Have you ever received an email with a great offer for something you really need, or saw a Google click ad for exactly what you’ve been searching for – then with great anticipation, clicked the link for more information only to land on the home page of the company’s web site?
It’s sure happened to me before. I’ve clicked on a link for a specific offer or ad, only to land on a home page where I instantly became lost. Where’s the offer I just saw? Which link should I try first? Where am I supposed to look, and how many levels will I need to click through before I find the offer, if I ever find it?
This is exactly the experience that you do NOT want your customers to have when they arrive at your web site! If you are lucky enough to get visitors to take action from an email campaign, click ad, or social networking link, be sure to provide them with instant reassurance that they are in the right place by creating a specific landing page that matches the campaign or offer.
Good landing pages contain only one subject, eliminating any distraction and clutter that isn’t relevant to the topic. For example, if you send an email campaign advertising a free trial offer, don’t send visitors to the home page of your site, or even to the product page of your site – your visitor is expecting to land on a page that talks about the free trial offer, and how to sign up! On the landing page, it’s fine to include some bullet points that highlight the benefits of your product, or add some brief sales information about the product. But mostly, you want to use your landing page to give details about the free trial, and provide visitors with a way to sign up and get started.
Here are some other tips to help you create focused, clear, and effective landing pages:
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Match the landing page to your campaign or ad. Use the same terminology, repeat your keywords, and make the design and images look the same or similar to what was used in your campaign. All of these are visual triggers to reassure visitors that they are in the right place.
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One page, one topic. Don’t introduce a second subject on the page, or try to introduce additional products or services. Stick to a single topic, and be sure to clear away any obstacles that could cause visitors to become distracted or lose their focus.
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Include a clear call to action. Specifically tell your visitors what you want them to do as a result of landing on the page, then give them an easy way to take action (provide an online form, toll-free phone number, shopping cart links, etc.).
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State your privacy policy. Make sure your privacy policy is visible on your landing page (or at least provide a link to your policy) so visitors know what you will or will not do with the information that they may be providing to you.
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Add some testimonials. A few well-placed testimonials on the landing page helps build up your credibility and make visitors feel more at ease about taking action.
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Be transparent. Make sure your landing page has all of your company information and contact info included; preferably with a similar look that matches the branding on your regular web pages.
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Remove your regular navigation. The menu system that you use on your web site shouldn’t be included on a landing page. By including your navigation, you invite your visitors to jump off the landing page and onto your regular site before they have taken action on your offer.
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Keep the most important elements above the fold. Don’t make visitors read through a lot of content or scroll down the page to discover how to take action. Include the most important elements near the top of the page where visitors can see them immediately.
By creating specific landing pages, you can help steer your visitors toward taking the action you want them to take, while providing them with the exact information they are expecting. When visitors arrive at your landing page because of an email campaign or ad, they have already “pre-qualified” themselves by showing interest in your offer. Be sure to meet their expectations with a landing page that will answer their questions, make them feel comfortable, and compel them to take action. Simply linking them to your web site’s home page is too overwhelming – don’t make them guess what to do or where to go. Instead, give them a specific landing page that matches your offer and leads them directly to a conversion.
