You should be using campaign-specific landing pages if your customers are accessing you online by:
- Clicking from a paid advertisement
- Clicking on a link in an email
- Receiving a direct mail piece with a web address on it
- Hearing a radio ad with a web address
- Seeing a TV ad or video asking them to go to a web address
By creating campaign-specific landing pages, rather than sending a customer to a general web page (and yes, that could be your home page), you are continuing a conversation with your customer. Landing pages with the following elements can increase your conversion rates by up to 40%:
1. Only One Conversion Path
The quickest way to get from A to B is a direct line. This applies to online actions as well. If you’re driving an action (form entry, call, watch, etc.), don’t include your website’s main navigation. Force your visitor down the conversion funnel. Should they reach the Confirmation or Thank You page, your website navigation can appear there along with a secondary call to action, e.g., “If you like this white paper, then see more about [ENTER TOPIC HERE] at our blog.”
2. Strong Calls-to-Action
Having a time limit creates urgency, but offering something of value can be just as impactful, like a free trial, white paper, video, or tchotchke. Be sure to make your CTAs a clear as possible and set expectations on what will occur if a visitor “clicks.”
3. Visuals to Reinforce Messaging
Include enticing visuals that reinforce your messaging and offer and that are not only eye-catching, but assist the visitor in understanding what you want them to do and what the benefit is to them. Make your visuals as specific as you can.
4. Dynamic Content Based on Paid Search Terms
Make your visitors feel successful in their online searches. Landing pages that used for paid search can dramatically increase your conversions. The main reason is your customer has just spent time searching a key word, “Mediterranean Luxury Cruises” for example. Taking them to a specific page talking about Mediterranean luxury cruises, rather than some general page where they’d need to search all over again, will help them feel successful in their search.
5. Content That Is Tested and Proven
The benefits to having landing pages, or any online asset for that matter, are gaining real-time insights. Test headlines, button placement, images, and offers to start. Google Experiments and Optimizely are two platforms that can easily be implemented (GE at no cost). The insights you glean can be used for all your marketing programs, not just online.
