Thursday, June 29, 2017

How to Build an Editorial Calendar in WordPress (And Actually Use It)

How to Build an Editorial Calendar in WordPressBuilding an editorial calendar in WordPress isn’t that difficult of a task. However, it all comes down to whether or...

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5 Ways You Can Use Facebook Groups to Benefit Your Blog

5 Types of Facebook Groups for Bloggers

When you think of using Facebook for your blog, what comes to mind?

Declining organic reach? Pay to play? Sharing endless memes just to get engagement? Posting your latest blog post only to hear crickets?

But hang on, didn’t all the conversation move from our blog comments to Facebook? Well, yes, that’s where a lot of conversation is happening because that’s where a lot of our audience hangs out now, somewhere among the 1.28 billion people who login to Facebook daily to spend their (on average) 20 minutes.

3 days ago Facebook ticked over the major milestone of 2 billion monthly users, over half of whom use Facebook groups. That’s right, more than 1 billion people are using Facebook groups. That’s where the conversation and community is happening and it’s something you can easily create for your blog.

Here’s how you can move to where the conversation is and develop community for your blog in 5 different ways with Facebook groups.

1. Groups for your eCourse or other Education

One of the most common uses of Facebook groups by bloggers are ones set up to support a course or an event. Before Facebook, many bloggers used private forums on their blog, or used comments following the course content for any conversation with participants.

Now, most bloggers use Facebook to set up a group where their course participants can ask questions and support each other as they move through the course.

One of the main considerations is what to do when the course ends.

Do you close the group?

Do you step out and let the participants stay in touch and manage the group themselves?

Do you keep the group and add new intakes of course members to the same group?

The latter is a great way to manage a group for those courses that have a definitive start and end date with the blogger providing a lot of input during each course intake. In between intakes the blogger can pull back a bit and let the conversation be more self-sustaining.

This is how blogger Nicole Avery (also our productivity expert for ProBlogger) manages her Planned and Present course, which is great for members who may not have completed the course at the same pace as it was delivered. Nicole provides evergreen access to the course materials and having an ever active group of members means you can jump back in at any time for the support you need.

planned and present ecourse.png

An alternative is to close each group as the course ends, or move the members to more of a self-managed alumni group. Consider this if you feel like managing a group full time may burn you out.

For an evergreen course where people can join and start the course at any time, or for a free group like the ProBlogger Community which has an education focus, be prepared to be ‘on’ all the time. Having a structure and content plan for your group will help you manage it. As it grows you may need to consider asking moderators to help you as admins for the group.

2. Mastermind and Membership Groups

As bloggers we are usually flying solo, or working in virtual teams. Gone are the chats around the ‘office water cooler’ and Friday night office drinks. You can’t just stop by desk of a colleague or set up a brainstorming meeting in the boardroom.

In recent years, blogger masterminds meetups have become really popular – either as a component of an event like Chris Ducker’s Tropical Think Tank event (where Darren spoke a few years ago) or as events themselves. They give bloggers the opportunity to bounce ideas off each other and use the collective experience at the table to help advance each member.

With the cost and logistics of getting together on a regular basis being a barrier, many masterminds are now organised online through the use of regular group video calls like Skype or Google Hangout. A Facebook group is a great way to organise the group and provide opportunity for interaction between mastermind sessions. I’m part of a small self-organised mastermind group of bloggers that has started using a Facebook group to supplement our regular calls. It’s far more interactive than contacting each other via email.

Dan Norris Mastermind.png

Another type of Mastermind group that works well, without the structure of video meetings, is a larger collection of members who pay to be part of the group. A good example of this is Dan Norris’ Mastermind Group (above) which started as the 7 Day Start Up group. Dan initially started a free public group, which grew quickly and became very busy. Dan then offered a smaller group which members could join for an annual fee. This has resulted in a group of quality members with a breadth of experience who are there to learn from and help each other. The difference is that they have skin in the game, they’ve paid to be there and are not just dropping in and out to promote themselves or solicit.

3. Create a Support/Community Group for your Readers

Blogging Facebook groups don’t have to be about blogging and for bloggers. This type of group is less about you and more about your audience. Starting a group for your subscribers or readers helps to bring the conversation back to your own turf. When comments started migrating from our blogs to Facebook posts (which quickly disappear into your feed history), many bloggers mourned that shift. Conversation was fleeting, and if you looked at the blog it didn’t look like there was a community anymore.

A Facebook group for your readers creates a new home for conversation, and as a closed group, often a more honest and transparent interaction both with your readers and between them. When the Facebook algorithm reduced organic reach of pages, many bloggers started groups as a way to promote their posts and salvage traffic to their blogs.

veggiemama.png

Stacey Roberts of Veggie Mama started her group thinking it might fill the gap of falling organic reach, but it evolved into something much better. The Veggie Mama Gang is less about her blog and more about her readers supporting, entertaining and generally hanging out with each other. Sure, the talk occasionally reverts to recipes, but it has become so much more than that. For Stacey it has allowed her to get to know her readers in a much more real way, and she enjoys the connections being made between readers too – a hallmark of great community.

Stacey doesn’t actively promote the group – it’s a secret group which her readers can join by emailing her.

4. Groups for Reader Feedback

Closely related to a community group for your blog, is a group with a more specific brief. One that helps you garner feedback from your readers on something you are creating. Kelly Exeter from A Life Less Frantic has used Facebook groups to help her write her books.

Overthinkers Anonymous.png

Kelly Exeter is currently working on her fourth book, Overthinkers Anonymous. This group is for fellow overthinkers (she is one too) who are interested in the interesting things she turns up during the researching for and writing of the book.

Kelly invite her regular readers to join the group and provide feedback on things like concepts that she’s trying to articulate through to preferences for book cover artwork. It’s a great collaboration and her readers feel a part of the development of the book, and therefore the final product. It’s both crowdsourcing and marketing perfection – creating something based on what people actually want and is relevant to them.

Similarly, you could create a group to invite readers to be beta-testers of a new course you are creating, or to discuss ideas for posts that you can write for the blog. There really is no limit on what you could ask your community for feedback on. At the end of the day, involving them in the process is the most valuable part.

5. Groups to Grow your List

Back in the day, your blog was where people discovered you, either via a search, social media or a referral from a friend. These days the way someone first discovers you is just as likely to be a Facebook group. When someone finds a community they feel a part of, they’re more likely to invite others to join. With the bonus of Facebook suggesting groups to other friends, a Facebook group is a great way to curate potential subscribers to your blog and email list.

Jill and Josh Stanton from Screw the Nine to Five use their Facebook group as the top of their funnel. Instead of driving people to sign up to their email list, Jill and Josh actively promote their group. You can see here on Twitter where they’ve created a domain which is forwarded to their Facebook group.

screwtheninetofive twitter optin.png

Their rationale is that you’re more likely to warm up to them and what they offer in a group, as part of an evident community, than being solely on the receiving end of an autoresponder email series. The next step is to earn your email address, once you’re already warmed up and engaged with them in the group. You can learn more about how they’ve done this via this great interview with Natalie Sisson.

 

Styling You Everyday Style.png

Nikki Parkinson from Styling You also uses a group to grow her community and facilitate her popular #everydaystyle challenges. Whilst you can join it directly via the Groups button on her Facebook page, she also uses the group as an opt-in for her email list. If you stumble on her group you’ll be prompted to sign up to her email list via one of the questions available to group admins when people request to join.

Both the Screw the Nine to Five and Styling You Everyday Style Community pages are sizeable, thriving communities. Darren interviewed Nikki on the podcast recently where she revealed there is a comment every 5 seconds in the group and she has 3 personal assistants moderating and managing the group. The Screw the Nine to Five group has grown to over 45,000 members and has become so noisy that Jill felt it ‘lost the magic’ because of people using it as a platform for their own self promotion, rants and research. So Jill and Josh are closing their group and starting a new one on July 1.

One of the biggest issues for them was the amount of “admin time required to delete all of the ‘bullsh*t’ posts” (Jill is quite sweary!). So, if you’re considering a larger group that isn’t gated by purchasing a product or course, then you will want to ensure you have firm rules and expectations set about how you want the group to run. You can check out the new rules Jill has put in place for their new group here. Facebook has also announced new tools for admins to manage their groups, including Group analytics, membership request filtering, removed member clean-up, scheduled posts and group-to-group linking.

So, are you ready to start a group for your blog? What type? Maybe you already have a group? Tell us about it in the comments below.

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Tuesday, June 27, 2017

How to Backup Your WordPress Website (With 4 Awesome Plugins)

How to Back Up Your WordPress WebsiteCreating a website is a fun experience when things are going right. However, the the experience can quickly turn sour...

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The Psychology of Comparison and How to Stop

Psychology of Comparison

By ProBlogger expert Ellen Jackson of Potential Psychology

Bloggers, solopreneurs, consultants, writers, founders – we’re solo species. Lone hustlers,  tucked in cafe corners with laptops and lattes. We’re perched at breakfast bars tapping keyboards in the early morning light. Hunched at the spare room desk deep into the night.

We’re inspired and driven. Focused and fearless. Joyous in our independence.

And often consumed by what others are doing.

“How do my stats compare to hers?”

“His Facebook following is bigger than mine.”

“Her Instagram feed is so slick.”

“Are they launching another new product?”

“I’m falling behind!”

Blogging is ripe for comparison. We measure by metrics; social media, readership, subscribers, conversions. We lap up the data. We compare and contrast. Are my numbers good? Am I getting this right? Am I doing okay? Am I winning? Or losing?

Isolation feeds the monster. With no colleagues to calm, reassure and soothe us, comparison messes with our heads. The human mind abhors a vacuum. We fill the space by watching others, measuring our performance against theirs. One question ever present: Am I doing okay?

Don’t Worry, You’re Human

Comparison is not unique to the blogger and solopreneur. Humans are social creatures. We live in a network of others. We compare to understand where we fit. What’s my social worth? How do I stack up? Who am I in relation to everyone else?

Psychologists call this social comparison and it’s fundamental to the human condition. We compare ourselves in every interaction; immediately, subtly, often unconsciously, We start as little children. Comparison is a strategy we use to cope with threats, build ourselves up and establish our identity in a world of others. We do it to learn who we are.

Look down to feel better, up to feel worse

Social comparison exists in two types. We compare upwards and downwards.

We look to people we perceive as less capable to feel better about ourselves. It’s a boost to our ego and our mood. Downward social comparison, as it is known, helps us affirm and reassure. Compared to him, I’m doing okay. I must be doing something right *Breathe out.*

This might feel uncomfortable but it’s okay. Social comparison is a way to regulate your mood.

The danger is in comparing upwards.

When we look to people we consider more successful or ‘superior’ in some way we risk despondency and derailment. It can flatten us and prompt us to question ourselves.

My site will never look that good.

I will never have stats like hers.

I have no idea what I’m doing.

At its worst comparing upwards can be the path to defeat. I will never do as well as him. I may as well give up.

The perils of social

Social media is the ultimate upward comparison trap. Studies suggest that immersing ourselves in those feeds filled with beauty and success may damage our self-esteem and put us at risk for depression and anxiety. (e.g. Vogel et. al., 2014; Vogel & Rose, 2016)

Don’t despair!

It’s not all bad news. When we feel good about ourselves and our progress, checking in on others’ success is motivating. It’s a kick in the pants to raise our sights and strive onwards. We push ourselves to achieve more. If she can do it, so can I – and I will!

Our successful peers act as role models. Their achievements are our inspiration.

The paradox?  When we’re happy with our hustle we’re not looking at others. Our heads are down. We’re hard at work. We’re not hanging out on competitors websites, or checking their social feeds.

It’s in our moments of doubt that we compare, looking for reassurance. On our best days we know where we’re going. We don’t need validation or support.

But what do we do on those difficult days? How do we avoid comparison and the risk of defeat?

Tips for avoiding the comparison trap

1. Be a racehorse

A racehorse does not watch his competitors. He is focused straight ahead and galloping towards that finish line. He knows where he is going and what he has to do to get there. Be a racehorse. Be clear on your goals, your finish line and the steps you must take to achieve them. Everyone is running a different race.

2. Know your motives

Why do you compare? Is it for inspiration and motivation? Or to manage your mood? Rising anxiety prompts us to look for reassurance and sometimes we compare to boost our self esteem. If you’re using comparison to manage your mood, does it help? Or hinder? Would your time be better spent working towards your goals?

3. Aim for personal bests

Comparison with others may be fraught with danger but there is profit to be gained from comparing with yourself. Look back and I ask, ‘What have I achieved so far?’ Regular review of your wins, no matter how small, boosts your mood. When you’re feeling good you’re motivated and creative. Worry less about how you compare with others. Focus on achieving your personal best.

3. ‘Don’t compare your beginning with someone else’s middle.’

This quote from author Jon Acuff reminds us that we all start somewhere and we move at different rates. Successful people also have their struggles. They’re just further along the path.  We’re all human and fallible. We’re also equally capable of greatness.

What do you do to avoid comparison affecting your blogging mojo?

Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash

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Friday, June 23, 2017

Thursday, June 22, 2017

How to Add Social Feeds to WordPress with Flow Flow

How to Add Social Feeds to WordPress with Flow FlowSocial media consumes our lives. Not in a bad way though. I personally love being able to stay up to...

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Evaluating Your Blog’s First Year: 12 Great Questions to Ask

evaluating-blogs-first-year

Firstly … congratulations on making it through your first year. A lot of bloggers don’t get that far.

During this evaluation, we’ll take a look at key metrics for your blog, but we’ll also be thinking about what you’ve learned and accomplished over the past year.

Don’t get discouraged if the numbers aren’t – yet – quite where you want them to be. When I first started blogging, it was as a hobby … and it took me several years to start making significant money from it.

While some bloggers do succeed in making a lot of money in their first year, most take much longer. As you go through these questions, focus on what you have accomplished rather than on the goals you’ve not quite managed yet.

(Want to do this evaluation another time? Check out the option to download a free evaluation workbook at the end of the post.)

Key Metrics for Your Blog’s First Year

#1: How many blog posts did you publish … and how consistently?

Whether you published two posts or two hundred posts … was it as many as you wanted?

Did you write lots of posts in the first two months, then not much for the rest of the year? Or did you manage to blog fairly regularly all year?

#2: How many subscribers do you have to your blog and/or newsletter?

Hopefully you’ve got email subscriptions set up: if not, check out Ramsey’s post on Blog Tyrant: How to Start a Mailing List and Add Opt-in Forms to Your Blog.

If you can, look back at how your subscribers grew during the year. (You can find instructions for AWeber here and for MailChimp here). Did you see steady growth? Can you identify any peaks and what caused them?

#3: Did your traffic grow during the year?

Look at Google Analytics or WordPress.com’s inbuilt statistics to find out whether you were getting more traffic by the end of the year than at the start (hopefully you were)!

Again, look out for any spikes in traffic: what was behind those?

#4: Which of your posts were most popular?

You can use Google Analytics to find out which posts received the most visits, or look on your blog to see which got the most comments or shares.

Find your top three posts and see if you can figure out what made those posts especially popular.

#5: How much money did you spend?

This might require trawling back through your PayPal history or receipts in your inbox. You may want to create a simple spreadsheet to track your blog’s spending, breaking it into different categories, such as:

  • Web hosting and domain name
  • Email list provision
  • Premium theme and/or premium plugins (if any)
  • Design, editing or other services

#6: How much money did you make?

Ideally, you want this figure to be higher than #5 … but if it’s not, that’s very normal for blogs in their first year.

Look at your income from:

  • Advertising
  • Affiliate marketing
  • Product sales (e.g. if you launched an ebook)
  • Services provided (e.g. if you write for other blogs for pay)
  • Sponsorship from other companies

If you want to dig further into statistics, check out Nicole Avery’s post How to Conduct Your Annual Blogging Review.

I know that it’s easy to feel a little discouraged at this point. Perhaps when you started blogging, you dreamt of quitting your day job by now … and yet your blog hasn’t made a single dollar.

It can also be encouraging to look at everything you have gained, even if it’s not all about the numbers. Here are six more questions to ask yourself:

#7: Did you get any nice comments or emails from readers?

If someone wrote that your post came at the perfect time for them, or that it helped them with a problem, that’s a real success.

You might want to track down all your nice comments and emails, bring them together into one document, and print them out as a source of encouragement.

#8: Did you learn anything new?

Your first year of blogging was probably a steep learning curve at times. I bet you picked up lots of new skills. Perhaps:

  • You learned how to register a domain name and set up hosting
  • You got to grips with sourcing, resizing and editing images
  • You went from initial bafflement to comfortable familiarity with WordPress (or your platform of choice)
  • You set up an email list for your blog
  • You read a lot about marketing your blog or growing your readership or some other aspect of blogging … and you put it into practice

… or lots more things besides!

#9: Did you challenge yourself?

Perhaps you wrote a post that you were worried about publishing … but it went down really well with readers.

Perhaps you wrote a guest post for a big blog in your niche … and they published it!

Or maybe you tried something and it didn’t quite work out: what matters is that you gave it a go.

#10: Did you make new connections in the blogging world?

When you started out blogging, you probably didn’t know many (or even any!) other bloggers. During your first year, you likely got to know at least a few.

Perhaps:

  • You’ve made friends with some other new-ish bloggers on Twitter
  • You’ve been commenting on an established blogger’s site and building up a relationship with them.
  • You joined a Facebook group for bloggers, like the ProBlogger Community.
  • You went to a local meetup … or a bigger gathering of bloggers, like the ProBlogger event.

#11: Did blogging open any doors for you?

Sometimes, blogging can lead to some amazing opportunities (Eli Seekins had a great post about this on SmartBlogger recently).

Perhaps your blogging meant that:

  • You landed a freelancing gig with a big blog or website.
  • You gained some new skills that you used on a job application.
  • You came across some interesting people who you’d never have otherwise met.
  • You got free products to review.

#12: Did you enjoy the year?

Perhaps most importantly … did you enjoy your first year of blogging?

Maybe it was the first time you’ve felt able to call yourself a “writer”, because you wrote regular posts for your blog.

Maybe you loved learning new things and putting them into practice.

Maybe you felt like you were finally reaching for your dreams.

While it’s a great feeling to make money from blogging or to see your readership grow, some bloggers simply want to enjoy the process of writing and publishing online … and that can be just as valuable.

What Will You Do During Your Blog’s Second Year?

Now that you’ve taken a look over the past year of your blog … what are you going to do with the next year?

You might want to think about:

#1: How often will you post?

If your current schedule hasn’t really worked for you, you might try posting less frequently and focusing on writing the best posts you can.

Get help: How to Be a More Consistent Blogger

#2: How will you monetize?

Whether you want to make a living or simply cover your costs, think about how you’ll make money from your blog. Some new bloggers think it’s all about advertising or affiliate income, but those aren’t your only options.

Get help: The Full Blog Monetization Menu – 60+ Ways to Make Money With Your Blog

#3: What successes can you build on?

Look at what’s been going well for you … and go further with it. For instance, pick a post that’s already getting lots of search engine traffic and update it to link to some of your other best posts.

Get help: How to Update Old Posts On Your Blog (and When You Should Consider Doing it)

Right now, write down three specific actions that you want to take as you move into your blog’s second year:

  • One during the next week
  • One during the next month
  • One during the next three months

Feel free to share them with us in the comments … and good luck for your next year of blogging.

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Tuesday, June 20, 2017

7 Key Design Elements for a Mobile Landing Page that Converts

7 Key Design Elements for a Mobile Landing Page that Converts | ProBlogger

This is a guest contribution from Shane Barker.

If you’ve been blogging for awhile, you’re probably familiar with landing pages, and may have even used a few of them for different campaigns. Whether you’re trying to drive people to sign up for your mailing list, or to purchase a product/service you’re promoting, landing pages can help you achieve your conversion goals. But is your landing page optimized for mobile users? Is it able to drive enough conversions on mobile?

Just imagine you’re using your smartphone to read someone else’s blog, and you click on a link to learn about a certain product reviewed in the post. But you end up on a page that is too difficult to view and navigate. You have to either squint, or zoom in to read the page content. That could ruin your experience, and may even compel you to leave the page. The result? For the blogger, it means they’ve lost the opportunity to convert you.

Don’t make the same mistake. When you’re designing a landing page, make sure you optimize it for mobile users. The seven key design elements below can help you design a mobile landing page optimized for conversions.

1. A Short But Strong Headline

Landing page headlines should always be clear and concise. For a mobile landing page, your headline has to be even shorter, because you have even less space to work with. Use no more than five words, and describe what your website is about, or what your product does. This may be difficult, but it isn’t impossible.

Take a look at the Squarespace mobile landing page, for instance. The headline, “Build it Beautiful,” is short, but it clearly tells people what the product is about – building websites. And “beautiful” highlights the benefit of using the platform. They’ve perfectly summed up what their product does, and what makes it special, in just three words, with a compelling headline.

7 Key Design Elements for a Mobile Landing Page that Converts | ProBlogger

Try to form your headline around the main features and/or benefits of your product. Maybe it will help readers learn something useful, or tackle a challenge they’ve been facing. Once you come up with a potential headline, check it several times to see if you can shorten it and still keep it compelling. For instance, you could shorten, “Convert People with Beautiful Landing Pages,” to, “Create Landing Pages that Convert.”

Although many landing pages have a subheading with more details about the product’s features, that may not be the best option for a mobile landing page due to the limited space. You can try adding a few bullet points if you absolutely have to include further details or benefits of the product. Just make sure each point is concise and clear.

2. A Short And Persuasive Call-To-Action

You know the importance of persuasive CTA copy, and how it can help drive conversions. With mobile landing pages, your CTA copy needs to compel users to take action, and it needs to do so with just 2-3 words. Something like, “Get Started,” “Grab Your Deal,” or “Build Your Website,” may be ideal as they get straight to the point in just a few words.

For example, the mobile landing page for the Shyp app has clear call-to-action copy that urges people to, “Get the App.”

7 Key Design Elements for a Mobile Landing Page that Converts | ProBlogger

To come up with compelling copy for your CTA, first define the goal of your landing page. Is it to get people to enter a contest, download an eBook, or sign up for your mailing list? Next, write a short CTA that clearly tells people what you want them to do, like, “Enter to Win,” or “Download Your Guide.”

3. One Prominent CTA Button

What’s the goal of a landing page? To get people to do something. So what’s the point of having a CTA button on your mobile landing page if it’s barely visible? If you’re trying to get people to take a certain action, make sure the CTA button is prominently displayed. If possible, choose a button color that contrasts with the main page color so that it stands out.

While aesthetics are a crucial part of your landing page design, you shouldn’t blend the elements so much that you hide the CTA button. The New Balance mobile landing page below highlights one CTA button boldly in black. And you can see that, although the button clearly contrasts with the rest of the page design, it doesn’t compromise the overall aesthetics.

7 Key Design Elements for a Mobile Landing Page that Converts | ProBlogger

The optimal number of CTA buttons on a mobile landing page is one, because you want to direct users towards one particular action. You don’t want to confuse them with too many options. If you have several goals, you can try building a separate landing page for each goal. But if you absolutely must have more than one CTA button on a page, make sure you highlight the main call-to-action, and blend in the others with the rest of the design.

For instance, if the goal is to get people to download something, the CTA button for downloading should be the most prominent. Secondary CTA buttons like, “Learn More,” or “Contact Us,” should be less visible. A good example is the Squarespace landing page shown above, where the main call-to-action, “Get Started,” is more prominent than the secondary CTA, “Learn More.”

4. Minimal Clutter

When you’re targeting mobile users, you should keep in mind that there is limited screen space to work with. A busy page design with too many elements can be an eyesore, especially on mobile landing pages. You need to simplify the page design as much as possible. This means you need to remove any unnecessary clutter, and keep other elements hidden if possible.

Keep only the most important elements. Just take a look at the simplistic and elegant landing page for Moto 360, for example. The page contains only a few elements: a strong headline, the product name, pricing info, and a call-to-action button.

7 Key Design Elements for a Mobile Landing Page that Converts | ProBlogger

Now let’s take a look at the original desktop version of the landing page. Here, there are a few changes in the formatting. Although the headline remains the same, this version has a small subheading to describe the product. You can also see that the navigation bar isn’t hidden like in the mobile version.

7 Key Design Elements for a Mobile Landing Page that Converts | ProBlogger

For mobile, keep only the most important elements, and remove unnecessary elements that may clutter the page. Removing unnecessary clutter from your mobile landing page doesn’t just enhance the page’s aesthetics, it also reduces the page’s load time. A faster loading page can improve user experience, and boost conversions.

5. Simplified Forms

Do you really need people to fill in 7 or 8 form fields when signing up for something? Too many form fields can clutter your landing page, and frustrate users. If you want more people to convert, you need to simplify the conversion process. The idea is to get them to complete the task before they have time to change their minds. Simplify your forms – whether they’re for subscriptions, free trials, or promo codes.

Make sure any forms on your mobile landing page collect only the most crucial information. For example, you probably need a user’s email address for eBook downloads, newsletter subscriptions, free trials, promo codes, and pretty much everything else. But you may not need to ask for their name, address, or phone number.

Adjust the form fields based on what you want to achieve with the landing page. The Shopify free trial landing page shown below has only three form fields. It asks for an email address, store name, and a password so that users can access their account later. It doesn’t ask for any unnecessary information like name, phone number, or address.

7 Key Design Elements for a Mobile Landing Page that Converts | ProBlogger

6. Readable Copy

Which of these is easier to read: ProBlogger or ProBlogger? Naturally, you’d choose the latter of these two font sizes. The font styles and sizes you choose to use can have a huge impact on the readability of your mobile landing page. Remember, you’re working on a small screen; so you need to make sure that your copy is easy to read, despite the small space.

The idea is to make sure that people don’t have to squint or zoom in to read the content on your landing page. The ideal font size according to Google is 16 px, but you can always customize the size according to the font style you’ve chosen. Don’t forget to leave ample space between text lines to improve readability.

If you’ve followed the tips above, you’ve already simplified the design, and shortened your headline. That means there will be more space on your mobile landing page, allowing you to use a larger font that’s easier to read. Additionally, choose a font color that contrasts with the main color used on the page, but still blends well with the rest of the design.

Here’s an example from Gumroad. As you can see in the image below, the text is clearly visible. It is easy to read because of the large font size and simple style. It also contrasts with the main page color, while still complimenting the rest of the design.

7 Key Design Elements for a Mobile Landing Page that Converts | ProBlogger

7. Neatly Organized Elements

If a mobile landing page has too much going on, the design can easily become an eyesore. Maybe there’s too much text, or the headline and description are too close to the CTA button. Unorganized elements can confuse your readers, and negatively affect their experience.

For a mobile landing page design that boosts conversions, make sure all elements are neatly organized. There should be a sufficient amount of whitespace between elements so that people can navigate the page easily, and find what they’re looking for. This will also improve the visibility of your CTA button.

Take a look at the mobile landing page for the Albert app below. There is more text than recommended, but the design still works well because the elements are neatly organized. Sufficient whitespace separates the headline, subheading, and CTA button, preventing the design from looking cluttered. The blue CTA button is prominent amidst all of the text and whitespace.

7 Key Design Elements for a Mobile Landing Page that Converts | ProBlogger

What’s Next?

Once you’ve optimized your mobile landing page with the seven design elements above, you need to check whether or not they’re working for you. A few minor tweaks may be necessary to maximize their effectiveness. Make sure you run A/B tests for every element, and make adjustments, or changes as needed. The goal is to ensure that your page:

  • Loads quickly
  • Is aesthetically pleasing
  • Clearly directs people towards the desired action

All of these play a role in how well you’re able to convert an audience. Run an A/B test or a multivariate test for each element to find which areas need further improvement, and which changes are working for you. Do some call-to-actions or headlines work better than others? Which color combination drives more conversions?

Experiment with different colors for your CTA button to determine which one gets the most clicks. Test several headlines to find out which your audience responds better to. Experiment with different font styles, and sizes and check if there’s any difference in your conversion rate based on those changes.

Conclusion

Now you know the key elements you need to use to design a high-converting mobile landing page. Have you tried any of these tips before? How did it affect your conversion rate? Do you have any questions about mobile landing pages? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

And if you need any help optimizing your website, blog, or landing pages for conversions, you can get in touch with me. I can help you come up with the best solutions for boosting your conversions.

Shane Barker is a digital marketing consultant that specializes in sales funnels, targeted traffic and website conversions. He has consulted with Fortune 500 companies, Influencers with digital products, and a number of A-List celebrities. You can find him on Twitter here.

The post 7 Key Design Elements for a Mobile Landing Page that Converts appeared first on ProBlogger.

      


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