By Mehdi HassanWhat does a good landing page wireframe include?
A good landing page wireframe includes the full sequence of sections, the purpose of each one and the real copy that will go in it. It shows hierarchy (what's a headline, what's supporting text, what's a button) and where visuals or proof sit, but it doesn't decide colors, fonts or final layout.
Most wireframe templates do the opposite. They give you grey boxes labelled hero image and feature grid, with lorem ipsum where the argument should be. That looks like progress, but it lets everyone skip the hardest decisions: what you're promising, to whom, and why they should believe you. The template below fixes that by making every block a writing prompt.
If you want the reasoning behind the order, read our landing page structure guide. For the basics of the format, start with what a landing page is.
Why use a copy-first wireframe instead of grey boxes?
A copy-first wireframe works because the words are the product of a landing page. Layout is how you present an argument, and you can't present one you haven't written. When copy comes last, it gets squeezed into boxes sized for imaginary text, and the page ends up saying what fits rather than what persuades.
Pros
- Forces decisions on audience, promise and proof before design starts
- Founders can draft it without design skills or tools
- Designers get real content lengths, so layouts don't break later
- Reviewers comment on the argument, not on colors
- Gaps in proof show up early, while they're cheap to fix
Cons
- Feels slower at first than dragging boxes around
- Harder to visualize for people who think in pictures
- Needs someone willing to write and rewrite plain text
This is how we work on every landing page: one team writes the argument, then designs and builds around it. If you plan to write the copy yourself, pair this template with our step-by-step guide on how to write landing page copy.
What is in the landing page wireframe template?
The template has ten blocks. Copy each into a document, answer the prompt in plain sentences and stay roughly within the word budget. The budgets are our working guide for a typical SaaS page, not rules; long-form pages for expensive products run longer.
Block | Prompt to answer | Rough budget |
|---|---|---|
1. Headline | What outcome does this visitor want, in their words? | 6–12 words |
2. Subhead | Who is it for, and how does it deliver that outcome? | 15–30 words |
3. Primary CTA | What exactly happens when they click? | 2–5 words, plus one reassurance line |
4. Hero visual note | What does the product show at the moment of value? | One sentence describing the shot |
5. Proof strip | What can you prove right now, verifiably? | Logos, rating or one short quote |
6. Problem | What situation are they trying to leave? | 40–80 words or three bullets |
7. How it works | What are the three or four steps from start to result? | One line per step |
8. Benefits | Which outcomes matter most, and what proves each? | Three blocks of 30–60 words |
9. Objections and FAQ | What stops people buying, from real calls? | Three objections, four to six FAQs |
10. Closing CTA | Why act now, and what happens next? | One headline, one line, same button |
How do you fill in a landing page wireframe?
Fill it in from the top, but write the headline last. Start by writing down who the page is for and the one action you want, then work through blocks 2 to 10, then come back and write ten headline options using what you learned.
Write the brief line
One sentence at the top of the document: this page is for a specific person, arriving from a specific source, and we want them to take one action. Everything below has to serve that line. If it's hard to write, a fuller landing page brief will help.
Collect raw material
Pull the ad copy or email that will send traffic, three to five customer quotes, the questions from your last sales calls and any numbers you can prove.
Draft blocks 2 to 10 in plain sentences
Answer each prompt honestly and briefly. Don't format, don't polish. Mark any claim that needs proof with the word PROOF in capitals.
Write ten headlines
Now that the argument exists, write ten headline options. Pick the one that matches the traffic source and states an outcome. Check it against the ad that will send visitors.
Read it aloud
Read the whole page aloud as if you were explaining the product to a buyer on a call. Cut anything you'd skip. Rewrite anything you'd stumble over.
Resolve every PROOF marker
Find evidence for each, or soften the claim. A section you can't support doesn't go in.
Add layout notes
Only now add notes for the designer: which blocks pair text with a screenshot, where the CTA repeats, what the hero visual should show.
What does a filled-in landing page wireframe look like?
A filled-in wireframe reads like a short, structured document: each block has a label, its job and draft copy, with notes for visuals. Below is an illustrative example for an invented product, so you can see the level of detail to aim for.
Hypothetical example: a filled-in copy wireframe
For example, suppose an invented product called Ledgerline automates month-end close for finance teams at startups.
Brief line: for heads of finance at Series A to C startups, arriving from a LinkedIn ad about month-end close, we want them to book a 20-minute demo.
Headline: Close the books in days, not weeks. Subhead: Ledgerline matches transactions, flags exceptions and drafts reconciliations, so a two-person finance team can close without spreadsheets. CTA: Book a 20-minute demo, with the line you'll see your own accounts, not a slide deck.
Hero visual note: the reconciliation screen with three exceptions highlighted. Proof strip: PROOF needed, two pilot customers who've agreed to be named.
How it works: connect your accounting system, review flagged exceptions, approve and export. Objections: does it work with our system, is our data safe, how long is setup. Each gets two sentences and a link.
Notice that the example names the traffic source and the proof gap. Those two notes save more design time than any layout sketch, because they stop the team building a page for the wrong visitor or around claims it can't back up.
When should you move from wireframe to design?
Move to design when the copy reads well aloud, every claim has proof and the stakeholders have agreed on the argument. At that point, a designer can turn the document into a low-fidelity layout quickly, because the hard decisions are already made.
- The brief line is agreed by whoever owns the campaign and whoever owns sales.
- The headline matches the traffic source, checked against the actual ad or email.
- No PROOF markers remain.
- The length feels right for the decision. See how long should a landing page be if you're unsure.
From there you have a choice: adapt a template or commission custom design. We compare the two honestly in landing page template vs custom. After launch, use scroll depth data to see which blocks people actually reach, and revise the wireframe for the next version.
Which wireframe tools work best for a copy-first approach?
The best tool for a copy-first wireframe is a plain document, because it keeps attention on the words. Google Docs or Notion work well for drafting and comments. Once the copy is approved, move into Figma for a low-fidelity layout using the real text.
Figma is where we turn approved copy into layout, using real text from the start rather than placeholder. Whatever you use, keep one source of truth for the copy. Two versions, one in a document and one in a design file, drift apart within a week. For a fuller project handover, our landing page brief template covers the information a designer or studio needs alongside the wireframe.
