Landing Pages
A landing page is a website page that is created for one purpose - to persuade the site visitor to convert into a customer by making a sale, completing a form (thereby becoming a qualified lead), signing up for a newsletter, etc.
We at Objective Marketing design and create landing page content that extols your key communication messages, and Unique Value Proposition.
Landing pages may be the page or pages that your Ad-Words (Pay Per Click) campaign are linked to that immediately guide the visitor to the information you want them to read.
Most importantly, consider that you have 8 seconds or less to convince your visitor to act. If you haven’t convincingly made your case in this time then your visitor will move on and will be lost, as the Internet has created the most fickle customer in sales history!
Page Layout Optimization
Place your logo at the top left. Visitors expect it there so display your branding where it counts. Alternatively, use the same style page as the rest of your site for continuity.
If the visitor came from a search engine keyword search or a PPC (Pay per Click) ad, then place the keyword terms in bold at the top of the page. This reinforces to the visitor that they came to the right place.
Your key communication messages must be clearly displayed and defined on the page. This means that your landing pages should be able to be seen completely on an 800 x 600 screen resolution. Place your message in the centre.
Make sure you can spot the “”Call to Action” from 6 feet away. Place assurances, testimonials and guarantees in the far-right column.
Place logos to appropriate associations, accreditations or online companies at the bottom of the page to show credibility.
Don’t place external links on a landing page. Just allow them the option to proceed into completing the form and converting into a customer.
Place privacy policies on the landing page. This instills confidence.
Think of the Amazon.com website. Note their Call to Action is the hotspot at the top-right of all pages - add to cart, one click ordering, etc. This may also apply to you.
Writing Style and Content
We spend time on your Unique Value Proposition (UVP) and place it in the center of the page. A UVP is the core differentiation of a company’s product or service from those of competitors. A UVP will describe and enhance your market, and the key difference between competitors and your own company.
Ensure that you don’t have big paragraphs. Visitors tend to scan pages instead of reading all of the text on them.
Write using headers above paragraphs that summarize the following text.
Use bullets where possible as visitors can quickly scan them. Search engines also prioritise bullets instead of a long paragraph text.
If you want to add a picture, ensure that it is going to reinforce your message. You can easily lose significant sales by having the wrong picture on the landing page.
If the purpose of the landing page is to provide a white paper or article, then create an image for the paper with enlarged text.
The Form
Keep the number of fields on the form as small as possible. This is critical in getting them to complete the form.
Add a Comments textbox asking for the visitor’s input. It can be key to qualifying leads. Those that complete this form with the services they are looking for should be contacted immediately. Here are some requests you can use for this Comments box:
Have the visitor check a box that says something like “YES! Send me the free white paper that will change my life.” It is the psychological method of coercing them into completing the rest of the form.
Prominently list the benefits of completing the form. It is a major validation. Make sure to write the benefits in terms of the user’s benefits instead of the features of your product or service.
Ensure you save the form information into a database, and send emails out as soon as the form is completed so you can immediately contact the visitor. The lead’s effectiveness drops dramatically as time goes by. Contacting a lead within minutes is ideal.
Landing Page Mistakes to Avoid
We hope you found this information useful. We would like to remind you that this subject is best served, and more effective as part of a complete marketing plan or strategy, rather than in isolation. For further expert advice please contact us to discuss your requirements or post a question in our blog.
Be Seen, Be Found, Be Accessible, Be Successful.