What happens when you don’t create an effective landing page?
If you click on a sponsored ad for an appliance sale, but instead get directed to the company’s home page — without a word about the sale — chances are you’ll be a little confused. This situation clearly illustrates what happens when you don’t create an effective landing page. Misleading online advertising is frustrating, and as hard as it is to believe, this is exactly what thousands of digital marketers do every day; they create sponsored ads and organic search listings which promise one thing, but deliver another. Needless to say, that strategy doesn’t work, in fact, search engine algorithms are becoming smarter and actually penalizing results that don’t deliver what they promise. Why? Consumers are increasingly skeptical of digital marketing campaigns, and even the slightest hint of misdirection or deception will send them fleeing in the opposite direction, never to visit your site or click on your brand’s ad again.
The most effective digital strategy in 2017 is about delivering the right content, at the right time, to the right audience. In other words, delivering high impact micro-content that carefully fulfills a consumer’s need is what keeps your business competitive. Did you know that over the last 2 years, there has been a 200% increase in “near me” searches?
One strategy we use to deliver relevant content at the right moment is to create a specific landing page with a single focus; this allows brands to capture visitors’ contact information and helps generate qualified leads. Each landing page is designed around a specific marketing campaign (like the aforementioned appliance sale). Landing pages are different from the core pages on your website because they serve a very specific purpose. According to research, companies with properly designed and deployed landing pages have seen an average increase of 55% in lead generation. To help you achieve your marketing objectives, we developed this list of five of our best practices for the design of a landing page:
5 Strategies for Great Landing Pages
- Don’t waste people’s time: You made an offer, consumers liked it and clicked on your ad. Why waste their time with a lot of unnecessary verbiage? Studies show that overplaying your hand with extravagant visuals and other page clutter actually distracts visitors from doing what you want them to do, and it tends to slow down page load time (according to the Aberdeen Group, a delay of one second in load time yields 11% fewer page views and a 7% decrease in conversions.) Reiterate what was in your ad, clearly and succinctly, and highlight the value of your offer. Use clear and concise words to amplify your message. Bottom line: Deliver what the ad promises.
- Make your call to action (CTA) stand out: Your landing page is the first step in the lead generation process. You want visitors to take the next step by clicking on your CTA, so make it easy to find and use contrasting colors—if the entire page uses blue and white, consider making your CTA a bright shade of yellow.
- Put your brand at the top of mind by adding your logo, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be front and center. You want visitors’ focus to be on your CTA, but not at the expense of your brand. Include your company’s logo on every landing page so visitors remember that the new TV isn’t just any new TV, but your brand’s new TV. Remember, your goal may not necessarily be a sale at this stage, but to create loyal customers who will come back to you again and again.
- Add third-party endorsements: social proof, like customer testimonials or positive comments on Facebook or Twitter, will make your landing page more credible. 90% of consumers trust peer reviews before advertising. That’s a big number. Try adding additional influential data, such as how many people have already downloaded your offer.
- Maintain a consistent layout: While every landing page is different, it should still reflect a level of consistency so as not to confuse visitors. Of all elements on your landing page, layout has the greatest impact on that page’s performance. A visually appealing layout not only reinforces your brand, but also makes it easier for visitors to navigate.
Creating effective landing pages that work, persuading site visitors to provide their contact information and thus increasing qualified leads, is just one component of a well-crafted digital marketing campaign. To learn more, download our FREE Digital Marketing Checklist to help you grow your business and boost your sales!
