| What is a good landing page? The crucial half of a | | | | - Show the benefits to the potential customer. Details |
| PPC campaign most people don't know about. | | | | that the viewer can relate to on a personal, even |
| Google Adwords, Yahoo (formerly called Overture | | | | emotional level are what makes this page have a |
| Sponsored listings) and other Pay Per Click (PPC) | | | | much better chance of getting a lead, conversion or |
| companies give you the chance to get your ad or | | | | sale. It must show all the properties that make you |
| search listing at the top of the pack, right up front and | | | | better than the rest. Don't be arrogant, but make the |
| perfectly matched to the searcher's query. With a | | | | reader feel they will be secure, better and confident if |
| clever and catchy, attention grabbing ad or headline | | | | they buy, fill out a form, or perform the action you're |
| you can win the viewer in that critical split second he | | | | after. |
| has to decide to click. | | | | - KISS- "Keep it simple, stupid" applies here too. If you |
| He clicks, you score! Right? WRONG! If you can get | | | | don't need a country and a phone number in your |
| that click on a focused, targeted keyphrase and ad | | | | form, keep them off. Make it easy and simple for your |
| headline, you should feel very good. You're halfway | | | | viewer. |
| there. But, where does he land? On your home page? | | | | Remember, when you land on a page, you ask |
| On the specific product page if you have an online | | | | "WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME?" |
| store? | | | | Destination Page Construct |
| The page where the viewer lands is called a "landing | | | | - The first step is to provide the viewer with what he's |
| page" or "destination page." It is equally as important as | | | | looking for immediately. Next, show him the features of |
| your ad headline and copy, if not more. Most sales, | | | | the product. |
| conversions, or leads that cost hard cash to Adwords | | | | - Most importantly, what is the benefit to the potential |
| or Yahoo are often lost because of poor, or non | | | | customer? Why should he buy from you? What will he |
| existent landing pages. | | | | gain by buying from you? |
| Why can't I just send my adword clicks to my Home | | | | - If you're selling a product that is very similar to other |
| page? | | | | competing products, you need to focus your sales |
| You can. But what if you walked into a five-story | | | | message on what makes your product unique. What |
| department store with no sales people-- You're looking | | | | are the unique benefits for your customer? |
| for a very specific sweatshirt with a Penn State Logo | | | | - Anything that can steal focus from your objective |
| that you saw at a football game. You know the sports | | | | risks losing a conversion. This includes other products, |
| shop out in the mall will have it, but you've got a store | | | | details not related to the main idea, and even the |
| credit card so you'd like to get it here. You're also | | | | navigation system you use throughout your site. Don't |
| holding onto two toddlers who are losing their cuteness | | | | give the viewer the option to go anywhere else but to |
| very quickly because they want the Happy Meals you | | | | a form, buy button or call to action. |
| promised on the way home. | | | | - Each destination page should have a single, obvious |
| So there you are in an endless sea of perfume | | | | goal that gently tells the customer what to do. Don't try |
| counters. You want a sweatshirt. Maybe it's in the | | | | to cross sell or sign up for a newsletter and send an |
| men's section...but where is that? Or maybe it's in | | | | e-card. Stick to one goal. |
| Active wear... would that be with the men's stuff? And | | | | - Some people might be looking for the specific |
| where are the escalators?! | | | | product and buy from you. But for those that are |
| "Forget it," you think, and walk out to the sports shop in | | | | questioning and/or first time buyers, don't give them a |
| the mall, buy your sweatshirt and are on your way to | | | | chance to question your credibility. |
| Micky D's in less than 10 minutes. | | | | -The phone number and email address should appear |
| Your homepage is the department store. It doesn't | | | | (not obnoxiously)enough times that they're always |
| matter if you're selling a product, service, or giving | | | | visible when the page is scrolled. It's a proven fact, if |
| away free information. You have sections and | | | | someone has to search for how to contact you, you |
| categories which are probably very well marked and | | | | lose some potentials. |
| labeled. | | | | Destination Pages and the Unique Selling Proposition |
| However, your Google Ad or Sponsored listing was | | | | A concept developed in 1961 still holds merit today and |
| specific. It advertised a precise thing in about 70 | | | | is a great check for the underlying tone of your landing |
| characters or less. People don't care about your home | | | | page. That is the "Unique Selling Proposition" by Rosser |
| page. They expect to see what they were searching | | | | Reeves. The concept explains how every company |
| for as soon as they click. Don't you? | | | | should strive to show how it differs and surpasses its |
| So let's say your ads lead to specific destination pages | | | | competition. |
| of your site. What's on those pages? | | | | It consists of three concepts that should be applied to |
| Destination Page Overview | | | | your advertisement (or adword) and your destination |
| For Pay Per Click, your destination pages are | | | | page. |
| absolutely critical. They are the second half of the | | | | 1. Tell the consumer what benefits you will be giving |
| sales pitch. Just having the adword or PPC land on the | | | | him. ? "Buy this product, and you will get this specific |
| product page is not enough. First, you have to get | | | | benefit." |
| someone to your site. | | | | 2. The benefits have to be unique to your product. |
| Remember the number of hits you get on a PPC or | | | | Something that separates you from what the |
| Google Adword is an ever-increasing expense if you | | | | competition has to offer. If your products are sold by |
| don't turn that click into a sale and the only sales | | | | competitors too, find something that distinguishes |
| person you have is the page at the end of that click. | | | | YOUR company. |
| You've got to convince someone quickly, "at a glance | | | | 3. The proposition must be so strong and convincing |
| quickly," why they should buy from you and not the ad | | | | that it can move the millions (attract new customers). |
| above or below you. Think of your own web | | | | To be successful, you'll need to research and build a |
| searches. You have seconds to entice that viewer to | | | | campaign, then watch and modify, test and retest |
| read more, or lose them. | | | | different changes, words, prices, etc. I want to stress |
| Build the page around a SINGLE goal incorporating: | | | | the importance of this. |
| - Well written content describing in clear detail what | | | | The same testing, observing, tracking and revising |
| you are offering | | | | apply to landing pages as they do to ads and |
| - Organization to make a fast read or "scan" of the | | | | headlines themselves. It can save you a lot of money. |
| page convey as much information to the viewer as | | | | If you're not careful you can run up thousands of |
| possible. Use bullet points and straightforward language | | | | dollars in PPC and adwords with insignificant sales or |
| to make reading as easy as possible | | | | leads. |