Let's say you've got your own affiliate web site all planned out. You've got the main promotion page (known in the business as the "Landing Page") nailed. It's looking amazing, with professional graphics, color scheme and "hero shot" (usually a photo of beautiful people enjoying the benefits of the product you're promoting). So you've got the initial hook, but can you seal the deal? Can you get the visitor to open their wallet and buy..........?

Your page content (known as copy) is the single most important element of any landing page. It will make or break your campaign. It you're looking for an edge in this department, read on, I will deliver some fundamentals you will find very useful........

1. Call to Action Must be prominent.

In simple terms this is where you have a whopping great button which says something like:

"Click Here Now"

"Sign Up Now"

"Download Now"

"Search Now"

"Click Here for More Info"

The visitor must know what to do when you have convinced them with your sales message. There should ideally be a call to action above the fold (the fold is the top of the web page, the part which is instantly visible upon the page loading), one somewhere in the middle of your copy, and one near the end. Green is the recommended color. You should also have various links in your text which take the visitor to the same destination.

2. Your Headline must communicate the main offering.

Leave the visitor in NO doubt as to what your page is about. It must be relevant and succinct.

"USA's No.1 website for ringtones"

or

"Want to lose 10lbs in 5 Days?"

Not too much the visitor has to think about there. Don't try to be too clever, just get the main message across.

3. Emphasize the BENEFITS in bullet or list form.

Under the headline you should place the emotional triggers which the visitor will identify with as being the result of buying your offer. Get the benefits across first, then deal with the specifics in the main content. For example, a ringtone site may have the following benefits:

* Over 20000 ringtones

* Latest top 40

* 5 free wallpapers per month with any subscription

4. Keep the main content Relevant and short as possible.

Remember that most people will not slowly read and absorb every last nuance in the main content of your page. They will more likely be quickly skimming to pick up the general idea behind what you are selling. Each paragraph should be no more than 4-5 lines as people will instantly turn off from a great big chunky block of text.

Use bullet points and numbered lists to break things up. At the end, SUMMARIZE. You should be able to concisely explain to them what your site is about. Remember, some people may skim, but will tend to focus more on the end of the copy to re-enforce main idea.

5. Build trust

Have a professional, clean site. You don't want something that looks like it was thrown together by the Russian mafia in 10 mins. Spell check everything. Have links to Privacy Policy, About Us, and Contact Us pages at the bottom of your page. If you have an affiliate site, you really should have these pages as aspects of your site. Add guarantee buttons and security logos to your page. Contact the merchant whose offer you are promoting and see if they have any customer testimonials you could use to help the sale.

If you follow these 5 tips, you will be well on your way to delivering a great landing page.