As an entrepreneur preparing to launch a new product or service, building anticipation and buzz is key. One of the best ways to start generating excitement about your upcoming offering is with an eye-catching ‘coming soon’ webpage. A well-designed landing page lets potential customers know you have something new on the way and gives them a chance to sign up to be the first to try it or find out more details. If you're looking for an easy way to create a stylish coming soon page to capture emails and build your launch list, here are five tips to design your own. With a few simple steps, you can have a custom landing page up and running in no time and start building momentum for your big release.
For more information on building landing pages, check out our article on A Beginner's Guide to Building a Podcast Landing Page which provides useful tips for designing an effective landing page.
Tips To Design Your Own 'Coming Soon' Webpage
To design an effective 'coming soon' landing page, here are some tips to keep in mind:
First, choose an eye-catching image to feature prominently on your page. This could be a photo of your product or team, graphics related to your business, or a stock image that conveys your brand message. An image is key to making a good first impression.
Second, include a brief, compelling headline or tagline that tells visitors what they can expect from your website or product. For example, “Mobile apps to simplify your life. Coming soon.” Keep it short, straightforward, and intriguing.
Next, provide a clear description or overview of what your business offers or the problem your product solves. Don’t give away all the details, but give people a sense of what’s to come. You might say something like, “We’re developing a SaaS platform to streamline project management for fast-growing companies.”
Then, encourage visitors to sign up for your mailing list or follow you on social media so they’ll be the first to know when you launch. Offer an incentive like a discount or promotional coupon to those who sign up early.
Finally, include links to your social media profiles or a contact form so people can reach out with any questions. And be sure to actually follow up and engage with those who express interest!
An effective ‘coming soon’ page is a key part of your pre-launch marketing strategy. By implementing these tips, you’ll build anticipation for your new website, product or business and start establishing a connection with your target audience right away. With some planning and creativity, you can design an eye-catching landing page to capture interest and generate buzz before you even launch.
Choose an Eye-Catching Background Image
When designing your own 'coming soon' webpage, one of the most important elements is choosing an eye-catching background image. An impactful graphic can create excitement for your new website or product and give visitors a preview of what’s to come.
Select an image that is relevant to your business or industry. For example, a travel company could use a scenic landscape photo, while a software startup may opt for a futuristic tech image. Ensure the photo is high quality, conveys the right mood, and has a complementary color scheme to your brand.
Keep your text minimal and place it strategically over the image. A brief headline, subheading and call-to-action button are all you need. The text should be large, clear and easy to read, using a simple sans-serif font. White text over a dark image or vice versa often works well.
For mobile-friendly ‘coming soon’ pages, choose an image that will also look great on small screens. A close-up shot or pattern may be better than a sprawling landscape. Check that any text overlays are still readable when the image is scaled down.
An effective background photo, combined with concise text and an email signup form, creates an enticing ‘coming soon’ page that builds anticipation and captures visitor emails. With some experimenting in your page builder, you’ll be designing eye-catching ‘coming soon’ pages in no time.
Include a Striking Header
A striking header image is one of the most important elements of an effective ‘coming soon’ landing page. It should capture the visitor’s attention and convey the essence of your product or service. Consider using:
An eye-catching visual
Choose an image that is bold, bright, and esthetically pleasing. For example, a close-up product photo, abstract texture, or lifestyle image. The visual should hint at what the visitor can expect from your offering without giving too much away. A dramatic or subtly futuristic photo can build excitement for an upcoming launch.
Clear branding
Include your company or product logo prominently in the header. This helps to build brand recognition and gives a professional appearance. The logo should link to your company website or social media profiles. Consistent branding across all of your digital platforms establishes your credibility and authority.
A tagline
A short, catchy phrase that captures the spirit or mission of your company. For example, “We make the complex simple” or “Innovating the future of education.” The tagline reinforces your brand message and sticks in the visitor’s mind.
A countdown timer
Building in a countdown timer, displaying the number of days until your launch, creates a sense of urgency and scarcity. Visitors can check back to see the timer winding down, building anticipation for your upcoming product or service release. Be sure to launch on the date specified - failing to do so can damage your credibility.
An impactful header with these elements gives visitors an exciting preview of what you have in store. Combining visuals, branding, messaging, and a countdown builds hype and encourages visitors to return for your big reveal. With an enticing first impression, you’ll have visitors eagerly awaiting the chance to experience your new offering.
Add a Brief Description About Your Product or Service
To design an effective ‘coming soon’ webpage, you need to provide visitors with key details about your new product or service to build interest and excitement. Describe what problem your offering solves or what benefits it provides. Keep this high-level without giving away any proprietary details.
For example:
Our mobile app provides busy professionals an easy way to network on-the-go. By facilitating intelligent introductions, users can make new connections that lead to mentorship, job opportunities, and collaborations.
Or:
We’ve created an innovative project management platform with powerful features for streamlining teamwork and boosting productivity. Our tool gives managers real-time visibility and control over budgets, resources, and schedules so you can deliver projects on time and under budget.
A few sentences are sufficient to pique visitors’ curiosity without overwhelming them with too many details. Be sure to speak to the key advantages and solutions your product or service enables. Focus on how you can empower your target customers and make their lives easier or better in some way.
Include Visuals
An image, like a product screenshot or mockup, helps visitors visualize what you’re building and gives them a preview of what’s to come. You might also add icons representing your product’s main features or benefits. These visual elements make the page more engaging and scannable.
Using a ‘coming soon’ webpage is an opportunity to start building brand awareness and an audience for your new offering. With a brief yet compelling product description and eye-catching visuals, you’ll have visitors eagerly awaiting your launch date. Provide a call-to-action like an email signup form so you can notify users as soon as your product becomes available. A ‘coming soon’ page is a valuable first touchpoint to connect with your target customers and validate demand.
Include a Countdown Timer to Build Anticipation
A 'coming soon' webpage is a great way to start building excitement for your new website or product launch. One of the most effective elements you can include on your 'coming soon' page is a countdown timer. This builds anticipation by visually displaying how much time is left until your big reveal.
To add a countdown timer to your 'coming soon' page, follow these steps:
- Choose a countdown goal date and time. This should be the exact date and time you plan to launch your new website or product.
- Find a free countdown timer widget or plugin. Many website builders like Unicorn Platform offer countdown timer widgets that are easy to customize and embed on your page. Some popular timer options are Countdown Timer for WordPress, WP Countdown Timer, and Final Countdown Timer.
- Customize the look and feel of your countdown timer. Select a size, color scheme, and layout that matches your 'coming soon' page design. You can also add your logo and choose how you want the countdown text and numbers to appear.
- Set the end date and time for your countdown timer. Enter the goal launch date and time you chose in Step 1. The timer will automatically calculate the number of days, hours, minutes and seconds remaining until your launch.
- Embed your countdown timer on your 'coming soon' page. Follow the instructions from the timer widget or plugin you chose to add it to your page. Place the timer prominently at the top of your page where visitors will see it right away.
- Drive traffic to your 'coming soon' page. Build hype by promoting your page on social media, email newsletters, blog posts, and search engine optimization. The more people that visit your page and see the countdown timer, the more excitement you'll generate for your upcoming launch.
- Launch on time! Make sure everything is ready to go live at the exact moment your countdown timer reaches zero. Your visitors and followers will be eagerly waiting to experience what you've built up to reveal.
A countdown timer is a simple yet powerful way to make a memorable 'coming soon' page and boost anticipation for what you're building behind the scenes. Follow these tips to create your own countdown and coming soon page that captivates your audience.
Provide Options for People to Sign Up for Updates
To build anticipation for your new website or product launch, creating a ‘coming soon’ landing page is a great way to start building your email list and keep visitors engaged. Here are some tips to design an effective coming soon page:
Provide Options for People to Sign Up for Updates
Once you have a launch date set for your new website or product, be sure to include that information prominently on your coming soon page. Give visitors the option to sign up to receive updates on your launch to stay in the loop. You might say something like:
“Enter your email below to be the first to know when we launch!”
Offering visitors the opportunity to sign up for updates is a great way to start building your email list. Collecting emails from people who have expressed interest in your product or service so you can notify them as soon as you launch is invaluable.
You might also consider offering a special discount, coupon code or other incentive for signing up to receive updates. This encourages more people to subscribe to your email list in exchange for a reward once you officially launch. For example:
“Sign up below to be notified as soon as we launch and receive 25% off your first purchase!”
Include Social Media Links
To further engage visitors and build buzz around your upcoming launch, include links to your social media profiles on your coming soon page. This allows people to connect with you on their platform of choice to receive the latest updates and announcements. Be sure to frequently post updates across your social media channels regarding your progress and launch date. Engage with anyone who comments or messages you to build excitement.
Use Visuals to Make an Impact
A coming soon page with just text may seem boring or untrustworthy to visitors. Include high-quality visuals like professional product photos, graphics, logos or images of your team to bring your page to life. Visuals help to make a great first impression and get people excited about what you have to offer.
With an effective coming soon page that offers visitors options to sign up for updates, links to your social media and high-quality visuals, you’ll build anticipation and stay connected with interested people until you’re ready to launch.
Keep Your Page Simple and Avoid Clutter
To design an effective ‘coming soon’ webpage, keep the layout clean and minimal. A simple, uncluttered design will convey a professional image for your new website or product launch.
Less is More
Remove any unnecessary elements that could distract from your key message. Focus on a single call-to-action like an email signup form. Keep text brief and impactful. Use plenty of white space to give the page a sleek, uncrowded feel.
Choose a Simple Color Palette
Limit yourself to 2-3 complementary colors to create harmony. For a ‘coming soon’ page, consider shades of black, gray and white which give a stylish, modern look. Add subtle accent colors sparingly for important elements like your company logo or call-to-action buttons.
Use High Quality Visuals (Optional)
If including graphics, opt for a single, high-impact image like a product photo or team headshot. For the background, consider an abstract pattern, geometric shapes or a blurry image. Ensure any visuals load quickly and appear crisp on all devices. Keep the page lightweight since the main focus should be on your message.
Countdown Timer (Optional)
A countdown timer is an easy way to build excitement and a sense of urgency for your launch. Look for a minimal, unobtrusive timer design that suits your brand style. Place it prominently at the top of your page so visitors immediately see the time remaining.
Drive Traffic with SEO
Use keywords in your page title, headings and content to help people find your ‘coming soon’ page. For example, include your company or product name, ‘coming soon’, ‘launching’ and related terms. Keep your page active by updating the countdown timer and content regularly leading up to your big reveal.
A clean, minimal ‘coming soon’ page with a clear message will make a strong first impression on visitors and build anticipation for your new website or product launch. Keep things simple for the best results.
Ensure Your Page Is Responsive for Mobile Viewing
To ensure your “Coming Soon” page is optimized for mobile viewers, follow these best practices:
Use a Responsive Design
A responsive design automatically adjusts to fit the screen size of any device. Use a drag and drop website builder that offers responsive templates to make a mobile-friendly “Coming Soon” page without coding. Select a template that looks good on both desktop and mobile.
Large Text and Buttons
On mobile devices, fingers are larger than mouse pointers. Make text, buttons, and links large enough to tap easily. A good rule of thumb is that buttons and links should be at least 44 x 44 pixels in size. Use a simple, clean font that is legible when enlarged.
Minimize Scrolling
Mobile viewers prefer not to scroll excessively. Keep the length of your page concise by including only essential information. Use collapsible sections that can be expanded for those wanting more details. Place the most important information at the top of the page where it can be seen immediately without scrolling.
Include Social Media Links
Include links to your social media profiles so visitors can connect with you on their platform of choice. Use social media icons that are placed prominently near the top of the page. Link each icon directly to your social media profile or account.
Test the Experience
Preview how your “Coming Soon” page will appear on a variety of mobile devices. Resize your browser window to simulate different screen sizes. Tap through the page with your finger to ensure all links and buttons are easy to activate. Make any necessary adjustments before launching your page.
With some simple techniques, you can create an effective “Coming Soon” page that provides an optimal viewing experience for all of your visitors, regardless of the device they are using. Crafting a responsive design, using large text and buttons, minimizing scrolling, including social media links, and testing the mobile experience are all best practices to keep in mind.
Include Strong and Consistent Branding
To design an effective ‘coming soon’ webpage, it’s important to establish a consistent brand identity. Your brand is what differentiates you from competitors and builds trust with your audience.
Include Logos and Brand Colors
Include your company’s logo prominently on the page. This helps to instantly identify your brand and build familiarity with your audience. Also, use your brand’s main colors, including secondary and accent colors, throughout the page. The colors, fonts, and overall style should match your brand’s visual identity.
Choose a Simple, Clean Layout
For a ‘coming soon’ page, a minimal design is best. Remove any unnecessary elements and keep only the essential information. Use plenty of white space to make the page easy to navigate. The page should load quickly and work well on all devices. Keep your message concise and clear.
Build Anticipation with Visuals and Copy
Add visual elements to bring excitement for your upcoming launch. You might include a countdown timer, illustrations, photos of your product or service, or gifs. In your page copy, build anticipation by hinting at new features or announcements coming soon. Thank your visitors for their patience and encourage them to sign up to your mailing list to get updates.
Drive Traffic with SEO
Optimize your ‘coming soon’ page for search engines to increase traffic. Include key terms related to your business and offering in the page title, headings, and content. This will help your page rank higher in search results. Also, make sure your page loads quickly and is mobile-friendly, as these are ranking factors for Google.
Gather Email Signups
The primary goal of your ‘coming soon’ page is to capture email addresses from interested visitors. Include an email signup form above the fold on your page so visitors see it immediately. Offer an incentive, like a discount or exclusive preview, in exchange for signing up. Gathering emails will allow you to build buzz and notify subscribers the moment your new offering is launched.
How to Build 'Coming Soon' Webpage With Unicorn Platform
To build an effective ‘coming soon’ webpage with the Unicorn Platform, follow these steps:
Choose a template. Select from the variety of ‘coming soon’ templates offered in the Unicorn template library. These templates provide an esthetically pleasing layout and design so you can focus on customizing the content.
Add a header. Include the name of your business or website in the header. You may also want to incorporate your business logo for brand consistency. Keep the header simple but eye-catching.
Write an introductory message. Draft a short introductory paragraph that lets visitors know your website is under construction but will be launching shortly. Thank them for their patience and interest.
Include an email sign-up form. Add a form where visitors can enter their email address to subscribe to receive updates about your launch. This allows you to build your mailing list and stay in touch with interested users.
Set a launch date. If known, specify the anticipated launch date for your website. This gives visitors an idea of when they can expect the full site to go live. Be sure to update this date if it changes.
Add social media links. Include links to your social media profiles like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn so visitors can connect with and follow your brand on other channels.
Keep content minimal. Resist the urge to populate the page with too much text or media. The purpose of a ‘coming soon’ page is to be minimal while directing visitors to subscribe or follow you on social media. Too much content can distract from this goal.
Test and preview. Preview how the ‘coming soon’ page will appear to visitors. Check for any issues with layout, formatting, or messaging. Make any necessary changes before publishing the page.
Publish and promote. Make your ‘coming soon’ page live and start promoting it on your social media channels. Drive traffic to the page so visitors can subscribe to your email list in anticipation of your full website launch.
Conclusion
You have the power to create an engaging and effective 'coming soon' landing page for your new business or product launch. By following these tips, you can design an eye-catching page to start building your email list and generating buzz. Keep the messaging clear and concise, choose visuals that match your brand, include social media links, and offer an incentive for visitors to sign up. With some time and creativity, you'll have a custom landing page that makes a great first impression on future customers and has them eagerly awaiting your official launch. The key is to not overthink the process - start simple and build from there. You've got this! Now go design your landing page and start spreading the word about your new venture. The future is yours to shape.
