Content & Conversion · 2025
Content-first landing pages
The most modern thing you can do is explain yourself clearly.
Figma made it possible to design landing pages at ridiculous speed. The downside: it’s easy to ship something that looks polished but says almost nothing. Content-first landing pages reverse the process. Instead of designing around cards and grids, you design around story, objections, proof, and clarity. Only then do you decide how it should look.
Why content-before-layout wins
Users don’t care about your layout; they care about whether you understand their problem. When you start with content, your page reads like a conversation instead of a collage of blocks. The design becomes a support structure for the narrative, not a distraction from it.
- You avoid generic hero statements and focus on real pains and outcomes.
- CTAs become clearer because the narrative naturally leads to them.
- It’s easier to test and iterate when the copy is modular and intentional.
- You stop cramming content into components that weren’t designed for it.
Structuring the story
Most effective landing pages follow a similar backbone: promise, proof, explanation, reassurance. The details vary, but the logic doesn’t. Once you understand that spine, you can design around it instead of reinventing the wheel.
- Open with a sharp promise that names the user and their desired outcome.
- Follow quickly with proof: logos, numbers, or specific wins.
- Explain how it works with just enough detail to feel credible.
- Handle objections: time, cost, integration, risk, and effort.
- Close with a clear, low-friction next step.
Designing for readability
Content-first doesn’t mean visually boring. It means the design is optimized for reading. That means line length, font size, contrast, spacing, and section breaks matter more than ornamental details.
- Use a comfortable reading width (around 60–75 characters) for body copy.
- Use generous line-height and spacing so the page feels approachable.
- Break long sections with subheadings, key lines, and emphasis.
- Use color and icons sparingly to highlight key proof or moments.
Conversion without dark patterns
Modern audiences are allergic to manipulative UX. Content-first design gives you a better path: earn attention by being specific and honest. You can still be persuasive—just with respect.
- Use transparent pricing frames wherever possible.
- Explain what happens after clicking a CTA (‘No spam, just one email with…’).
- Let users self-qualify instead of forcing them into complex funnels.
- Make exit paths clear; confidence is more persuasive than desperation.
Implementation workflow
The practical shift is simple: change the order of operations. Before a single frame in Figma, write the page in a document. Once the structure and copy hold up on their own, then design. Your dev process becomes cleaner because the content isn’t constantly changing under the layout.
- Start with a text document outlining sections and key messages.
- Only then translate it into a layout, preserving hierarchy and flow.
- Design components that match real content instead of placeholders.
- Document messaging decisions so future pages stay consistent.
When this trend is worth exploring
It's usually a good fit if at least one of these feels true for your brand:
- Your current landing pages look good but convert poorly.
- Stakeholders often ask for ‘more design’ when the issue is unclear copy.
- You struggle to describe what you do in one screen.
- Marketing, product, and design aren’t aligned on the story.
- You want a repeatable approach for new pages instead of one-off miracles.
Want to apply this to your site?
We can adapt this pattern to your brand, content, and tech stack—without tanking performance or accessibility.