Why having a long homepage works for Lambda School
Some homepages are short and to the point and some are copy-heavy like Lambda’s. This is why copying and pasting how other tech companies craft their homepages is never a good idea.
Lambda’s homepage needs to be this way because they are turning on its head, an established way of doing things. They have a hand full of questions and objections they need to address upfront or risk losing a significant portion of their prospects. They’ve also not been around very long (opened in 2016) and as such, are still build credibility and a name for themselves.
In this teardown, I’ll walk you through how they go about creating a new narrative around online education and pitching their solution.
A. What a headline. It instantly evokes feelings of self-importance and worthiness. Usually, when paying tuition, you are making the investment (monetary and otherwise) towards your progress. Lambda turns this on its head and although you are also making an investment by committing to the program, they are too which they go on to explain.
B. You immediately understand that Lambda is an online school and what roles they train you for. The best part? You don’t pay till you get hired. That is an incredible value proposition that already sets them apart from the competitive alternatives out there.
C. The CTA stands out, is straight to the point and gives you an idea of what is to come if you click on the button.
A. Your product is a tool/guide etc. The user should always remain the captain of the ship. What does Lambda help users achieve? The opportunity to rewrite their future. I love how they balance out the fact about what they do while also making an emotional appeal.
B. The social proof they’ve selected, all tell the stories of users who have indeed rewritten their futures with the help of Lambda School. This is how you do social proof right. It makes it more authentic that these testimonials are coming from what their users said on Twitter. There’s a name, a face, and a story.
A. Ok, bold. They make a claim that they do remote learning right. You’re instantly thinking, “what does right even look like?”. This then sets the stage for what that looks like which they go on to explain.
B. I love that their images look like actual students. They explain why each value proposition is important and paint the picture of how they are beneficial in helping you achieve your desired outcome of rewriting your future. You can think of these sections as the 4 main benefits of choosing Lambda School.
People scan a lot and rarely read entire paragraphs. They make this easy for the reader by using a heading that captures what they talk about in the subheading. The headline communicates what the benefit is, then the subheading explains how you will achieve this benefit when using their solution.
A. They don’t show their investors because that is not what is relevant to prospective students. Remember the desired outcome of giving students an opportunity to rewrite their future? Rewriting their future means they have access to better opportunities that give them a more secure future.
With this in mind, by using these logos they show the “better opportunities” that are possible because their previous students have done it. Who wouldn’t want an opportunity to work at least one of these companies? They show the range from startups to the big guys, Fortune 100s.
A. This is an important section that addresses the question at the top of every visitor's mind regarding the tuition arrangement. They mention their ISA is industry-leading which is fair, but I’m here thinking how? That aside another claim I’m interested in is how this program is an investment in their students. Luckily, they answer the questions I had in my head.
B. This is where they tackle the how. They set up a comparison immediately with how schools are currently operating and justify how their ISA works as a better alternative by tying it to the promised land of every student — success.
C. What does this agreement really look like? They understand that visitors will have a LOT of objections and make it a point to address this head-on. Objections are obstacles, questions are obstacles. By removing these from the way (by addressing them), you remove doubt from the visitor's mind and make it easier for them to make a decision quickly.
A. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe Lambda’s model of paying your tuition when you get hired is the first of its kind. This means that it’s a lot harder for people who have gone through various educational programs to see how this works out for them. This is why this headline is fantastic as it gives a frame of reference (bootcamps and a 4-year degree) that is familiar to the visitor.
B. They use the copy to call out the downsides of boot camps — no depth and of 4-year programs — too expensive. It is only after this that they present how their solution is a better alternative. This has more impact as you’re able to make a quick mental assessment comparing all 3 options.
It’s important they mention that what you get from their program (ability to build real product & 1200 of coding experience) is based not on what they think is important, but what companies hiring for these roles consider as important.
Because this is what matters to their users.
A. This chart is everything. It makes it easy for the visitor to compare and contrast. Lambda’s value proposition is so evident that they don’t mind being placed side by side with competitive alternatives. This is an important move because they tackle the visitor’s potential question before they even have the chance to ask it. The more questions you answer, the more confident the visitor is in taking the required action.
B. This is incredible validation from someone very well respected in the tech world. He doesn't vaguely talk about how great Lambda is but goes on to describe in what areas the program excels in comparison to others.
A. While learning remotely might sound appealing, if you’ve done it before you know how incredibly difficult it is to stay the course and not get distracted. It can also seem lonely and not as collaborative as learning in person. They understand this and make it a point to address how they manage these concerns. Doing customer interviews helps you uncover the objections/anxieties/questions your prospective users may have so you address it from the onset.
B. It’s good that they give an overview of what each course entails.
A. With this section, you can clearly tell that the greatest objection they get is around tuition. The same way eCommerce stores have return policies to reduce the friction, Lambda has a withdrawal policy that is worth mentioning.
B. This is what I consider an alternative call to action. Remember the buyer’s journey is not linear and some people are further away from making a decision than others. For these people, this is a great way to move them further along in the journey. By sharing articles you’ve written, it helps them learn more about your solution and moves them closer to taking up your offer.
A. Who wouldn’t be? Please understand that as human beings we desire progress, it’s part of our DNA. At this point, they’ve pitched the problem and their unique value proposition that the visitor is well primed to take action. And here they go triggering emotion with this simple question.
B. The CTA is straight to the point and consistent with the previous CTA.
How did they do? HIT!
What did they do right
- They spend a lot of time addressing possible objections/questions making it easy for the user to have a clear picture of what is required from them and what the solution entails.
