Create a landing page in WordPress.

The Complete Guide to Creating a Landing Page in WordPress

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Need to create a landing page for your next offer but not sure where to start? Or maybe you’re tired of paying monthly fees for a landing page builder? (Gosh, why is everything a subscription nowadays!)

You might have heard that you need special landing page software, but the truth is, you can build highly effective landing pages right in WordPress—using tools you already have.

A laptop displaying a landing page.

Landing Pages vs Websites: When to Use Each

Before we get into how to create your landing page, let’s make sure you’re choosing the right approach for your goals. While both websites and landing pages live online, they serve different purposes in your marketing strategy.

When You Need a Landing Page

A landing page has one job: to convert visitors into leads or customers. You might want a landing page when you’re:

  • Launching a new product or service
  • Growing your email list with a free resource
  • Running a specific promotion or campaign
  • Testing a new offer before a full launch

The beauty of landing pages is their singular focus—everything on the page guides visitors toward taking one specific action, whether that’s signing up for your email list or purchasing your latest offer.

When to Build a Full Website Instead

In contrast, your website acts as your digital home base. It’s better suited when you need to:

  • Share your full brand story and services
  • Showcase a portfolio of work
  • Host a blog or resource library
  • Provide detailed information about your business

Planning Your High-Converting Landing Page

The success of your landing page starts way before you open WordPress. First, you need two key elements: a compelling lead magnet and clear calls to action.

A computer and tablet display a presentation titled "Grow Your Business with Lead Magnets," featuring slides on how to create a landing page using WordPress, alongside strategies for effective lead magnets and upsell offers.

Creating or Choosing Your Lead Magnet

Your lead magnet—the free resource you offer in exchange for an email address—needs to solve a specific problem for your ideal audience. If you’re stuck on what to create or how to make it convert, I highly recommend checking out Faith Lee’s “Grow Your Business with Lead Magnets” course. Faith breaks down exactly how to create lead magnets that actually grow your business (she grew her own to 6 figures with fewer than 5,000 subscribers!)

Writing Strong CTAs

The difference between a landing page that works and one that flops often comes down to your calls-to-action (CTAs). You need to make it crystal clear what action you want visitors to take—and why they should take it.

One of my business mentors Sage Grayson has a fantastic free workshop called “Never Leave ’em Hanging” where she shares how to write CTAs that guide your audience to take action. She’ll show you how to avoid the common mistakes that leave your visitors confused or clicking away.

woman pointing at attract convert retain infographic

Building Your Landing Page with WordPress

Here’s the good news: if you’re using WordPress, you already have everything you need to create an effective landing page! You don’t need expensive landing page builders or separate software. (Time to let out a big sigh of tech relief!!)

Getting Started with Kadence

Still working on your first WordPress site? My #1 recommendation is to use the free Kadence theme.

Not sure how to set it up? My free 30-Day WordPress Website Challenge walks you through getting WordPress and Kadence configured properly… and a whole lot more!

Setting Up Your Page Structure

The key to a converting landing page is a clean, focused layout. Yolande from FeatheredVine Studio created an amazing resource called “Landing Pages Made Easy” that includes Kadence-specific templates and tutorials. Her step-by-step approach takes the guesswork out of structuring your landing page for maximum impact.

A tablet and smartphone showcase a WordPress landing page layout, featuring a captivating headline, an image of a person using a laptop, and an email subscription form.

Making Your Design Convert

A well-designed landing page draws visitors in and guides them toward action. If you’re using Kadence (which I recommend!), check out Restored316‘s stunning landing page templates.

They’ve created complete sales funnels you can set up in WordPress in a jiffy. Their designs aren’t just beautiful—they’re strategically crafted to turn visitors into subscribers and customers.

Optimizing for Conversions

But even the most beautiful design needs solid strategy behind it. That’s why you need the Landing Page Toolkit from Can Do Content. Nadine shares the exact framework behind landing pages that convert at up to 85%—way above the typical 10% conversion rate. She’ll show you how to position your offer so visitors can’t help but say ‘yes’.

The Landing Page Toolkit" ad features a woman on a laptop screen, highlighting a workbook and strategies to create an effective landing page using WordPress. Enhance your freebie offers with expert insights and tools tailored for standout online presence.

Two Key Factors That Affect Your Conversion Rate:

Above-the-Fold Optimization

What visitors see in those first few seconds matters more than you might think. Keep your headline, key benefits, and signup form visible before they need to scroll. This isn’t just about fitting everything in—it’s about making your offer so clear and compelling that they want to keep reading.

Email Marketing Integration

The whole point of your landing page is capturing leads, so you need a reliable way to deliver your lead magnet. I use and recommend MailerLite—their free plan includes landing pages, automation, and everything you need to create an effective welcome sequence.

Speaking of welcome sequences… Faith’s course breaks down exactly what emails to include and when to send them to nurture new subscribers into loyal fans. (I’m such a superfan of Faith from Faith’s Biz Academy, and I open every single one of her emails!)

Don’t forget about privacy requirements when collecting email addresses! Your landing page needs a privacy policy and cookie notice to stay compliant with privacy laws like GDPR. If you’re on my gold or platinum WordPress care plan, you should already have your automatically-updating legal policies in place. If not, check out Termageddon—they keep your policies current as laws change.

Using Elementor? Here Are Some Extra Options

While I recommend Kadence for its simplicity and speed, you might already be using Elementor on your WordPress site. If so, BluChic and Davey & Krista both offer beautiful landing page templates designed specifically for Elementor:

A responsive website design is displayed on laptop and smartphone screens, showcasing content about business growth courses. The site features vibrant images of flowers and desserts. Crafted with WordPress, it offers a dynamic platform for those looking to create a captivating landing page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Need Help With Your Landing Page?

If you’re feeling stuck or want to make sure your landing page is set up for success, let’s chat. I can help you implement everything we covered here and make sure your landing page is working hard for your business. Send me a message and we’ll get started!

A woman creating a landing page on her laptop at home.

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