Marketo Landing Pages that Outperform Expectations

Research

We perform competitive research to gain insights into industry standards, design trends, and successful strategies employed by competitors. This involves studying the landing pages of other businesses in the same industry or market niche. Identifying the common elements, layout patterns, and CTAs can provide a benchmark for the wireframing process.

The objective of research is not imitation, but to understand what works and what doesn’t within a specific context. By analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of competitor’s landing pages, designers can gain a clearer picture of effective strategies that can be tailored to their unique objectives. For instance, a higher conversion rate might be tied to a specific layout or a certain arrangement of elements.

Competitive research can help identify gaps or opportunities within the market. There might be user needs or preferences that competitors have overlooked, which your landing page can address. This could be a unique selling proposition or a specific feature that sets your offering apart.

Research is a vital step that helps in formulating design decisions and strategies for the wireframing process. It facilitates the creation of landing pages that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also effective in meeting marketing objectives.

Wireframing

Wireframing is a crucial step in the design process of landing pages, providing a blueprint for the layout and functionality of the page. Wireframes are essentially visual representations that outline the skeletal framework of a landing page, laying the foundation for the structure, content, and functionality. This process generally precedes the actual design and content creation, serving as a roadmap for designers and stakeholders.

In the wireframing process, key elements such as headers, footers, navigation menus, content areas, and call-to-action (CTA) buttons are laid out on a grid. The placement of these elements is dictated by their priority and the intended user flow on the page. For instance, CTAs are typically placed prominently to capture user attention and guide them towards the desired action.

Wireframes are typically devoid of any graphics, color, or typography choices, focusing solely on functionality and user interaction. This ensures discussions at this stage revolve around usability rather than aesthetic choices. Tools such as Sketch, InVision, and Figma are often utilized for creating these interactive wireframes.

The wireframing process facilitates effective communication and clarity between designers, developers, and stakeholders. It allows for easy changes and iterations, saving time and resources that might be wasted on modifying a fully designed page. Ultimately, wireframing paves the way for creating effective, user-friendly landing pages that align with the overall marketing strategy.

Visual Design

Once the structure and functionality of the landing page are defined through the wireframing process, the next stage involves crafting the visual design. Visual design pertains to the aesthetics of the landing page and involves making decisions regarding color schemes, typography, graphics, images, and other visual elements that contribute to the overall look and feel of the page. This stage is crucial in capturing the attention of the viewer and creating a lasting impression.

Creating the visual design starts with choosing a color scheme that aligns with the brand’s identity and evokes the desired emotions from the target audience. Colors can significantly influence a viewer’s perception and reaction, making it a crucial aspect of design. For instance, while blues can evoke a sense of trust and calm, warmer colors like red and orange might signal energy and urgency.

Typography, the choice of fonts and their arrangement, is another critical element. The chosen typography should not only be legible but should also tie in with the brand’s style and the overall design of the page. It’s also vital to consider font size and line spacing to ensure readability, particularly on mobile devices.

The use of graphics and images can greatly enhance the visual appeal of the landing page. They can break up long sections of text, provide visual representations of offered products or services, and inject personality into the page. However, it’s important that these graphics are high-quality and relevant. The use of generic or irrelevant images can detract from the message and credibility of the page.

Visual design is not merely about making a landing page look good. It involves making strategic decisions that not only enhance the aesthetics but also improve usability, convey the desired message, and prompt the desired action from the viewer. The visual design process necessitates close collaboration between our team, marketers, and other stakeholders to ensure the final design supports the overall marketing objectives.