B2B marketers! What comes to your mind when you think of a landing page?
An attractive-looking web page that may drive engagement?
If yes, then that's an understatement. Because, in reality, a landing page is a lot more than a well-designed page. It's a part of your customer's journey, a page that influences your user's experience with your business, and a page that helps you navigate your website's strategy.
There’s a lot of thought and strategy involved in creating B2B landing pages that perform really well.
And to help you all ace your landing page creation process, we looked for someone who has an established standing in the industry to help B2B SaaS companies develop a website strategy to capture high-intent leads and can show clear reporting from platform to pipeline metrics.
Naturally, we came to Tas Bober, a B2B landing page strategy expert and founder of Delphinium Solutions.
Tas has enabled B2B SaaS companies to increase their revenue through digital presence by 235%, boost conversions through optimized website experience by 30%, and save operational spending by 30%.
This means when it comes to building B2B landing pages, Tas has not only walked the talk but has helped businesses boost their revenue and build efficient processes.
So, without further ado, let’s get started with the interview and learn some tips and insights to create high-performing B2B landing pages from the maestro herself.
Q1. You have been working in the marketing space for 15 years. How has your journey been so far, and how did you become interested in landing pages?
The journey, as with most marketers, didn't start in marketing. I began my career in the US as a writer for an NBC TV station. One day, they brought in a large TV and hooked it up behind my desk. They turned it on, and it was ChartBeat website analytics. For the first time, I got to see real-time user data on the pieces I wrote for the website. I was immediately hooked.
That started my transition into digital marketing. Since then, I've worked at a number of B2B companies in-house, either as part of or running their digital marketing teams. I had no intentions of working for myself, but I wanted a creative project, so I started sharing my expertise and experiences on LinkedIn.
Companies started reaching out for consulting. After speaking to a friend in the same space, he told me to niche down further into a specific problem and industry. He said he talks to hundreds of startups and they all ask for paid ads landing page help, which is not his expertise. He suggested given my background of having managed 400 websites and high-cost digital programs, that I would be the perfect fit. I changed my LinkedIn strategy and website that night.
The next day, I started getting requests to help companies with their landing page strategy.
Q2. In your opinion, what are the key elements that every B2B landing page should include?
Every B2B landing page should first focus on clear messaging. Somewhere along the way, B2B has garnered an appetite for jargon and flowery language that uses a lot of words but says nothing of substance.
Before even getting to the tactical nature of setting up a B2B landing page, you need to understand the buying journey. It involves a lot of information gathering, stakeholder alignment, justification, and more before they even contact you. Which means that you should give your prospective buyers a lot of information upfront.
Conversion is not the name of the game in B2B. It's consumption first. Here are the elements you should include on the page:
1. Your summarized value proposition - what you enable your customers to do in very simple and clear words.
2. If you're a SaaS product, then showcase the product at every opportunity. A short video is nice but also includes a lot of imagery that goes along with your copy.
3. Call out your ICP - a big mistake I see is that no one talks to their ICP directly. They're too afraid to exclude people, but you're likely not including the right ones.
4. Show your ICP you understand them - outline the problems they're facing and the gap you saw in the market.
5. The top 3 capabilities of your solution - how you solve that gap.
6. Social proof - the important piece here is that it needs to be relevant social proof. If you have more than one product, then the social proof on each page needs to be relevant to that product.
7. FAQs - there are always common questions or objections to interacting with you. Answer those upfront.
8. The ask - Finally, you make the ask. Is it a free trial? Is it to book a meeting? Either way, tell them what to expect if they do. Their time is precious, you want to show them you respect it.
Q3. Since more than 60% of viewers don’t scroll below the fold, which design elements do you think must be added above the fold?
You have about 3 seconds to grab a user's attention. Here's what you need to pay attention to:
1. The speed/performance of the page: If the page doesn't load fast enough, then it doesn't matter how good the content is. Users will bounce. The benchmark we're shooting for is 3 seconds of load time.
2. Remove distractions: Don't ask them to do too many things right out of the gate. I see so many websites where a user lands on the page, and before they've had a chance to understand the landscape, they're hit with chatbots, pop-ups, and multiple CTAs. Stay focused on showing them the first message.
3. Messaging clarity: Make sure that your hero covers exactly what you do for your ICP in a very clear manner. Then, have them explore the rest of the information.
4. Immediate proof - I like a good logo garden under the primary hero. This gives them an idea that you already help other customers like them. Make sure these match the company type you are going after. For example, if you are targeting SMBs, don't use Target's logo.
Remember that the goal of each section is NOT to convert users. The goal of each section is to send the user to the next section.
So the headline of the page should get users to read the description. The description should urge readers to watch the video. The video helps understand the gaps and leads to the value propositions which then leads into the proof area and finally, the last touchpoint which is what you’d like the user to do.
Q4. What are your top 5 tips and best practices to create more user-friendly landing pages for B2B?
User-friendly means putting your users first. Sometimes, that doesn't always go hand-in-hand with a lot of marketing tactics. That's why the ADA web accessibility and compliance motions came into place.
Creating something that's user-friendly and accessible falls into four areas of focus that you can remember with the acronym "POUR":
Perceivable: Making information easy to find and easy to process (for example,. transcripts on videos)
Operable: Making sure users can easily navigate a site (for example. through their keyboard)
Understandable: Making sure users can discern all information on the site (for example,. explaining error messages and how to resolve them.)
Robust: Making sure a website stays up to date with accessibility features and innovation (for example, staying up to date on the most popular screen readers.)
Q5. According to you, what are the most common mistakes B2B marketers or businesses make in terms of content? Please share your favorite 3 tips to make landing page content more compelling and relatable.
B2B's biggest cardinal sins with messaging on landing pages (or even general website content) are:
1. Unclear or vague language. Using a lot of jargon and words like "revolutionize," "streamline," "seamless," and "all-in-one" don't always communicate the key value of your offer.
2. Being company-centric instead of buyer-centric. Talking about your solution, your awards, and your badges without any consideration for the user.
3. Hiding information. Gating key information like product demos or pricing means your users will get it somewhere else where you have little to no control over the narrative.
4. Not being empathetic. Without stating clearly that you understand your prospective customers' problems, you tell them you care little about them to begin with.
5. Not talking to your ICP directly. Call out your customers so they know you created this for them specifically.
3 tips to make it more compelling and relatable:
1. Write in a 3rd - 5th grade level. The average U.S. adult reading level is 8th grade. But the retention rate can be lower. Douglas Mueller, president of the Gunning-Mueller Clear Writing Institute, says, “Even a Harvard University professor prefers to get information without strain.”
The key is to be clear and not try to sound smart.
2. Put your buyers first. Talk about:
- THEIR problems,
- The gaps in THEIR workflows and
- Why you created the product FOR them.
They care little about your awards other than social proof that others like them trust you.
3. Relevant proof: My favorite thing to do is source testimonials about a company from agnostic review sites and forums. Your buyers are going to find them there anyway. I gather them up and put them on a landing page so buyers don't need to go searching.
Bonus points if you can include a picture and some key information about the reviewer as well.
Q6. Following up on the previous question, what are the most common mistakes that you have noticed businesses make while creating landing pages in general?
The biggest problem with B2B landing pages is we're expecting them to perform like B2C. Let's explore the issues:
1) Page information: Pages aren't laid out strategically. Too much or too little information on pages - they're company-centric vs buyer-centric, for example, feature-dumping, gated content, company awards, and over-selling.
2) Measurement: We measure performance on direct conversions. But the B2B buying journey is non-linear and has multiple touchpoints so that's a flawed view.
3) Lead volume: We are focused on the volume of leads over quality. We get it – marketing is under fire to deliver leads, but it means nothing if those leads don’t ultimately create a quality pipeline and revenue.
4) Either no landing page or too many "You get a landing page, you get a landing page, everyone gets a landing page!" - Oprah, probably.
Too many landing pages? → Website bloat → Management nightmare
No landing page? (AKA sending to the homepage) → Not being relevant to user query/journey → A stakeholder messaging pot roast → Distracting or vague experiences.
Related: 17 Landing Page Mistakes That’ll Cost You Time, Effort & Money
Q7. Creating accessible landing pages is important. How do you suggest businesses make landing pages more accessible to everyone?
I covered this above, but here it is again with more context around ADA compliance and accessibility.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗔𝗗𝗔 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲? The Americans Disability Act was created to protect individuals with disabilities from discrimination, including on the internet.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀? Fines of $75,000 - $150,000 and potential lawsuits for discrimination.
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁? Use the acronym POUR for the 4 core areas of focus:
1. Perceivable: Making information easy to find and easy to process (For example, transcripts on videos)
2. Operable: Making sure users can easily navigate a site (For example, through their keyboard)
3. Understandable: Making sure users can discern all information on the site (For example, explaining error messages and how to resolve them)
4. Robust: Making sure a website stays up to date with accessibility features and innovation (For example, staying up to date on the most popular screen readers)
Q8. How many CTAs should a landing page ideally have? Would you share some tips or tricks to make CTAs more attractive and click-worthy?
Too many CTAs are like trying to find a show on Netflix. Too many choices. Next thing you know, it's an hour later. You're frustrated. You've wasted time.
Now, imagine a potential customer coming to your website. They find 6 CTAs on a page.
— Contact sales!
— Try our product!
— Browse our pricing!
— Read our latest blog!
— Register for our webinar!
— Check out our AI feature!
They're frustrated. So they do nothing. You have to first empathize with users - they experience decision fatigue daily. The best thing you can do for a user going to a landing page is to give them one single CTA you want them to interact with.
Step 1: Pick the single most desirable action.
Step 2: Guide them there. While I don't promote conversions, creating focused experiences, including having one single CTA, can increase conversions by 300%.
Q9. You advocate using minimal footers on B2B landing pages. What would be the “explain it (please) as if I’m 5” version of it?
Why I use minimal footers on B2B landing pages:
1. We live in a privacy-centric world. You can't get away without having, at a minimum, your privacy policy, your terms of service, or your contact information
2. The end-of-the-road options. If the user has reached the bottom of the page (and only 30% do) but needs more reassurance.
- Give them additional information, for example, pricing.
- Give them a related resource, for example, a template or
- Give them reinforcement. for example., case studies.
Be very strategic about what you offer. If the main website is meant to be a place where you choose your own adventure and explore what a company has to offer, then a landing page is a more focused experience that takes users through a specific journey. What you offer in the footer should be the next logical place a user would go to rather than a situation where you overwhelm them with choices.
Q10. What’s your favorite ratio of text-to-visual content for landing pages?
As always, your messaging is the most crucial part of your landing page. Visuals can aid the explanation or demonstration of the product you're discussing in the text version. Visuals can also give users quick social proof recognition through the use of logos. They can also make your testimonials come to life with pictures of the reviewers.
I'd say a healthy mix is a 60:40 (text:visual) ratio.
Q11. In your opinion, what is the right approach for tracking the performance of a landing page?
I measure B2B SaaS landing pages in two ways. Because they can't be measured on just conversions. The B2B buying journey is research-focused, so they won't convert on the first visit (or the seventh).
That doesn't mean the campaign isn't working. It does mean we need to look for indicators. So here are two categories of metrics I look at:
1) Consumption: AKA the vanity metrics that everyone craps on. I love them because they are either positive or negative indicators of whether your messaging resonates.
Metrics include (From GA4 or website analytics):
→ Users - New and Returning
→ Sessions/Pageviews
→ Average time on page
→ Engagement rate (From heatmap tool)
→ Session recordings
→ Heatmap data
→ Scroll-depth (From distribution)
→ Keywords
→ Ads that resonate
→ What tests perform best
I look at this for the entire website, not just the landing page itself, because likely, the user came to the landing page, left, didn't find the landing page again, and returned to the main site.
2) Conversion: This is the part that everyone focuses on. But it's only half of the story. Maybe even less.
Metrics include (From GA4 or website analytics):
→ On-page conversion actions
→ Form submits (if different) (From MAP or CRM)
→ Booked meetings
→ Eventually, opps, pipeline, revenue
I look at this for both on-page and the entire website.
The question isn't: did this landing page drive conversions? The question should be: did the OVERALL hand raiser count increase from the time of paid program implementation? Because in B2B - each channel lifts the others.
Q12. Lastly, if you could give a piece of advice to other B2B landing page experts just starting out, what would that be?
If you're in B2B and especially B2B SaaS, you need to learn the following skills before you worry about landing page creation:
1. Be a product marketer first. Find ways to quickly learn the product. If you don't understand the product and its value and differentiation, you won't write very compelling landing pages.
2. Be a good copywriter, second. You need to then take that information and translate it clearly to the landing page.
3. Be an analyst, third, B2B isn't about just conversions. You need to understand how to read data (both from the consumption angle and conversions), along with running impactful experiments.
Wrap Up
Found these tips and advice insightful?
We’re sure you did.
Now, you’re all set to create B2B landing pages that resonate with your customers and boost engagement. And yes, Unlayer is here to help you design stunning and responsive landing pages within minutes.
What was your favorite part of this interview? Let us know in the comments below.
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