You could be a start-up, an established business, or simply someone looking to make a bit of money on the side, and you will probably have heard of a landing page.
Folks are now using them for all sorts. Heck, ClickFunnels here gives you 10 wildly different ways you can use them – from lead-generating businesses and affiliate marketing to online courses and holiday rentals.
But at the crux of them all is a page that, in one way or another, generates action.
So, to answer the question in question and to see whether you can actually make money with a landing page, first, let’s clarify what one does.
What does a landing page do?
A landing page is a web page someone ‘lands on’. So, someone might come from an ad, an email, or even a link from a magazine. They can come anywhere. Technically.
But, despite being more of an umbrella term that covers a range of web page types, inside the copywriting world, a landing page is generally associated with lead generation only. It usually comes in the middle of your sales funnel, paired with a lead magnet (or other incentive) so you can turn a cold prospect into a lead – and then earn the opportunity to nurture them into a customer or client.
When it comes to capturing the sale, you would typically use a sales page – and not the former.
But keep in mind that other backgrounds may use the terms ‘landing page’ and ‘sales page’ interchangeably. And this begs the question: Why are they named differently?
Well, for many, they’re ‘just a web page’. But, for copywriters, there’s a lot more going on, so it’s important to differentiate. Not only because the persuasive ‘levers’ and ‘seeds’ change but also because one is deemed more valuable than the other.
So, business ventures aside, if you define a landing page as one that captures sales, then yes, a landing page can directly make you money. But they also cannot…
And to better your chances, you might consider hiring a landing page (or sales page) copywriter.
Do copywriters make landing pages?
Well, they can write them – that’s for sure. Some copywriters might make yours for you, but that will depend on the copywriter and the software you use.
The copywriters I know, generally, will all write your landing page and create a wireframe, which, if you’re new to the term, is a bit like a picture of your page. It’s a blueprint or skeleton page with all the copy (including call-to-action buttons) and some design direction. Again, the type of content on your wireframe will vary from copywriter to copywriter. But if your copywriter is conversion-trained, from Joanna Wiebe’s CopySchool, for example, then you can expect image direction and all the UX/UI fun stuff to help improve your page’s conversation rate.
Once you’re happy with the content, the complete wireframe then usually goes to a designer and/or developer of your choice for them to make for you. (Receiving a copywriter’s wireframe also makes your designer’s life a little easier because they know what they need to work with rather than starting from scratch)
Can you use a landing page instead of a website?
Now, the answer to this question is very dependent on your situation because sometimes you can and sometimes you (probably) shouldn’t.
If you’re a start-up (or about to become one), then opting for a landing page over a full-blown website might make more sense. It’ll save on copywriting and development costs and allow you to hit the market a lot faster. This means you can test and find exactly what to say quickly too.
But this agility comes at a cost.
Without getting overly technical, a landing page should only speak to ‘one reader’. Because as the saying goes, “By trying to appeal to everyone, you appeal to no one”. So, if you have a market made from multiple personas, which most businesses do, it can be difficult to convert them all with just one landing page. Let’s not forget you have to cater to different awareness levels within that too. This is why a landing page is generally paired with one traffic source only (and you end up needing multiple).
For a start-up, speaking to the most profitable persona is normal and somewhat expected. So, a landing page instead of a website is OK. But for an established business, it’s probably not so wise.
A website, on the other hand, can speak to multiple personas and cater to different awareness levels because it has multiple pages that can do the required heavy lifting.
So, if you’re an established business with a proven offering, then I would nudge you towards a full website. Not only does it signal your commitment to your business (which your readers pick up on and consequently trust you more), but it also opens the door to a wider audience and larger SEO opportunities.
Mo’ pages, mo’ opportunities (to be found).
How much does a landing page cost?
So the next question on your lips might be, how much does a landing page cost? Software- or landing page builder-wise, there are lots to choose from. Because you do need something that takes your wireframe from, well… a wireframe… and turns it into a fully-fledged landing page.
ClickFunnels, Unbounce and Leadpages are popular examples.
But of course, you need a wireframe too. And that has a cost.
So, landing page copywriter-wise, again, prices will vary. As a guide, the 2024 ProCopywriters Survey shows that in the UK, the average day rate of a copywriter is £440.
And how many days does it take a copywriter to write a landing page?
This is a difficult question to answer because everyone is different. Factors like experience and offer/market complexity will impact the time it takes to complete – and hence the landing page price.
Alternatively, and more commonly, landing page copywriters may charge a project fee instead. Again, project fees will differ from copywriter to copywriter. And their experience and niche, alongside project difficulty and inclusions, will impact the project price.
I think you could expect to pay anywhere between £200 and £2000+ for a landing page. It’s always worth comparing a few copywriters to see who and what price suits you best.
For information on my own pricing, you can click here. I also give a rough guide on turnaround time.
Landing on (or close to) money
So, to answer the question, yes, you can make money with a landing page. By the book, you should be making more leads than sales, but leads will eventually become sales. And sales boost your bank balance. So, either way, your landing page should help!
