5 Guidelines for Campaign Landing Pages

You have analyzed your campaign over and over. Adjusted bids, changed budget, added more keywords, researched negatives, and so much more. It is just not working.

The truth is you can over analyze online campaigns (search or non-search) to death, but if you are sending the visitors to bad landing pages, it does not matter. The best campaigns are destined to fail if the landing page is not optimized properly.

Below are 5 guidelines to help you customize campaign landing pages:

1. Relevance
It is essential that landing pages match the message from the ad. Follow up on the promises that led them to click on your ad. If, for example, the pay-per-click ad headline is “20% off Sandles”, the landing page better deliver. There should be continuity between the ad and the page.

I rarely recommend sending campaign links to the main page of a website. That usually indicates there is not a core message in the campaign and the main page is a “catch all”. Ultimately, not having a message means not having a sale. The landing page should correspond with that message.

2. Call-To-Action
It may be “old school marketing”, but a call-to-action is at the heart of all campaigns. Just like your campaigns, the landing page should complete that process. Every landing page should have a clear and concise target.

When possible, having one action is best. Multiple messages and actionable items often lead to decision paralysis. Placing the call-to-action “above the fold” (i.e. no scrolling) make the process a lot easier for consumers. Let them know what the next step is.

3. Show Authority
Your visitors, especially new visitors, have no reason to trust you. Showing endorsements, client list, assurances, warranty, or other recognizable icons puts familiarity on the minds of consumers.

Examples:

If your site has secure ordering through VeriSign, then drop the VeriSign logo on your site. It is a small adjustment that causes big assurance for some visitors.

Has your company or product ever been featured on television? If yes, then add that channel’s logo (NBC, CNN, etc.). It is a recognizable comfort for many consumers.

4. Limit Distractions
Always keep in mind the goal of this landing page. If anything added to the page does not aid with that goal, then it becomes a distraction. By controlling the funnel and purchase path, you limit the distractions of a visitor. This can be done by limiting the navigation options.

Note: Although, minimal navigation is essential, you always want to allow them a way to explore if they choose to. Thus, a link to the main page is still a great customer service feature.

5. Offline Options
Like it or not, some users will not convert online. Providing offline options is a necessity for these users. Make sure you provide a phone number on your landing page. If needed, a unique phone number per campaign can aid with tracking.

A phone number also means trust. They may not call, but they always like to know they have the option.

Keep in mind the 5 campaign landing pages elements above and test. Then, adjust. Then, test again.
Ultimately, it does not matter what I say, let the numbers tell you the story. Follow the users and the data. They will ultimately dictate your best landing page ideas. Through this process, you will learn that providing clear and concise landing pages directly leads to higher conversions.