Every company knows that in today’s technology-dependent world, maintaining a strong online presence is essential to strengthening relationships with existing customers, as well as attracting the attention of new ones. Through the use of landing pages, inbound marketers are able to better target and reach a diverse group of potential customers, providing them with information they find useful and engaging.
Research has shown that bringing traffic first to a customized landing page, as opposed to a company’s website homepage, results in conversions at a much higher rate. Through proper organization and implementation, this widely underutilized tool can bring growth in profit and customer database.
Landing Pages vs. Homepages
Those planning to build a customized landing page must first recognize that this web page is very different from a website’s home page. Like a GPS device, a homepage simply aims to navigate visitors to other sections within the website that cover more detailed information, such as product and service information, and company history. The homepage also makes the first impression on a visitor, meaning it should contain a clear and direct expression of the unique value a company brings to its customer.
A landing page, put simply, is any web page that visitors can “land” on. It is a standalone web page with one, specific goal. Unlike homepages, landing pages should not contain any navigation tools, specifically those linking back to the company’s website. By removing this option, customers are better able to focus on the call-to-action being asked of them, improving the chances of future conversion.
Landing pages are generally divided into two broad categories: click-through landing pages and lead generation landing pages. A click-through landing page warms up a visitor, offering detailed information about a product or service making them more comfortable clicking through to another page. Ideally, the visitor would click to the shopping cart or registration page. A lead generation landing page aims to capture a visitor’s personal contact data, such as their name and email address. This page usually offers the visitor something in exchange for their contact data, such a discount on a product or service, demonstrating to visitors the value the company will offer in exchange for their personal information.
Visitors can reach a landing page in many ways, such as through a search engine listing or social media post. No matter how a visitor reaches this page, however, once there they are at the crucial step in the lead generation cycle where their relationship with a company has begun.
Why Use a Landing Page?
Conversions. Marketers pour their time and effort into coming up with the best ways to convert as many people into paying customers. Landing pages allow for a more targeted promotion of a company’s products and services with a narrowed focus on giving the visitor that clicked on an ad exactly what was advertised. On a website homepage, all links that are not incorporated into the overall conversion goal can be thought of as distractions. Landing pages, on the other hand, are built solely to initiate relationships and funnel visitors into a campaign’s pipeline, after which marketers are able to nurture and strengthen their interest and excitement about the company’s offerings.
When To Use A Landing Page
Landing pages should be incorporated into every inbound advertising campaign a company creates. If, for example, you are providing a variety of services each with a unique promotional offer, it will likely be difficult to put all necessary information on the homepage. Separate, standalone web pages can handle the job of reaching targeted audiences, giving them only the relevant information they seek. This segmentation also makes running analytics on the advertising campaign much easier. You’ll be able to see which pages are performing better, identifying the most successful channel and content of the campaign.
Experimentation
A crucial step in using a landing is testing it. It is generally recommended that those planning to utilize a landing page perform A/B testing. As it sounds, A/B (or split) testing is using two different versions of a landing page at the same time. Customers are unknowingly telling you what they find engaging, and what information isn’t useful to them as a potential customer.
There are a number of landing page elements that can differ across the two versions, including the call-to-action, headline, color scheme, and length of the form. By running two landing pages simultaneously, you’ll be able to see which layout is driving the most sales. This insight will be incredibly useful for designing future successful advertising campaigns.
Landing Page Organization
Though landing pages vary greatly, the most successful pages generally follow a few common rules of thumb. First, the headline must stand out. As the first thing a visitor reads, it should draw them in and keep them wanting to find out more. The call-to-action should be concise and strong. Whether you’re asking for only a name and address, or more personal information, a visitor should not be confused as to what’s being asked of them. By keeping the call-to-action clear, visitors won’t have to invest much time in the form, improving the chances for conversion. Another tip, ensure that spelling and grammar are impeccable. Visitors want to know that the company they will be giving their information and, one day, money to is thorough and careful.
