By TE Cunningham
Your budget numbers are higher than ever, and you need to get your new online ad campaign rolling. While visuals and copy are vitally important to grab attention online, your landing page must be given just as much thought. The design of your page can clinch a sale or desired action or have the opposite effect if not constructed properly.
Many local advertisers feel they have invested so heavily in their website that taking the potential buyer to the homepage is the way to go. Not so. Your website encompasses all you do, while your landing page should be incredibly specific. Remember, the average stay on a website is only 15 seconds – that’s how long you have to grab a new customer’s attention!
There are some other reasons that you want a separate page as well, including:
- Better search ROI with a landing page with specific keywords
- Better user experience with a concise, clear offer (attention spans are short)
- Mobile-friendly option
- Better customization to that specific user (versus your entire site, which may market to several different demos)
- Clear CTA (call to action) means a higher level of sales success
Landing pages invite leads to become customers – your ad attracted the target consumer, and now your landing page must sell them.
Here are some quick tips to remember when creating your landing page:
Have a Clear Goal
First, define what the landing page should do. Are you asking visitors to sign up for a free trial, submit their info for a consultation, make a purchase or are you simply trying to educate the reader more about a particular product or service?
SEO
SEO is next. You want to include relevant keywords that will be highly searched for regarding the action you desire the visitor to take. Include relevant links, and make sure you post the landing page on your website with a short URL comprised of primary keywords. You will also want to ensure you attach the landing page to your SSL, as algorithms give higher rankings for this. Finally, as you would with the rest of your site, ensure photos, graphics and videos are all optimized.
Be Concise
There’s nothing worse than word vomit to send your landing page visitor running far, far away! Keep it to the point and keep it short. Don’t use overly complex words. Don’t promote too many services or products with one offer/page. Just focus on the goal.
Give them Something for Free
You can add extras to capture additional information. For instance, you could offer a free guide they can download if they will enter their email or mobile or both. Perfect for remarketing to them again and again. These are called lead magnets in the marketing world.
Reviews, Reviews, Reviews
An enormous percentage of online buyers view product and service reviews before purchasing. Save your potential customers time – put your reviews on your landing page with a link to even more – so the customer can authenticate the reviews. Showcase reviews that say exactly what you want the customer to know.
Make it Pretty & Informative
Videos, photos and charts that have been optimized are great attention-grabbers and selling tools. Use them wisely for a balanced look, good information that is easily understood and a clear call to action.
And that’s that, as they say – time to start designing the greatest landing page of all time! Need a hand? Contact TLC Marketing Consultants today!