Landing Pages vs Product pages

Hi there 👋,

Recently, I was coming up with a list of 30 growth lessons I learned before 30, and one came to mind so quickly.

It’s such an important lesson that I think it deserves a newsletter dedicated to it.

Today, we’re going to talk about the fundamental error of using a product page to acquire new customers.

Or of using any existing page for new customers.

You need a landing page.

No, these are not the same thing. They’re not the “same, same, but different”.

They are DIFFERENT DIFFERENT DIFFERENT!

As you can tell, I’m very passionate about this matter. So sit back, sip your coffee, and welcome to my rant lesson.

What are landing pages for?

Your landing page is like the front door to your home. A taxi mysteriously dropped them off, and this is their first introduction to you.

They don’t know your brand. They are not ready to buy anything.

This is the warm-up.

That’s why landing pages often start with a header block introducing the proposition rather than just a standard product block.

They don’t know your brand, what to choose and what they need. So don’t expect them to.

Nik Sharma, a D2C Brand expert, explained this well in one of his recent newsletters:

Have you ever gotten on a call with a salesperson and the first thing they say is "YOU CAN BUY THIS RIGHT NOW OR SUBSCRIBE FOR A CHEAPER OPTION!"

A product page usually presents all the options, which is too much for a new person.

With a product page, you’re not sure which segment you’re speaking to, but with a landing page, you can know exactly.

So get super niche and specific with them. Talk directly to them.

What are product pages for?

Yes, they have a purpose.

There is a time and place for product pages.

Your product pages are for receiving existing and returning customers.

They don’t want to have to scroll to a product block and look endlessly for the subscribe button, they just want to buy. So help them to buy your product.

Let’s continue Nik Sharma’s great metaphor for this one.

This would be the equivalent of a salesperson forcing you to watch the same introductory video each time you want to buy something new.

This time, you turn to scream at them:

DO YOU WANT ME TO BUY IT OR NOT?

These customers don’t need a full introduction, and they do want to see what other products you have to offer and the options available.

From your landing page right to your product page

Often, once I’ve introduced landing pages to clients and they see how successful they are, they want to use these instead of a product page.

Yes, they convert better, but they’re different. Both are necessary for different audiences.

So what can you take from a landing page and apply to your product page?

• Benefits blocks - Summarising how you solve their pain points and help them

• Comparison block - How you are different from the rest

• FAQs - Not the boring “How long does shipping take?” but the real blockers, such as “Why is it more expensive than the rest?” and “Is this the right solution for me?”

• Social proof - Certain reviews, features or other forms of social proof that are helping on your landing page

• Improved messaging - Based on what works well on your biggest landing pages

• How does it work? - A short step-by-step guide of how to use it

You can determine the right elements to adopt from your landing page based on high engagement.

Measure this with heatmaps, user recordings and user testing.

As someone scrolls through your product page, they are signalling to you that they potentially haven’t found the information they are looking for.

Recommendation

In every edition of Growth Waves, I also share a related book, individual or newsletter to check out related to the week's topic.

If you’re on Shopify and would like to start building landing pages, but struggle to get development time (who doesn’t?), then I’ve got the solution for you.

On Replo, you can create your own landing pages for Shopify.

I use this with many of my clients, and I’ve found it’s easy enough for them to use as well.

I particularly love the huge template library they have from top D2C brands.

This allows you to build pages in minimum time, with some creativity and basic edits.

Okay, you can stop cowering away, my rant lesson is over.

This isn’t to say that there is anything wrong with product pages, just that they’re not a replacement for landing pages.

Make the change and trust me, you’ll see a huge difference in your conversions.

Got questions about creating the right landing page for your brand and audience?

Get in touch, and I’ll take a look!

Daphne