What Goes On An Opt-In Page: Funnels 101
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Last week I walked you through what a funnel actually is and why it matters.
→ See last week’s blog post, Funnels 101
Today we’re zooming all the way up to the tippy top of that funnel and talking about opt-in pages.
I’ve gotten a marketing degree, done corporate sales, and now been in sales copywriting for long enough that I’ve touched thousands of funnels. From Fortune 100 companies to my own six-figure business to the funnels I build for clients today, the structure is surprisingly similar: Attract, Educate, Sell.
So let’s talk about opt-in pages and how to ensure they’re educating your middle-of-funnel audience.
What an Opt-In Page Is For
An opt-in page is a simple page on your website designed to get someone to opt-in to your email list, usually in exchange for a significant bit of value in return.
If you want to swipe some of my favorite opt-in pages,
Your opt-in page is meant to move someone from problem unaware to problem aware, enough so that they know they can trust you to solve their problem.
Whatever you’re offering on that page should solve the first step of a much bigger problem. The opt-in opens the door and allows you to move them through your funnel.
That opt-in might be a PDF, a checklist, a workbook, a webinar, a workshop, or even a challenge. Challenges are quietly making a comeback, by the way. The format matters less than the purpose. Education first, depth later.
The Non-Negotiable Part of an Opt-In Page
Every opt-in page needs a strong above-the-fold section.
If you’ve been in my world for more than five minutes, you already know this, but I’ll say it again because it matters. Above the fold needs to do three things:
Tell people what it is
Tell people why they should want i
Tell people how to get it
That “how to get it” is your call-to-action button, and yes, it needs to be visually obvious. The button should clearly communicate what happens next.
Identity-based CTAs work beautifully here because people want to be someone who’s solved the problem, not just take another action.
And honestly, you could stop writing your opt-in page there. People opt ins from footers and popups all the time, so we know that short pages work.
However, sometimes, your opt-in page might have a bit more ‘splainin to do.
Important: Add A Form
Your opt-in page gets people onto your email list, which means you NEED to have an opt-in form. The form should be above the fold, right above your first call to action.
At minimum, I recommend asking first name and email address. I typically refrain from asking for a phone number as most of my clients don’t need their followers’ phone numbers, so only add what you need to know to get them onto your list.
Every extra field adds friction. Unless you have a very specific reason to ask for more, don’t. The goal is to make opting in the easiest thing they do all day.
When To Add Sections To Your Opt-In Page
Here’s where nuance comes in.
Your audience for your opt-in page could come from anywhere – and depending on where they came from, you might need to give them a little bit more information.
Adding An ‘About Me’
If they came from an ad, a list swap, or another cold source, they may not know you yet. In that case, it helps to include a short authority section below the fold. This section should be just long enough to answer, “Why should I listen to you?”.
That might look like highlighting results, experience, or a clear insight you’ve earned through repetition. Something that builds credibility and then brings them right back to the opt-in.
Adding A ‘You Will Learn’
If you’re running a webinar, workshop, or challenge, you may also want a short section outlining what they’ll learn. A few bullets with outcomes are a great place to start, and these can often be communicated in 100 words or less.
Remember not to oversell. Your job on the opt-in page is to earn permission to continue the conversation.
Your Opt-In Page Is The Front Door To Your Funnel
You want eyeballs here, and you want conversions. That means tracking how this page performs and making sure people aren’t falling out before they ever get into your ecosystem.
Now Go Write Your Opt-In Page!
I’ve built tools and templates to make this easier because I know how easy it is to overthink. I have an opt-in copy bot that will write this page for you in minutes, and I also have templates for different opt-in types, downloads, webinars, and challenges.
Next week, we’re talking about thank you pages, which might be the most underrated piece of copy in your entire funnel. Done right, they can become one of your best salespeople.
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