A landing page is the page a user “should” get to when they click an ad. This page should be set up in relation to the ad. The landing page should have relative content and should only have information pertaining to the ad.

Landing pages can be pages on your website, but it is suggested that these pages have very limited linking to other pages of your site so that you can effectively make the sale you’re looking for. If a landing page is set up properly it can effectively help lower the cost per click (CPC) on your pay per click (PPC) campaign as it will raise your quality score. Google recognizes and rewards you for taking the extra time to set up your marketing campaign effectively; having a credible landing page is one way to ensure that this happens.

EFFECTIVE SETUP TECHNIQUES

When having someone create an effective landing page for you; you want to make sure you’re providing them with the proper information to make the page successful. For example, if your ad is catered to a specific product that you have on sale and you want to push this product by doing a full-on campaign you want to make sure that the landing page only discusses this product. If there’s other product’s information on the page, or information relevant to another area of your business that’s not directly related to the product you’re promoting, this data or information can hurt the quality score of your ad. You also want to make sure that privacy policies or user agreements associated with the product are included on the page, or as links from the page in order to show customer assurance and security to Google.

In addition, on your landing page you want to make sure that you have your contact information and any promo codes or discounts prevalent to grab the visitor’s attention; without this information you could be leaving a person who wants to buy your product wondering “how?”

You will also want your landing page to have the same branding “look and feel” as your physical marketing material, or any other materials that you use in conjunction with this product. This helps visitors connect the proverbial dots between your company branding and marketing.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Below is a perfect example of an effective and professional landing page.

Notice the in your face call to action at the top of the page. The call to action takes up the upper 30% of the page; this confirms that the user will be sure to notice it. The bright colors of the headline are also a plus. The page also includes plenty of information on the price, features, and options a user has when purchasing the product. There’s also Q&A’s and Testimonials from other clients. Lastly, the form in the middle of the page makes the user interact with the website and request information from the provider.

When putting together or reviewing a landing page you want to look for these common practices:

• Headings that include your ad campaign’s search terms.
• Clear and precise product offering or call to action.
• Professional photographs of your offering/product with detailed captions.
• Model selections, features, product comparisons, advantages vs. disadvantages, pricing, discounts and guarantees for your offering.
• Professional page layout.
• Keep the page count at 1; long pages and forms often force the user to hit the back button. The average user wants something quick and easy.
• Limited links; you don’t want your users to be taken away from your advertisement.
• Include reviews and testimonials to build trust and confidence in your product.
• Engage your customers. (Put a form on the page to force them to interact with your site; or include demos where available).
• Include noticeable contact information (Phone numbers and e-mail addresses as well as physical addresses).

CONCLUSION

These are the basic guidelines that most landing pages use during the development process. Missing any or all of these elements can really hamper your campaign effectiveness and your ability to raise your quality score.

Landing pages are integral part to any internet marketing strategy; whether it be a part of your Pay Per Click strategy or just part of your link population strategy. Whatever your solution, an effective landing page can greatly increase your ROI (return on investment) for any marketing campaign.

I hope this information was useful to you, please post any comments or questions below.

AF

I added a video below, “Did you know 3.0”, make sure you watch it… It’s pretty darn amazing when you think about it. Comments are appreciated!

Internet Marketing is new, its revolutionary, and it’s changing the way businesses are marketing on the Internet. Technologies such as Web 2.0, Search marketing/optimization, social media and email marketing take a less abrasive approach. People that are exposed to these various forms of Inbound Marketing are more likely to listen. There is a difference between Internet Marketing and today’s fading traditional marketing. Traditional marketing focuses a lot on ineffective out bound one-way messages. Internet marketing uses online games, thought leadership through blogging, Search Engine optimization, and pay per click advertising as inbound distribution channels connecting the world with your web site.

That’s why it matters to have a great web site. For businesses a great web site can make every bit of difference. Like the way it can engage and socialize with a customer. Or how it is structurally designed to provide strategically placed content.

Businesses must be connected with social media and the Internet because it’s growing substantially and you’re missing out. Blogs, social networking, social bookmarking, and video portals are changing the way consumers consume media. I mean, IPTV is right around the corner and I feel from all the hype that every person I talk to is ready to get their own IPTV system. No commercials and the freedom to subscribe to your own channel via the Internet. Now that’s what I’m talking about. Yeah, I like my TiVO but I just don’t get the feeling I’ll need it much longer. New media advertising like social media has already come on strong and with the new age of IPTV, businesses should start taking advantage of this free medium if they haven’t already..

Here’s some stats for you. In 2008 there were 31 Billion searches on Google every month, in 2006 there were only 2.7 Billon searches a month.. These numbers are exponential and have grown considerably since then. Check this video out, it’s a real eye opener as to what technology has done in such little time.

Did you know 3.0

What is Search Engine Optimization?

SEO or Search Engine Optimization is the process of increasing traffic to a web site from search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing for FREE! Optimizing a web site will increase its ability to show up at the top of the search engine rankings page.

Why is it important?

Search Engine Optimization is important because there is an increasing amount of searches conducted daily.  According to searchenginewatch.com there were an estimated 91 million searches conducted in march of 2006. That number in June of 2009 increased to an estimated 304 million searches conducted daily. These are staggering numbers that are going to continually increase. Think of a service you offer, type the name of the service into Google with the city you work in and see what comes up. There’s a good chance your competition is reaping the rewards of a number 1, 2, and 3 spot.

How does it work?

Search engines have to determine whether a web page is relevant to the keywords searched by a user. So when a search is conducted the Search Engine goes to its database (index) and looks for the best result based on the keyword searched by the user. It’s the job of the search engine to provide quality search results on the first try (this is why Google dominates the search market). Google has an algorithm that is a mathematical formula used in ranking a web page for keyword relevancy. Though keyword relevancy is important for a search engine what web page will show up number 1. It’s not the only thing it takes into consideration when ranking. Inbound links to a web site or web page are important elements in which a search engine looks at when ranking a website. Search engines need to understand the credibility of a website which they do from links. Search engines count every link that points to your website as a vote. This will determine if you place number 1, 2, or 3.

I hope this gives you some insight as to what SEO is and how it works. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. If you have any questions feel free to ask by posting a comment.