It never stops to amaze me how misunderstood and neglected the importance of a highly-converting landing page is among digital advertisers. Truth to be told, the best media plan in the world won’t be successful if you send traffic to a landing page that doesn’t convert.
Yet again and again, I see wonderfully planned online advertising campaigns using the most accurate targeting and creatives that simple fail to deliver results, all because of the landing page – that is, what happens to the users after they click the ads – was disregarded.
Remember, the purpose of the landing page should be one, and one only: to make a prospective customer to take an action – that is, whatever action you define as conversion.
In this article, I’d like to share 3 effective tips you can use to optimize your landing pages and increase conversions from your online marketing efforts.
1) Use a Strong Call to Action and Direct Your Prospects’ Attention to It:
Always be sure to use a strong and well defined call to action (CTA) to direct your visitors’ attention toward the conversion action you want them to take. Your CTA should be big and above the fold.
Use elements of the page (arrows, photos, etc.) to give directional cues to where the call to action is, such as buttons, phone numbers, etc. This is especially important for lead generation forms.
Speaking of forms, use words that provoke emotion and urgency in your submit button. “Submit” is not good… “Get Started Today” much better. Even better, “Sign Up and Get 50% Off Today Only!”
2) On (Mobile) Landing Pages, Speed and Size Matter:
I’m assuming you have a responsive version of your landing page. If you don’t (shame on you), you probably shouldn’t be doing digital advertising at all, as you have bigger issues to fix first.
According to a study conducted by Google, for every second delay in mobile page load, conversions can fall by up to 20%. Marketers must keep consumers engaged on mobile and focus on building mobile-first experiences.
Mobile or desktop, many times we just assume that bounce rate (the percentage of visitors to a particular website who navigate away from the site after viewing only one page) is entirely due to poor targeting or poor content. While those could be factors, take a look at the chart below (from a Google’s study) to understand the impact of landing page loading time vs. bounce rate.
OK, enough said. Optimize your landing page to ensure it loads lightning fast.
3) Add Social Proof and Credibility to Your Landing Page and Write Benefit-Driven Copy:
Philip Kotler, the father of modern marketing, once said: “The best advertising is done by satisfied customers”. So, include reviews, testimonials, case studies, endorsements, references (to print, news, and TV), and social media activity, in your landing pages to add social proof and credibility and influence people to take action.
Lastly, remember that benefits drive sales, not features, so make sure your copy is benefits driven. Here’s a timeless truth: your 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 what your products or services can do for them. Remember this when writing the copy of your landing page.
In conclusion, landing page optimization should be a top priority in your paid digital campaigns, yet unfortunately it is an aspect that often time is neglected, however it has the power of making or breaking your ROI. By following the 3 landing pages tips I have outlined above, you’ll be able to create better performing campaigns and ultimately increase your return on investment.
To learn more about how we can help you to transform any ordinary landing page into a converting machine, email us and one of our Interactive Advertising experts will be available to assist.
