A million-dollar idea is only worth the money if leads show up to buy it. But attracting leads is easier said than done. You can blog and run paid ads until your eyes gloss over, but this isn’t always enough. You also need a tailored, lead generation website to turn those interested visitors into leads.
A great lead capture website has several paths to convert visitors to leads
With the right foundational knowledge and several key on-page elements, you can build a lead generation website that overwhelms your sales team in no time. But in the best way, hopefully.
Table of contents
- What is a lead generation website?
- How to create a lead generation website
- How to test your lead generation website
What is a lead generation website?
A lead generation website is a site or landing page tailored specifically to attract new leads for your organization. Lead gen websites can promote anything from an entire brand, product line, single solution, etc.
Lead generation can be costly, especially if you’re running paid campaigns or buying leads. A lead generation website can help you get around these costs, using a combination of paid promotion and organic traffic to drive leads.
A lead generation website typically works by informing the reader, speaking to a problem they’re having, and then diving into a solution (provided by your company, of course). The solution is often in the form of a lead magnet—an ebook, white paper, infographic, demo, etc. that the person gets after filling in a lead form. This is not only a great way to get qualified leads into your database, but also helpful when trying to build your email list.
A lead generation website shouldn’t be confused with brand awareness campaigns, which aim to drive general awareness as opposed to qualified leads. These two types of campaigns often have different goals, with lead campaigns focusing on leads captured via form fill, and brand awareness campaigns looking at clicks, traffic, social footprint, etc.
🛑 A lead generation website is important, but you also need to build awareness, get new visitors, and follow up to grow. This six-step small business marketing plan is how you keep it all in view and running smoothly.
How to create a lead generation website
Lead generation websites can vary in appearance and approach, with some being incredibly long and others taking a more succinct approach. Some feature videos front and center, others focus on tailored copy that speaks to an issue, but many simply offer something like a discount or email subscription in exchange for visitors’ information.
No matter the type of lead generation website or approach you choose to take, there are several key elements your site should have if you want it to succeed.
Use strong calls to action (CTAs)
A great lead generation website is only as strong as its CTA. The entire point of your lead gen site is to get leads, and the right CTA can help you seal the deal.
A simple and direct CTA coupled with a great offer makes for an irresistible lead capture device.
Think about the following to craft a CTA that gets you on the path to more form fills than you can count:
- Think about your campaign. What’s your main asset on the lead gen page? What’s the theme of your campaign? Your CTA should tie into both, using language that speaks to what the user is getting while using commanding language. (Verbs are always a good choice!)
- Think about what got the prospective lead to this point. What is it they’re looking for, and what are you delivering in exchange for their information? How can your CTA speak to this?
- Think about your organization’s style. Your CTA should be short, punchy, and provocative. How can you pique their interest with the CTA in a way that’s on brand?
- Think about the design of the CTA. What color choice and size, while still on brand, is going to catch someone’s attention?
Whatever options you choose for the above points, make sure you run A/B tests. Track the CTA performance and try A/B testing different copy on the CTA, button placement, and so on.
Prominently display contact info
While people are on a lead generation website to give you their info, it’s a good idea to feature yours in a prominent spot as well. If you have a company phone or email, make sure it’s clearly visible at the bottom of the lead page. You can even make your contact details clickable so visitors can call or email with ease.
Someone might land on your lead gen page to claim an ebook but wind up having questions about your products or services. Having the right contact information available can give them that avenue and result in more than a lead.
Include lead capture forms
The right lead capture forms make it easy for people to quickly enter their info and get whatever it is you’re offering. Too many forms, or those with confusing wording, can result in poor performance and missed leads.
Keep forms as succinct as possible. Too many fields will drive people away, while too few won’t give you the information you need.
Ask yourself what information is critical to your efforts, and then only ask for that. If you have a wide variety of verticals, make sure you have a dropdown form where people can select their industry, and so on.
Lastly, test your lead forms on mobile and make sure all the information goes through properly. A form could look correct on mobile but fail to transmit the information. Use a company account, take note of what info you enter, and make sure it shows up on the other side exactly the same.
Add chat functionality
If you have chat functionality on your site, make sure it’s enabled for your lead generation site. Some people are fine sending an email or calling a phone number, but others prefer to use chat.
Giving people more options to contact you via your lead site is never a bad thing. Chat is especially great for quick questions or those looking for a prompt response. And best of all, chat gives you a direct line to the lead and a way to get a demo or trial rolling. It’s also the perfect opportunity to leave a positive impression and help your brand, regardless of whether the person goes with your company.
👋 You’re on the way to generating lots of leads from your website. Let’s keep the momentum going with these 30 ways to promote your business!
Secure your website
No lead generation website, or any kind of website for that matter, should be without Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) in this day and age. In fact, it’s an important part of an SEO audit.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure builds on Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), the old web format and foundation. With HTTPS sites can transmit information to users in a faster and more secure format.
When you’re utilizing HTTPS, you’re sending positive trust signals to your audience the moment they land on your lead generation website. Without HTTPS, people may be greeted by a warning screen. And HTTP can take an SEO hit compared to HTTPS, reducing the chances your page shows up at the top of the search results.
Check your page speed
For lead gen sites, speed is huge. If your lead gen site loads slowly, people are liable to bounce—leave your website after viewing one page and doing nothing else. The more people bounce, the higher your bounce rate. The higher your bounce rate, the worse your site’s SEO and overall performance. The worse your SEO—you get the idea.
When in doubt, run your lead generation site through a site speed tool, like Google’s PageSpeed Insights.
If your site’s not scoring in the green, look for ways to make your site load faster. Here are several ways to do it:
- Use HTTPS: Not to bang the same drum over and over, but HTTPS can have a positive impact on speed. Make sure you’re using it!
- Compress images: Images, especially those greater than 20 MB, can kill your site speed. Try to keep images below 100 KB or use WebP formatted images. Run images through a compression tool to help reduce the file size without impacting the visual fidelity.
- Avoid excessive plugins: Too many plugins can draft site speed down. Run a plugin audit and make sure you’re only using necessary plugins, deactivating those you don’t need.
- Ensure code is clean: Make sure both the HTML and CSS code running your page are clean. Cut anything unnecessary, as redundant code can slow down your site load.
How to test your lead generation website for long-term growth
All the right elements on a lead generation website will set you up for success. Once the page is live, it’s time to start tracking the page’s performance, A/B test, and aim for ongoing success.
Post-site launch, begin monitoring the following and running A/B tests to maximize your results:
- Bounce rate: Keep an eye on the bounce rate. If you’re not getting any leads and your bounce rate is in the 70s, 80s, or above, go back to the drawing board. Is your site copy-heavy? Visually unpleasant? Make changes and see if the bounce rate improves.
- Time on page: Time on page often goes hand-in-hand with bounce rate. A low time on page and a high bounce rate can point to glaring issues with your site. If people are leaving in several seconds, give or take, there’s likely an issue with the copy, load speed, or layout.
- Conversion rate: If people are staying on the page but not converting, there are several potential problems. Your form could have too many fields or be confusing. There’s also a chance your copy or lead magnet simply isn’t enticing enough. Try tweaking the copy before doing something as drastic as making a new lead magnet in an attempt to boost your conversion rate.
There’s a little science to A/B testing and a little gut instinct. If you’re testing within the above metrics and you’re still not seeing the results you’d like, don’t lose hope. Step back, put yourself in the shoes of your customers, and ask yourself what would make you sign up. Sometimes you just have to trust your gut! (But don’t tell anyone that.)
Leading your organization to new heights
Building, launching, and maintaining a lead generation website is a lot like running a mini-campaign. It takes time, effort, and constant resources to stay on top of. But it’s well worth the effort.
Remember to take these six steps as you optimize your lead generation website:
- Use strong calls to action
- Prominently display contact info
- Include lead capture forms
- Add chat functionality
- Secure your website
- Check your page speed
