Browsing articles tagged with " Pay Per Click"

Why an Effective Landing Page is Needed to Complete Your Internet Marketing Strategy.

Mar 3, 2010   //   by afaraone   //   Internet Marketing, Pay Per Click, Search Engine Optimization  //  5 Comments

WHAT IS A LANDING PAGE?

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