Build the Best Newsletter Landing Pages With Unicorn Platform

published on 25 July 2023

As an entrepreneur, you understand the importance of building an email list to stay in touch with your customers and promote your business. However, to grow that list, you need effective landing pages that capture visitors' interest and convince them to subscribe. With Unicorn Platform, you have access to a simple yet powerful drag-and-drop builder to create high-converting newsletter signup forms and landing pages with no coding required. In just a few minutes, you can choose from stylish templates, customize the design, add your logo and brand colors, and embed an email signup form. With engaging copy, strong calls-to-action, and eye-catching images, you'll start building your email list and driving more traffic and sales right away.

If you're interested in content marketing, check out our article on how to build a content marketing landing page in minutes for more tips on creating effective landing pages that convert. Unicorn Platform provides everything you need to build the best newsletter landing pages for your startup.

Why You Need the Best Newsletter Landing Pages

Having a dedicated landing page for your newsletter is crucial to building your email list. A landing page allows you to focus your reader's attention on the goal of subscribing to your newsletter. It provides a simple call-to-action and form for them to input their email address.

Why You Need a Newsletter Landing Page

There are several benefits to creating a tailored landing page for your newsletter:

  • Dedicated focus. A landing page concentrates the reader's attention on the single goal of subscribing to your newsletter. It removes distractions and clutter from your website or blog. Readers will appreciate the clear purpose and call-to-action.
  • Higher conversion rates. Well-designed landing pages that articulate the value of your newsletter tend to convert readers at a higher rate. You can highlight the benefits and types of useful content or insights readers will receive. Use persuasive copy and eye-catching visuals to convince readers to subscribe.
  • Collect more qualified emails. With a dedicated landing page, you have space to be very specific about what your newsletter offers. This helps attract readers who will truly benefit from and engage with your content. Your open and click-through rates will be higher as a result.
  • Split test different versions. Landing pages are easy to duplicate and tweak. You can create different variations to split test headlines, copy, form placements, images, and colors. See which versions resonate most with your readers and convert at the highest rates. Optimize your landing page for the best performance.
  • Retarget non-converters. If a reader visits your landing page but does not subscribe, you can retarget them with ads to give your newsletter another chance at a conversion. Remarketing to people already familiar with your offer is an effective way to improve your rates over time.

With the right design and messaging, a dedicated newsletter landing page will become one of your most valuable tools for building your email list. Give your readers a compelling reason to subscribe and make it as easy as possible for them to do so.

How to Design an Effective Newsletter Landing Page

To build an effective newsletter landing page, there are several elements you should include.

First, have a clear headline that captures the reader's attention and highlights the main benefit or purpose of your newsletter. For example, "The Weekly Roundup: All the News You Need in One Place".

Next, include an image that is eye-catching and reinforces your headline. It could be a photo of you, your readers or a visual representing your industry. Images help to quickly convey your message and make an emotional connection.

Then, write a paragraph briefly explaining your newsletter, such as who you are, your area of expertise, and what subscribers can expect to receive. Build credibility by mentioning any credentials, accomplishments or media mentions. For example, "As an award-winning journalist with over 15 years of experience, I curate a weekly newsletter featuring important news stories you may have missed."

Follow this with a bullet list highlighting the key benefits and features of your newsletter. For example:

  • The latest industry news summarized
  • Exclusive access to insights and resources
  • Special discounts and promotions only available to subscribers
  • A community of like-minded professionals

Add social proof through testimonials or reviews from current newsletter subscribers. Quotes and ratings help to build trust and confidence in your offer.

Finally, have a call-to-action, such as a "Subscribe Now" button that is prominently featured above the fold on your page. Make it easy for people to enter their email address to join your list.

By including these elements on your landing page—a strong headline, visuals, a brief description, benefits, social proof and call-to-action—you’ll capture subscribers and build an impactful newsletter. With a quality landing page, you'll gain more readers and increase your open and click rates over time.

Keep Your Landing Page Simple
Keep Your Landing Page Simple

Keep Your Landing Page Simple

To build an effective newsletter landing page, keep the design simple and focused. A cluttered page with too many elements competing for attention will overwhelm your visitors and reduce conversions.

Minimize Distractions

A simple, minimalistic page allows your call-to-action to shine through. Remove any unnecessary images, links, buttons or other elements that might distract your visitors from the goal of signing up for your newsletter.

Highlight Your Value Proposition

Clearly communicate the benefits of subscribing to your newsletter. Explain how your subscribers will get useful information, insights, tips or resources. Share some of the topics or types of content they can expect in your newsletters. Keep this section concise, around 2 to 3 short sentences.

Strong Call-to-Action

Your call-to-action, whether a button, link or form, should be the central focus of your page. Use a high-contrast color to make it visually prominent. The CTA copy should be compelling, such as “Subscribe Now to Get Weekly Updates” or “Join Over 10,000 Subscribers.” Place the CTA prominently at the top of the page, in the center or just below the value proposition.

Simple Opt-in Form

Keep your signup form short and straightforward. Only ask for essential information like first name, last name and email address. Let visitors know their personal information will remain private and will not be shared. Offering a privacy policy or terms of use link below the form can build additional trust.

Social Proof

Including evidence of your newsletter's popularity and value can strengthen your persuasiveness. For example, you might say "Join over 50,000 subscribers who receive our weekly newsletter." You can also feature a few genuine testimonials or comments from happy subscribers.

Keeping your landing page simple, focused and optimized will convert more visitors into loyal subscribers. Remove distractions, clearly highlight your value, have a strong CTA and signup form, and build trust with social proof. With a winning newsletter landing page, you'll grow your email list and better engage your audience.

Showcase Your Newsletter Content

To build the best newsletter landing pages, you must showcase your newsletter’s valuable content. Visitors want to know exactly what they’re signing up for and how it will benefit them.

Highlight Past Newsletter Issues

Display screenshots or summaries of your past newsletters on the landing page. This gives potential subscribers an idea of what they can expect in terms of content, length, and frequency. You might say something like:

“Every week, we publish an in-depth newsletter with:

  • The latest growth marketing tips and strategies
  • Actionable advice for startups and small businesses
  • Interviews with top industry experts
  • And more!”

Promote Exclusive Content and Offers

Mention any exclusive content, tools, courses or other valuable resources that are only available to subscribers. For example, “Subscribe today to get instant access to our library of free marketing templates and checklists.” Exclusive offers and lead magnets are very effective for convincing visitors to sign up.

Share Testimonials and Reviews

Social proof from your current subscribers and readers builds trust and credibility. Feature a few short testimonials on your landing page. For example, “Here’s what our subscribers have to say:

‘This is the best newsletter for startup growth tips. Always full of actionable advice I can implement right away.’ — John S., Startup Founder”

Highlight Your Key Benefits

Clearly state the primary benefits of subscribing to set the right expectations. For example, “By subscribing to our newsletter, you’ll:

  • Get the latest social media strategies delivered to your inbox each week.
  • Discover hidden growth hacks and marketing tips used by leading startups.
  • Stay on the cutting edge of online marketing trends.
  • Gain access to our subscriber-only resources and special offers.”

\n\nA compelling newsletter landing page that showcases the value of your content and community will convert more visitors into long-term subscribers. With a professional and informative page, you’ll build a dedicated audience that keeps coming back each week for your must-read newsletter.

Use Social Proof to Build Trust
Use Social Proof to Build Trust

Use Social Proof to Build Trust

Social proof refers to evidence that a product, service or idea is popular or well-liked by others. For a newsletter landing page, social proof builds credibility and trust to convince visitors to subscribe.

Customer testimonials and reviews

Include authentic customer reviews and testimonials on your landing page. Quote satisfied subscribers discussing specific benefits and results from your newsletter. Keep reviews concise, around 2 or 3 sentences. Position multiple reviews together for maximum effect.

Subscriber numbers

Publicize the number of current subscribers to demonstrate popularity and establish credibility. You might say something like “Join over 10,000 subscribers who receive our weekly newsletter.” Update the numbers regularly to show consistent growth.

Media mentions

If your newsletter or brand has been featured in authoritative media publications, include their logos on your landing page. Write a short description of the media coverage next to each logo. Media mentions from well-known outlets can lend third-party credibility.

Social sharing

Include social sharing buttons on your landing page so visitors can easily share with their networks. Track the number of shares and display the totals prominently. High sharing numbers indicate social proof that others find your content valuable. You can say something like "Join the conversation. Our insights are shared over 5,000 times per month."

Free resources or giveaways

Offering highly valuable free resources, giveaways or lead magnets in exchange for an email signup demonstrates that you deliver useful information. For example, you might offer an ebook, video course, resource kit or cheat sheet after someone subscribes. Free, beneficial resources build goodwill and trust in your brand.

Using multiple forms of social proof on your landing page establishes credibility and belief that your newsletter is worth subscribing to. Combined with an appealing design and strong call-to-action, social proof compels visitors to join your list. Keep testing different types of social proof to see which resonate most with your audience.

Include an Email Signup Form (Obviously!)

To convert readers into email subscribers, your newsletter landing page must contain an email signup form. This is the primary call to action on the page, so make it prominent and compelling.

Place the Form Above the Fold

Position the email signup form in the upper half of the page, known as “above the fold.” This area gets the most attention and ensures readers see the form immediately. For easy visibility, center the form horizontally on desktop and mobile.

Offer an Incentive

Give readers an incentive to subscribe, such as a content upgrade, ebook, or other resource. For example, “Sign up to receive our weekly newsletter and get our Ultimate Guide to [Topic]!” This technique leverages reciprocity and gives readers valuable content in exchange for their email address.

Keep the Form Short

Only ask for the information you need: the reader’s first name and email address. Don’t require last name, company, job title, etc. unless necessary. The shorter the form, the more likely readers are to complete it.

Explain the Benefits

Tell readers how your newsletter will help or educate them. For example, “Subscribe to get actionable tips delivered to your inbox each week.” Share the key benefits and topics you cover to demonstrate the value.

Use an Attention-Grabbing Headline

Create an exciting headline for your signup form like “Join over 10,000 readers and get insights you won’t find anywhere else!” An engaging headline will capture interest and persuade more readers to subscribe.

Thank New Subscribers

Once readers submit the signup form, display a thank you message. For example, “Thanks for subscribing! Please check your inbox to confirm your subscription.” This builds goodwill and gives clear next steps to activate their subscription.

Following these best practices will optimize your newsletter landing page and turn more visitors into email subscribers. Provide a clear call to action, give readers an incentive, keep the form short, highlight key benefits, use an attention-grabbing headline, and thank new subscribers to boost your signup conversion rates.

Make It Easy to Sign Up

To build the best newsletter landing pages, you must make it as easy as possible for visitors to sign up. Follow these tips:

Clearly State the Benefits

Explain exactly what value readers will get by subscribing. Highlight the types of useful content, news, tips or resources they can expect to receive. Share any incentives, discounts or free resources they will gain access to as subscribers. The benefits and value should be front and center to capture interest.

Use an Attention-Grabbing Headline

Craft an intriguing headline that sparks curiosity and compels the reader to want to know more. Consider using a question or statement that speaks to the benefits and value. For example, “Want to Stay on the Cutting Edge of [Industry News or Topic]?” or “Get Actionable Insights to Help Your Business Grow”.

Keep the Form Short

The sign-up form should be as short and simple as possible. Only ask for essential information like name and email address. The less information required, the more likely visitors are to complete the sign-up process. Additional details can always be gathered from subscribers later on if needed.

Offer a Free Incentive (Optional)

Consider offering something of value for free in exchange for signing up, such as an ebook, tool, resource or gift. This gives visitors an immediate benefit and more motivation to subscribe. However, a free incentive is not always required if you have clearly articulated the value of your newsletter.

Use an Attention-Grabbing Call to Action Button

Place a prominent call to action button at the top and bottom of the page so visitors cannot miss the opportunity to sign up. Use action-oriented text on the button like “Subscribe Now”, “Sign Up Free” or “Get on the List”. The button should stand out with a contrasting color to immediately capture attention.

Double Check for Mobile-Friendliness

With many visitors accessing content on mobile devices today, your landing page must display well on smaller screens. Ensure buttons, form fields and text are large enough to tap or read easily. Keep the overall design clean and avoid clutter that can appear squished on mobile. A mobile-friendly landing page will convert more subscribers.

A/B Test Your Landing Page

A/B testing your landing page allows you to optimize conversions by experimenting with different elements on your page. You can test things like headlines, images, button text, and more to see what resonates most with your audience.

To A/B test your landing page:

Choose two page variations to test

Come up with two different versions of your landing page to compare. For example, you might test a version with a long form headline versus a short, punchy headline. Or test a landing page with a product image on the left versus one with the image on the right. The options are endless!

Direct 50% of your traffic to each variation

Once you have your two page variations set up, you'll want to split your website traffic evenly between them. Most landing page builders and email marketing services offer built-in A/B testing tools that will automatically direct 50% of traffic to each variation.

Analyze the results and optimize

After running the test for a few days or weeks and collecting data from a sufficient sample size, check to see which variation performed better based on your key metrics like email signups, purchases or time on page. The version with the higher conversion rate is your winner! You can then optimize your landing page by making the winning variation your primary page.

Continuously improve your page

A/B testing your landing page is an iterative process. Even after finding a winning variation, continue testing new versions to try and improve your results. Aim for at least one A/B test per month to keep optimizing your landing page and increase your conversions over time. With regular testing and optimization, you'll build a high-converting landing page that resonates with your target audience.

In summary, A/B testing allows you to make data-driven decisions about your landing page to maximize its effectiveness. By experimenting with different page elements and continuously working to improve your page over time, you'll create an optimized landing page that drives more signups, sales, and success for your business.

Create Your Best Newsletter Landing Pages in Minutes With Unicorn Platform

Unicorn Platform offers an intuitive drag and drop builder to help you create high-converting newsletter landing pages in minutes. By following a few simple steps, you can build mobile-responsive landing pages that capture new subscribers and engage your audience.

To get started, select a template that matches your brand esthetic. Unicorn Platform offers both minimal and bold designs to choose from. Customize the template by adding your logo, brand colors, and font. Edit the copy to speak to your target audience and include a strong call-to-action, such as “Subscribe Now.”

Add eye-catching images and videos

Including visual media on your landing page helps to capture interest and strengthen your message. Upload images that are relevant to your newsletter topic or brand. You can also embed videos from sources like YouTube or Vimeo to help explain your newsletter’s value proposition.

Include social proof and testimonials

Build trust and credibility by showing evidence that others have subscribed and benefited from your newsletter. Add stats on your current number of subscribers, social shares, or open rates. You can also include testimonials from current readers discussing how your newsletter has helped or inspired them.

Offer an incentive for subscribers

Give visitors an extra reason to subscribe by offering a lead magnet, such as a free resource, discount, or entry into a contest. For example, you can offer a free ebook, cheat sheet, or exclusive access to a webinar. This incentive, combined with an effective call-to-action, will convert more visitors into subscribers.

Preview and publish your landing page

Once you have customized the content and layout, preview how your landing page will appear on desktop and mobile devices. Make any final edits needed and then publish your page. You can start driving traffic to your new landing page through social media, email marketing, and search engine optimization.

With an attractive design, compelling content, and strong incentives, the landing pages you create with Unicorn Platform will turn website visitors into loyal newsletter subscribers. Start building your best landing pages today to grow your email list and better engage your audience.

Conclusion

As you've seen, Unicorn Platform provides a simple yet powerful solution for creating high-converting landing pages to grow your newsletter. With an intuitive drag and drop builder, pre-made templates, and integrations with your favorite email marketing and analytics tools, you'll be up and running in no time. Focus on your content and brand message while Unicorn Platform handles the design and technical aspects. Your readers will appreciate the seamless experience, and you'll appreciate the boost in subscribers and engagement. If you're ready to take your newsletter to the next level, start your free 14-day trial of Unicorn Platform today. The tools are here - now go build your best landing pages.

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