name: unicorn-landing description: Audit or build a landing page against the 11 structural patterns shared by Stripe, Airbnb, Coinbase, DoorDash, Dropbox, GitLab, Instacart, and Gusto. Use when reviewing an existing landing page or generating one from scratch.
When to use
Invoke when:
- The user wants to audit an existing landing page ("does this page have what it needs?")
- The user wants to build a new landing page or hero section
- The user asks for feedback on copy, structure, or CTA design
What this skill does
Run the page (URL, code, or description provided) through all 11 patterns below. Score each one as PASS / PARTIAL / FAIL with one sentence of reasoning. Then output a prioritized fix list — highest-conversion impact first.
If building from scratch, use the patterns as a spec to generate a complete landing page structure: headline, subheadline, hero layout, social proof, nav, CTA, and footer strategy.
The 11 Unicorn Patterns
Derived from analysis of Stripe ($65B), Airbnb ($80B), Coinbase ($50B), DoorDash ($55B), Dropbox ($8B), GitLab ($8B), Instacart ($10B), Gusto ($10B).
1. Category-defining headline
Stake a claim to a category, not a feature list.
- DO: "Financial infrastructure for the internet" (Stripe) — owns a category
- DO: "The most trusted crypto platform" (Coinbase) — stakes THE not A
- DON'T: "A platform that helps teams manage their [X]" — generic, forgettable
- Test: Replace your company name with a competitor's. If the headline still fits, it fails.
2. Hero simplicity — under 30 words total
The hero answers ONE question: "am I in the right place?" Nothing more.
- DO: Headline + one subline + one CTA. Done.
- DON'T: Feature bullets, explanatory paragraphs, multiple sections above the fold
- Count every word in the hero (headline + subhead + CTA + any supporting text). If over 30, cut.
3. Two-sided marketplace split (only applies to marketplaces)
Both audiences get a clearly labeled path within 3 seconds. No scrolling required.
- DO: "Guests / Hosts" toggle (Airbnb), "Order food / Become a Dasher" (DoorDash)
- DON'T: One generic hero that tries to speak to both sides
- If the product has supply AND demand sides, both must be addressable in the hero
4. Product in the hero
Show the actual product — not an illustration, not an icon, not a lifestyle photo.
- DO: Dashboard screenshot, live interface, real data (Stripe shows its dashboard, GitLab shows its pipeline)
- DON'T: Abstract blob graphics, animated particles, stock photography
- The product IS the proof of concept at this scale
5. Social proof through scale
Lead with the biggest true number you have.
- DO: "Global GDP running on Stripe" / "50M+ people" (GitLab) / customer logos
- DO (early stage): "500+ teams use this" beats no number at all
- DON'T: Generic "join thousands of companies" with no specificity
- One concrete number > multiple vague claims
6. Minimal navigation
5–6 items max. Every extra nav item is a decision point that bleeds conversion.
- DO: Stripe (5 items), Airbnb (3 items), Coinbase (6 items)
- DON'T: Mega-menus, 10+ nav items, dropdowns in the primary nav on a marketing page
- The goal is one action. Everything else is friction.
7. Personalization by audience (advanced)
If you can detect visitor segment, show them segment-specific content.
- DO: Stripe shows different content to devs vs. business owners; Gusto shows content by company size
- Implementation: URL params, referrer detection, cookie-based, or explicit "I am a [role]" selector
- Skip this until patterns 1–6 are solid
8. The CTA is always free
Lead with zero-friction action. Sales/enterprise happens AFTER self-serve adoption.
- DO: "Get started", "Sign up", "Try free", "Start for free"
- DON'T: "Contact sales", "Book a demo", "Request a quote" as the PRIMARY hero CTA
- Even B2B enterprise pages (Stripe, GitLab) lead with free self-serve
9. Page speed is invisible
The page should feel instant. If you notice it loading, it's already failed.
- DO: Audit with Lighthouse / PageSpeed Insights. Target LCP < 2.5s, CLS < 0.1
- DO: Optimize hero image, defer non-critical JS, use modern image formats (WebP/AVIF)
- DON'T: Load heavy libraries, blocking scripts, or unoptimized video in the hero
10. Footer as navigation hub (scales with product)
Early stage: simple 3-column footer. Mature product: comprehensive sitemap by category.
- DO: Organize by: Product, Developers, Company, Legal (minimum)
- DO: Stripe footer has 50+ links organized by category — serves both SEO and discoverability
- DON'T: Empty footer, or footer with only copyright + social links, on a mature product
11. Consistency across all pages
Every page feels like part of the same system: same fonts, colors, spacing, component styles.
- DO: Establish design tokens early — color variables, type scale, spacing units
- DON'T: Slightly different button styles on different pages, inconsistent heading sizes
- Test: Open 5 random pages of the site. Can you tell they're the same product without seeing the logo?
Audit output format
## Unicorn Landing Audit — [Product Name]
### Pattern Scores
| Pattern | Score | Note |
|---------|-------|------|
| 1. Category headline | PASS / PARTIAL / FAIL | one sentence |
| 2. Hero simplicity | ... | word count: X |
| 3. Two-sided split | N/A / PASS / FAIL | (only if marketplace) |
| 4. Product in hero | ... | |
| 5. Social proof | ... | biggest proof number used: X |
| 6. Minimal nav | ... | current item count: X |
| 7. Personalization | ... | |
| 8. Free CTA | ... | current primary CTA: "X" |
| 9. Page speed | ... | LCP: Xs (if known) |
| 10. Footer depth | ... | |
| 11. Cross-page consistency | ... | |
### Priority Fixes (highest conversion impact first)
1. [Pattern X] — [specific change to make]
2. ...
Build output format
When generating a landing page structure from scratch:
## Landing Page Spec — [Product Name]
**Category claim (headline):** "..."
**Subheadline (≤15 words):** "..."
**Hero word count:** X (must be ≤30)
**Primary CTA:** "..." (must be free/frictionless)
**Product visual:** [what to show — screenshot, demo, etc.]
**Biggest proof number:** "..."
**Nav items:** [list — 5 max]
**Audience split needed?** Yes / No — [reasoning]
### Hero section (full copy):
[headline]
[subheadline]
[CTA button]
### Social proof section:
[number/scale claim]
[logos or testimonials]
### Footer structure:
[column 1: Product] | [column 2: Company] | [column 3: Legal]