The structure that works
Headline (the outcome, in user's words). Subhead (who it's for, when it helps). One visual (sketch is fine). Three benefits (not features). One social proof line. One CTA. That's it. No nav, no footer, no scroll.
Write the headline last
Most landing pages fail at the headline because founders write 'product features' instead of 'user outcomes'. Write the page, then go back and rewrite the headline to be the single sentence a happy customer would say.
Show, don't tell
An 8-second GIF of the product working beats 500 words of marketing copy. No product yet? Sketch the three core screens in Figma and export as an animated mockup — perfectly fine for validation.
The CTA should ask for commitment
'Join the waitlist' converts well but lies — most won't pay. 'Pre-order at 50% off' tells the truth. The number you care about is buyers, not email addresses. Optimise for the real metric.
The one thing to track
Time on page + scroll depth + CTA click rate. If people read but don't click, the offer is weak. If they don't read, the headline is wrong. The funnel tells you exactly which to fix.