A Landing Page is More Important Than You Think
So you’ve got the perfect idea for an ad and you’re ready to launch it. Where are you sending the people who see your ad? If the answer isn’t a customized landing page that matches the ad they just saw, you might not see the results you expect! Keep reading to get our 4 tips for landing pages that convert!
For those who might not know, a landing page is a sort of standalone web page that potential customers can “land” on after clicking through an email, ad, or typing in an address from a billboard or direct mail piece. These pages generally don’t exist on the main navigation of a webpage, as they’re meant to provide the people who interacted with that specific ad what they were looking for. Whether it is information such as a whitepaper or resource, or a product that they want to buy, a landing page should be customized for each ad.
It’s important to plan and create your landing pages focused on the user’s intent. Most users are pretty savvy and if they sense a bait-and-switch or just a landing page that isn’t what they expected when they clicked the ad, they’ll leave without converting. And we don’t want to be paying to have users not convert!
To combat users not converting, there are four things you can do to help seal the deal: offer something of value that solves a problem, make sure you have quality content that matches the user’s expectation, make it easy for the user to convert, and test variations of the page. Read more about each below!
Offer Something Of Value That Solves a Problem
Before you even think about making a good landing page, you’re going to need to come up with a good enough reason for them to get there in the first place. It’s important that you offer something of value that solves a problem for your visitors. Let’s say you’re a roofer and you’re trying to build a local client base. A good way to get that started would be to offer up maybe 10% off or a free consultation when they provide an email and phone number to schedule a visit. This offer is bringing potential customers to your business and providing you with information you can use to build a client list.
With online privacy becoming more and more important, people aren’t just going to hand their emails over like it’s 2008! If you want someone to provide their information, you have to show them the value in what you offer. . Whether it’s a discount on a product or a sneak peek of the content of a download, proving your value will make the user more likely to convert.
Quality Content Matching User Expectation
When asking for a potential customer to “convert” or take action, you need to make sure you’re putting energy into making the page look professional and match what the user saw in the ad. There’s a lot of shady websites out there, and you don’t want yours to come across as one of them. That means thinking through your copy and design thoroughly and ensuring that it sounds both human and enticing. People need to make sure they’re handing their information over to something that is actually real.
In addition to the copy, put some thought into the design of the landing page as well! Make it stand out and look enticing, without distracting from the conversion. You want to guide the user to the conversion with your copy and design, not lead them away.
One other thing you can do is offer some social proof! Throw some customer reviews on there from real people to help people understand that this is a legitimate offer that you’re promoting.
Make It Easy For The User To Convert!
As we said before, the mark of a good agency is one that genuinely cares about your success. Marketing agencies aren’t a mythical group like the Knights of the Round Table; they’re a collective of humans working on your business to ensure you succeed.
If the people who work at the agency you’re looking to hire don’t like working at that agency, it’s safe to say the work will suffer. If they’re burnt out, not respected, overworked, or generally unhappy at work, watch out. Again, you are paying money for this so you should pick an agency where people are excited to go to work!
Our recommendation? Read some employee reviews! Glassdoor is a perfect place to start. Additionally, look for a team bio page on their website and cross reference those bios in your call. If there are 3 or 4 employees who aren’t there anymore, that can be very telling. Sure, things happen and people leave but if you begin to see a pattern, you might want to watch out.
Test, Test, and Test Again
It’s not a foregone conclusion that just because you set up a snazzy new landing page that people are just going to flock towards it and hand you their email or phone number on a silver platter! You might need to make a few iterations or changes in order for it to really resonate with customers.
Using heatmapping tools like Hotjar or CrazyEgg, can help you identify how people are interacting with the landing page. You can see how far they scroll, what they click on, and where their mouse moves on the page. Analyzing your heatmaps, click maps, and conversions can help you find ways to make the landing page even more successful. Testing two different versions of the landing page will help you decide what your customers like more and moving certain elements around might have bigger impacts than you think! So, don’t just set it and forget it… keep tabs on it!
Recapping the 4 Tips for Landing Pages That Convert
Landing pages are an essential part of digital marketing. They help you build client lists, sell products, and gather information about potential customers, but if they aren’t optimized, you could be leaving a lot on the table! When you’re prepping your next landing page, remember:
- Offer something of value that solves a problem
- Create quality content that aligns with user expectation
- Make it easy for the user to convert
- Test, test, and test again
By following these 4 steps, your landing pages will be optimized to drive conversions for your business. For more marketing blogs from the experts at DSM, check out our 360 Marketing Playbook!
