The ultimate goal of every online marketing campaign is to convert prospects into customers. Without a doubt, one of the most important elements in determining the success of an online campaign is the landing page.
The best definition of landing page that I have been able to find is the one that defines it as “a web page specifically designed to make a prospective customer to take action". Simply put, no landing page action means no sale, and wasted advertising money.
In this article, I want to share with you 7 effective best practices that you can use to optimize your landing pages and increase the ROI on your online marketing efforts.
1) Have a Strong and Well-Defined Call to Action
If there's only one thing to remember about landing page optimization, this would be it. Landing page visitors want to know clearly what they have to do in order to complete an online activity, like making a purchase, so be sure to use a strong call to action to direct their attention toward the conversion action you want them to take.
2) Offer Visitors The Best Possible Experience
Ask yourself the question: "Does my landing page offer the best possible experience to a prospect interested in my product?" – If you're not sure, then your landing page will most likely not convert very well.
3) Test Everything, Track Everything
There are many elements within a landing page that can be tested to improve performance: headline, sub-headline, body copy, buttons (color, shape, and size), bullet points, design, images placement, just to name a few. From the copy to the design, test everything, and of course, make sure you track every optimization test you run. Google Analytics is a powerful tool that can be used to analyze your website traffic, and it is simply a must if you're serious about online advertising.
4) Write Benefit Driven Copy
Here's something you'll hate to hear: prospects don't care as much as you do about all the great features of your products or services. What they are really interested in is "what's in it for them", or simply put, what your products or services can do for them. Remember that benefits make sales, not features, so make sure your copy is benefits driven.
5) Show Your Most Valuable Content Above the Fold
Put the most important element of your page above the fold. The "fold" is that part of the web page that visitors have to scroll down to see. You have just a few seconds to convince your visitor to stay on your landing page, so make sure that they see what you want them to see right away.
6) Add Social Proof and Credibility to Your Landing Page
Adding social proof to your landing pages can substantially increase conversions and sales. Testimonials, reviews, case studies, endorsements, demonstrations, references (to print, news, and TV), social networks like Facebook or Twitter, all of the above will add social proof and credibility to your landing pages and will influence people to take action based on what they see. After all, word-of-mouth marketing is still the most powerful form of marketing there is.
7) Think Mobile
You can be sure of one thing: the number of mobile visitors is only going to grow, and fast, so take mobile users into consideration when building your landing pages. At least for your best performing campaigns, make sure to create a mobile-optimized, app-like version of your landing pages.
In conclusion, landing page optimization should be a top priority for your online marketing efforts, and it is most definitely an aspect that can make or break your ROI. By following the 7 landing pages best practices I have outlined above, you will be able to create better performing campaigns and ultimately increase your return on investment for your online marketing efforts.
