Page title and description: If the page is also meant to be found through Google, it needs its own title, see Writing a title tag. Landing pages used purely for adverts can be excluded from search.
Measurement: Before launch, decide what counts as success (submitted forms) and how you will count it. Without measurement you cannot judge whether changes help.

Checklist before launch

Can a stranger understand within five seconds what it is about?
Is there only one goal and one call to action?
Does the headline match the advert or link before it?
Is the form as short as possible, and does a confirmation appear?
Does everything work on a smartphone?
Is everything you state correct, and can you back up every claim?

After launch, make changes one at a time so that you can see what works. How we build landing pages and websites is described under web design; if you have questions about your project, you can reach us via Contact.