Landing pages are a part of a website that offers visitors relevant information about the product or service they are interested in, as well as branded resources, such as whitepapers, ebooks, and downloadable webinars. And perhaps more importantly, a landing page gives companies a chance to gain new information about potential customers, which can happen through form-fills.
However, creating a landing page might not be that easy for everyone, and pose challenges for the less tech-savvy users. Similarly, sometimes you just don’t have the time or don’t want to create landing pages from scratch.
When this is the case, you’ll need a landing page builder.
This article explains all you need to know about landing page builders, including what to look for when finding one and some examples of exceptional builders available.
What does a landing page builder do?
Landing page builders are software tools that help with the creating of and building of landing pages. Typically, they give marketers a chance to build the ideal page they desire without mountains of coding know-how required.
Most landing page builders make it simple to customize pages and create from pre-constructed templates that fit most teams’ needs.
Why use a landing page builder
The main reason marketers use a landing page builder is to simplify their processes of creating new website pages, but that only scratches the surface of its importance. These tools also help manage leads through the lead funnel, while giving valuable, data-driven feedback to marketers about performance.
A page-builder bridges the gap between marketing teams and website page creation, overhauling the traditional process of page-building in favor of a comprehensive, tech-simple solution that offers essential integrations.
Questions to ask when looking for a landing page builder
What types of things do you need to be aware of when looking for the right system to implement? Here are some of the most helpful questions to ask.
How well does the tool create landing pages that are mobile accessible? Remember when you’re selecting a builder that you’ll have all types of visitors on many different devices. Make sure all the options within the tool are optimized for all devices.
How many pre-loaded templates are in the tool? Are there enough variety, and do the options satisfy the types of pages you’re looking to build?
How well does the builder complement your team’s technological abilities? There’s a thin line between overly technical tools and inefficient ones. Gauge how easy it will be for your team to implement the builder and use all its functions seamlessly before you buy it. This includes things like whether or not the builder requires immense coding know-how.
How compliant is the tool with your company’s AI regulations? Many landing page builders are aided by artificial intelligence. Chances are your company has rules in place concerning the use of AI, so make sure the builder you select adheres to these restrictions.
Does the landing page builder offer comprehensive analytics? The most frustrating thing a marketer can deal with is being behind the eight ball when it comes to efficacy. A builder should be able to inform your team how well a page is performing, or at the very least be capable of syncing easily with other analytics tools.
An honorable mention question you may need to ask depending on your team’s budget is about the price. Many of these tools have a free trial option, but after that, you’ll have to select a package that fits your pricing needs.
Are there free landing page builders available?
Like most things, with landing page builders, you generally get what you pay for. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t get by with basic features if it better suits your needs to do so. So we’ve compiled some of the best free landing page builders around and reviewed them.
1. SITE123
Though SITE123 offers a premium plan, it does have a free option which we like in terms of how much bandwidth it offers, as well as how nice the tool functions.
Like the name might suggest, SITE123 might be the easiest landing page builder around. They’ve taken the simplicity of drag and drop builders and supercharged it, taking the reins on the design so your marketing team can concentrate on key factors such as included signup forms, downloadable assets, and content.
The premium version of SITE123 is somewhat disappointing, in that the difference between it and the free version is hardly noticeable.
2. Google Sites
Google has become a trusted alternative for all sorts of digital tools. Docs is competitive with MS Word, Sheets with Excel, and Gmail has stayed atop the world of email options. With Sites, Google has given teams a chance to use their Workspace account for another important task: creating landing pages.
And if you have a Google account, Sites is free to use. Sites lets you create pages easily using (albeit limited options here) templates and design options.
We like Google Sites so much for the reason it allows for crucial integrations with other Google tools your team may already be using, such as Analytics.
3. Wix
If you’ve been around the website-building business a while, chances are you’ve heard of Wix. While they do offer a Premium option, the Free option is a reasonable alternative. And like other builders, Wix makes things easy when it comes to building an out-of-the-box page.
Wix is one of our favorites due to its ingenuity and game-changing features. For example, even though it offers a wide library of templates and themes to choose from, it also allows users to create webpages by answering a few narrowing questions. Once the tool has a few basic responses, it can create a well-designed landing page that suits your needs.
As you can see, there’s no shortage of free-to-use options. However, if you’re looking for something with more features, options, and bandwidth, you’ll need a paid service.
3 paid landing page builders you can use
Each team has different needs, so we’ve come up with a list of three landing page builders that have a little bit of something for everyone.
1. Heyflow
Heyflow is the most comprehensive landing page and flow builder on the market. It allows you to build interactive landing pages without any coding and customize them down to every pixel. Whether it’s your own brand you want to match perfectly, or your client’s – with Heyflow you can adjust anything from background colors to fonts and padding, and even add your own custom code.
2. Duda
Duda is special in that its specialty is narrowly focused on optimization of functionality. It creates website pages that thrive in valuable metrics due to their load times, SEO enhancements, and page stability.
Like many modern page-builders, Duda offers a no-code approach for users, while still allowing for code modifications when necessary. It boasts some of the most visually appealing templates to choose from, all with comprehensive levels of accessibility to different devices.
One drawback though is its limitation in terms of customizability beyond the templates. Users seeking a higher level of design flexibility might find it a bit frustrating e.g. not being able to position text and photos exactly where they want.
3. Ontraport
Ontraport has been holding down the landing page builder fort for almost a decade, and it continues to be one of the most unique, effective, and helpful tools available.
Ontraport boasts that it’s a tool for marketers, and we couldn’t agree more. From its intuitive interface, its drag-and-drop builder, and its helpful CMS integrations, the page-building process is seamless to implement and simple for all different types of marketing teams.
However, some users complain about the limited options in terms of automation, workflows and tracking.
Final thoughts
They say that imagination is the beginning of creation. As marketers, we often get bogged down by processes that stifle, interrupt, or interfere with our imaginative juices. This can stand in the way of creating websites that convert.
However, when you implement a landing page builder, your teams can focus on what really matters. And when this happens, the creativity will shine through in your content.