How to build a pre-lander that lifts CR: my 5-step build

How to build a pre-lander that lifts CR: my 5-step build

The pre-lander is the cheapest CR lever most people ignore. Here's the exact build order.

The setup
Direct-linking an offer's own LP, CR stuck at 1.2%.

The move
— Step 1, the hook bridge: the pre-lander's headline must continue the ad's promise, not restate it. Seamless thought, not a repeat.
— Step 2, the agitation: one short paragraph on the pain, in the reader's own words.
— Step 3, the mechanism: why this solution works, plausibly. Builds the belief the offer page assumes.
— Step 4, social proof: 2-3 specific, modest testimonials. Not "amazing!!!", but "dropped 6 lbs in 3 weeks."
— Step 5, the soft CTA: a single button, no menu, no distractions, pre-frames the offer page.

The numbers
Adding the pre-lander took CR from 1.2% direct to 2.6%. CPA dropped from $11 to $5.40. Build time: ~2 hours.

The lesson
The offer page assumes the user is already warm. The pre-lander does the warming. That's the whole job.

What I'd do differently
Test 2 pre-lander angles from the start instead of one. Figures illustrative.