Build a SaaS Landing Page with Cursor: Complete Tutorial

Build a SaaS Landing Page with Cursor: Complete Tutorial

Welcome to Episode 2 of our Build With AI series. As we covered in our previous guide, Build a Blog with AI in 1 Hour, AI tools can speed up design, copy, and development. In this tutorial you'll learn how to build a professional, responsive SaaS landing page using Cursor as your coding assistant and editor. We'll cover layout, design choices, AI-assisted copywriting, responsive patterns, and deployment.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels | Source

Why Cursor for a landing page?

Cursor (cursor.dev) is an AI-first code editor that lets you write, refactor, and iterate on UI with an AI assistant directly in the editor. Using Cursor streamlines the loop between design intent and production code, especially for React/Next.js or static site setups. Use Cursor to generate components, rewrite copy, and get instant CSS suggestions while you stay in context.

Tools and environment (recommended)

• Cursor — use the latest stable Cursor build from cursor.dev (free tier available).
• Framework: Next.js or a static React setup (use the latest stable release). Next.js provides excellent routing, image optimization, and deployment integration.
• CSS: Tailwind CSS for utility-first styling (Tailwind v3+ works well).
• Deployment: Vercel (Free tier; Pro starts at $20/user/month) for seamless Next.js deploys.
• Repo: GitHub (Free personal repos; GitHub Pro available at $4/month for individuals).

These choices let you move from prototype to production fast while keeping costs low for small teams.

Project scaffold (quick start)

1. Create a new Next.js app:
   • npx create-next-app@latest my-saas-landing
2. Install Tailwind CSS:
   • Follow the Tailwind docs to install and configure with Next.js (postcss + tailwind.config.js)
3. Open the project in Cursor and invoke the AI assistant to scaffold components (Header, Hero, Features, CTA, Footer).

Tip: In Cursor you can highlight a UI area and ask the assistant to "generate a responsive Hero component with Tailwind" — then iterate until the layout matches your visual goal.

Structure your landing page (recommended sections)

• Top nav: logo, links, and primary CTA. Keep it slim and sticky.
• Hero: headline, value prop, supporting subhead, primary CTA, and an illustration or screenshot.
• Social proof: logos or short testimonials.
• Features: 3–5 short cards highlighting benefits.
• Pricing or CTA section: clear next step for the visitor.
• Footer: links, legal, and newsletter signup.

Use semantic HTML (header, main, section, footer) and accessible roles to improve SEO and screen-reader support.

Photo by Andrey Matveev on Pexels | Source

Design and copy workflow with Cursor

1. Define your value props. Ask Cursor's assistant to summarize the top three benefits of your SaaS from a one-line description.
2. Generate headline variants. Prompt: "Write five short hero headlines for a time-tracking SaaS that emphasize speed and accuracy."
3. Select the best variant and ask Cursor to produce matching subheads and a short paragraph for the hero.
4. Convert copy into components: ask the assistant to create a component that accepts props (title, subtitle, ctaText, imageSrc).

Why this helps: you iterate quickly between copy and UI until both feel cohesive. Cursor's in-editor suggestions keep your code and text aligned.

Responsive layout best practices

• Mobile-first: Build with mobile breakpoints first, then scale up using Tailwind's sm/md/lg/xl utilities.
• Use grid or flex for feature lists and let items wrap naturally.
• Optimize images: Next.js component or with multiple sizes to reduce load on mobile.
• Touch targets: ensure buttons are at least 44–48px high for easy tapping.

Example pattern (Tailwind classes):

• Hero container: px-4 py-12 max-w-7xl mx-auto
• Two-column layout on md+: grid md:grid-cols-2 gap-8

Ask Cursor to generate responsive utility classes for each component if you prefer not to hand-write them.

Accessibility and performance

• Use semantic tags and ARIA where needed (aria-label on nav toggles).
• Ensure color contrast meets WCAG AA for text.
• Lazy-load non-critical images and use Next.js built-in image optimizations.
• Run Lighthouse to validate performance and accessibility before shipping.

Styling tips (visual polish)

• Keep a limited palette: primary color, neutral, accent. Tailwind config lets you define custom colors for consistency.
• Use a single type scale: H1, H2, H3, body, small — assign fixed classes so typography is predictable.
• Micro-interactions: add subtle hover and focus states to CTAs to increase perceived quality.

Deployment (quick and reliable)

1. Push your project to GitHub.
2. Connect your GitHub repo to Vercel. Vercel auto-detects Next.js and sets up deployment.
3. Configure environment variables if necessary (e.g., analytics keys, API endpoints).
4. Use preview deployments to review pull requests before merging.

Why Vercel: instant rollbacks, preview URLs for each PR, and built-in analytics. The free tier is enough for early staging and small traffic.

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels | Source

Iteration: measuring and improving conversion

• Add a simple analytics tool (privacy-conscious options include Plausible or Fathom) to track clicks on primary CTAs.
• A/B test hero headlines and CTA labels. Cursor can generate multiple headline variants for quick A/B ideas.
• Collect micro-feedback via a small modal survey or session recording tools (opt-in) to understand friction.

Final checklist before launch

• Responsive on common viewports (mobile, tablet, desktop)
• Lighthouse score > 80 for performance and accessibility
• Headline, subhead and CTA tested with at least 3 variants
• SEO meta tags and social (Open Graph) tags added
• Robots and sitemap configured if needed

Wrap-up and next steps

You now have a clear path to build and deploy a professional SaaS landing page using Cursor as your development companion. In this episode you learned how to scaffold components, iterate on copy, implement a responsive layout, and deploy using modern platforms. As we covered in our previous guide, AI can dramatically shorten the time from idea to runnable site — and Cursor streamlines that process by keeping AI suggestions inside your editor.

In Episode 3 we'll take this landing page and wire up a lightweight onboarding flow and email capture using serverless functions. See you there!

Resources & further reading

• Cursor docs at cursor.dev for editor shortcuts and prompts.
• Tailwind CSS documentation for utility patterns.
• Next.js docs for image optimization and routing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need Cursor to follow this tutorial?

No — Cursor accelerates in-editor AI workflows but you can follow the same design and code patterns in any editor. Cursor just makes iteration faster.

Can I deploy the landing page without Vercel?

Yes — you can deploy to Netlify, Render, or any static host. Vercel is convenient for Next.js but not mandatory.

How do I write compelling hero copy quickly?

Use the AI assistant to generate several headline and subhead variants, then pick the clearest option and test via A/B. Focus on benefits and a single core action.