Narrative Arc

Most landing pages read like a feature catalog. Hero, features, testimonials, pricing, CTA. The sections exist, but they don't connect. There's no reason the features section follows the hero except that's where features usually go.

A well-structured landing page follows a narrative arc — the same structure that makes stories compelling. The visitor should feel pulled through the page, not just scrolling past independent blocks.

The arc: recognition ("this is for me") → problem validation ("they understand my situation") → solution reveal ("oh, that's how it works") → proof ("other people got results") → objection handling ("what about…?") → action ("here's what to do next").

Putting testimonials before explaining the product doesn't work — the visitor doesn't have enough context to care about what other people think yet. Handling objections before building desire is premature — you're answering questions nobody has asked yet.

The section order should mirror how someone naturally evaluates a product:

1. 1.Hero — "What is this?" (recognition)
2. 2.Pain / problem — "Do they understand my situation?" (validation)
3. 3.Features / how it works — "How does it actually help?" (solution)
4. 4.Social proof / stats — "Has it worked for others?" (evidence)
5. 5.FAQ / objections — "What about my concerns?" (reassurance)
6. 6.CTA — "What do I do next?" (action)

This isn't rigid — you can rearrange based on your audience. If trust is the main barrier, social proof might come right after the hero. If the product is complex, how-it-works might come before features. But the underlying logic stays the same: build understanding before asking for trust, build trust before asking for action.

Here's the test: read just your section headlines from top to bottom. Do they tell a coherent story? Does each one naturally lead to the next?

Bad headline sequence: "The Modern Platform" → "Features" → "What People Say" → "Pricing" → "Get Started"

This sequence tells no story. Each headline is a section label.

Good headline sequence: "See every SaaS subscription in one place" → "Spreadsheets weren't built for this" → "Automate tracking, catch renewals, cut costs" → "2,400 teams stopped guessing" → "What about my existing tools?" → "Start with a free 14-day trial"

This sequence tells a story: here's the product → here's the problem it solves → here's how → here's proof → here's your concern addressed → here's what to do. Each headline builds on the previous one.