Landing pages vary by design and purpose but they have one thing in common. The best landing pages bring you the desired results, whether that is to sell your product or build your list. But that’s where the similarity ends.

If you want opt-in success, you need to build a good squeeze page, also known as a lead capture page, that your visitors can’t refuse.

Don’t think that plunking an opt in form on your page with a little note telling your visitors to sign up for a download is enough. Proper landing pages must follow certain criteria if you expect to build your list every time someone visits.

This guide to creating landing pages will help you to boost your conversion rate significantly.

Tip #1: Offer something in exchange for your visitor’s contact information. Your opt in rate will be severely limited if you only offer the opt in form. Give them something of perceived value, such as free access to a prized membership area or access to a video course in your niche.

Tip #2: Think of your page as you do your sales page. It is just as important. The best landing pages take this approach. Use it to entice your visitors to provide their details. This is not the time to use pushy or hard sell tactics. Give them a good reason why they should accept your offer. Focus specifically on benefits to them.

Tip #3: Provide only your brief message created in tip two and an opt in form. The only other elements that should be on your landing page is disclaimers, terms and of course, a note about privacy to assure them that their contact details will remain private. Anything else will distract your visitor and lead to lower sign-ups.

Tip #4: Emphasize the benefits of the giveaway that you are offering. Focus mostly on encouraging your visitor to grab your free offer. Make sure it is clear that this is a free offer and that they have nothing to pay. Explain that by providing you with their email, they are going to gain access to that offer, no strings attached.

Tip #5: Sometimes, it helps to build trust if you include a photo of yourself with a brief few lines about who you are and how your free giveaway will help your visitor.

Finally, make it as personal as possible but remain professional. Talk directly to each individual visitor, rather than to all of them as a group. Use first person, you, to make them feel important.

Unless you discover how to create the best landing pages, your efforts at building an email list will fall short.