How to Design Landing Pages That Actually Work

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Website Marketing

Landing page is not a home page or a webpage that gives all the details about you to customers. It is a webpage where customer looks for information about your company and with a goal of purchasing your product. Knowing how to design an effective landing page can improve the number of website visitors that take appropriate action. Let us discuss the factors and considerations that actually work and improve sales.

The 3 reasons for creating a landing page are mentioned below:

Get customers to sign up (for an account, a newsletter, etc.)
Selling a specific product (such as a sale or a promotion)
Get customers to download and install software

This article focuses on the most important factors and components of an effective landing page design.

Call to Action

Call to Action precisely compels and asks the customer to take a specific and desired action. For example, a call to action can be “Subscribe to our mailing list” etc. The call to action usually needs to click on a web page (button or a hyperlink) or it may need to fill a form.

Headlines

Effective landing pages should have powerful headlines. Headlines send the main message of what to expect in the landing page. Headlines should accomplish just one task i.e. to attract the site visitors to stay on landing page. This is the primary goal.

Whenever you craft your headline, just make sure that the headline is interesting enough and makes the visitor keep reading.

Simplicity

A Landing page must be simple. If it is too complex, the visitors may not remain on the webpage. The message should to be very clear and only the relevant stuff must be included.

Relevance

As you are aware, the visitor comes to the landing page from a source. So the landing page should be relevant to that specific source. For instance, if your Ad tells that by clicking on it, the visitor or customer can purchase Laptops for half the price, then the landing page should be selling Laptops for half the price. Here relevance is the key.

Scarcity

One effective way of designing landing pages that can work better is by creating the illusion of scarcity. If visitors feel that the product may run out of stock and the discounted price may end soon, they may be compelled to take immediate action.

Hence, the design of landing pages is vital in prompting the visitors to take the desired action. The above mentioned factors and components are very essential in creating effective landing pages.

Four Important Ways to Improve Ecommerce Conversions

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Website Marketing

A Landing page is the first web page a visitor reaches when he clicks a link. It is this page that receives a customer to your site and creates a first impression in his/ her mind. It is a page where customer looks for information about your company and with a goal of purchasing your product or enrolling to your service. Thus, the aim of landing page is not only your branding but directing a client to take action. A small difference in conversion rates can make a huge difference in the profits. But enhancing or improving conversion rates is actually more of an art than a science. There are certain tactics that can help, but are not guaranteed. All these tactics may focus on improving and optimizing the design and content of landing pages.

This article proposes four ways to improve ecommerce conversions.

1. Continuity

Most of the online marketers are good at driving the website traffic. These marketers can design excellent PPC Ad copy. The landing pages on the other side of the link should deliver what the Ad assures and according to the expectations of the customer.

A lack of continuity may slow down the e-commerce conversion rates. So the merchant needs to consider testing the options for both the Ad and landing page messaging.

2. Positioning

A landing page has to communicate the information regarding the product, product image, price, clear call to action etc. If a merchant wishes to give the website visitors a great deal, the marketing team of the merchant can add a banner just below the product title on all its landing pages. The team can also encourage reviews by adding a bit of text to promote the reviews. Normally free shipping offers and reviews will boost the conversion rates.

3. Touchable Images

The image or photo of the product is an important contributor to the conversions. A study on shopper behavior in 2011 has revealed that the tablet users spend 50 percent more than the smart phone users on a single purchase. It also revealed that the tablet users spend 20 percent more than the desktop and laptop users. So, visually appealing images and pictures on landing pages can always boost the conversions.

4. Content Editing

A merchant can experiment with adding and editing the content on landing pages. Some reports have found that adding videos can significantly enhance the conversions. Well written descriptions regarding the products and offerings, page layouts and color selection can all contribute to good conversion rates.

Advantages of using Video on Landing Pages

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Website Marketing

Landing Pages are what they leave first impression on the visitors. Mostly, visitors are directed to the landing pages whenever they click on your Ads. Landing page creates a great impact on the visitors. To make landing page more effective and to increase conversion rates of the traffic, usage of Video is advisable. Making use of video in Landing page creates more effect on the visitors and increases their rate of conversion.

Why using of video increases conversion of traffic?

With the use of video in the landing page, visitors stay for the long time as video creates interest in them to watch for the whole message.
Video gives clear message of the brand which creates great impact on the visitors.
Instead of reading whole landing page, visitors likely to prefer watching video of landing page and get the message of the company what it’s about.
Video creates more impact on the visitors if you feature yourself or any employees in the video as it builds trust factor in them.

How to make videos more effectual

→ Make a test of press play vs. autoplay: –

Press play is more advisable as it has been observed that visitors get incense due to the interruption technique of clicking back button. But the conversion rate of traffic increases with auto-play videos. Take a test of both videos and then decide which video creates a more impact on the traffic and converts them as a customer.

→ Video should have a call to action button: -

Make use of call to action button during videos or when video comes to an end to remind your visitor to take action of their call. Call to action button allows visitors to convert their visit into action.

→ Short and simple video:-

Keep the messages of your video short and to the point which can convey a clear message to the visitors watching video on your Landing page. Keep your message of the video simple so that it conveys the message to the visitor in the same way as you want it to convey.

→ Directional cues: –

Make use of directional cues in the video to aim your visitors of your Landing page for the purpose of conversion. Directional cues can be anything, either verbal instruction or a physical action i.e. a personal pointing.

→ Good and effective script: –

Before creating video for Landing page, make a good research and then prepare a script in an appropriate way. With this, video can be made in an effective and proper way which can run very smoothly.

→ Professional video:-

If the product is online, then firstly record the screen cast, after then make an audio recording later. With this, video looks more professional and gives more opportunity of conversion rates.

→ Re-use of Content: –

Get your video added to YouTube and make it SEO friendly. It has been recommended that instead of a text article, video is likely to show 52 times more on page one of Google.

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Making Landing Page Successful

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Website Marketing

Creating a successful landing page for online web is not an easy task. To make landing page successful, every minute thing have to be taken into consideration. Design and look of landing page is very important factor for the success of landing page. Design of landing page should be done in an accurate way so that it should never distract and disappoint visitors. Below are some factors which makes landing page successful and helps to increase conversion rate.

Content of the landing page

Very firstly, be sure that the content of the landing page is simple and clear. Content of the landing page should be relevant to the product or services offered by the site. Content creates more clicks on your ad and leads to more traffic on your landing page. Clear and to the point content makes visitors read whole landing pages and then take desired call to action. If the content includes something extra than your product or services details, it may distract the client and client may not stay long on your landing page and will also move to your competitors site.

Be Particular

Whenever visitors land on the landing page, they should be immediately got what it’s about and what are products or services offered by you. If the landing page fails to be particular about the product or services, then the visitor would not stay on your landing page for a long time and would switch to the competitors site immediately. So, it is very important to be particular about the services and product offered by your site.

Attractive Headlines

Headline of the landing page is the most important factor in its success. Once visitor lands on your page and if he finds headline of your landing page attractive, he would be motivated to read further till the end of the landing pages. So, make sure that the headlines of the landing page are very clear and attractive.

Present advantages of the product or services

Ensure that landing page have a list of the advantages of using your product or services. It should be mentioned in such a way that a visitor should have strong appeal about your product and service. It should include that how visitors would be benefitted by using your product. If the readers would be satisfied form the benefits of your product and services offered, he would be tend to buy from you only.

Never confuse the visitor between the features and advantages. Mention both of them under a different heading. Advantages are what they receive after using your product or services, but features are what they include in them. So, it is more likely to mention benefits rather than the features as it creates great impact on the visitors and thereby leads to more conversion rates.

Make landing page professional

Get landing page design looks professional by expert designer. Check the content, spelling and grammar of the landing page thoroughly. It should be error free. Use images of your services or products offered by you on the landing page. Landing page background should be bright and text in it should of dark color.

So, with all these above points, one would definitely get successful landing page with more sales conversion.

Effective Landing Page – Increases Conversion Rates!

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Website Marketing

The most important key tool to divert visitors/traffic into customers is the landing page. Landing page plays a significant role for not only driving potential visitors, but also to convert them into potential customers/buyers and thereby helps you to achieve your target.

To get a good conversion rate is classified into the two-part process.

1. The very first point is to create a nice and attractive ad to encourage potential customers to click with your landing page.

2. Design of the landing page should be effective and eye-catchy as soon as a potential customer clicks through.

Both the points should be considered together to get a good conversion rate. Here, are the few points to be considered to use in your landing pages that helps to increase your conversion rate.

 Craft it professional

Avoid putting too much advertisement on your landing page, animated designs and other useless information that can make the page feel lifeless. So, just make the page very clear and precise with limited distractions and one to two call to action.

 Make a simple usage of navigation

Avoid hitting your visitors back button to search for anything. Provide a clear menu bar on every landing page through which visitors can easily move to other pages and procure an easy transaction for any purchase.

 According to audience

No matter your landing page design should look professional, but it should also be according to your targeted audience. For example:- If it is for teenagers, then it should look trendy and more colorful and if it is related to any business oriented industry, then it should be smooth and less colorful.

 Make your sales copy short

Make your sales copy precise, short and to the point. Do not let your users read very long story to convert your call into action. Instead direct them what they need to understand up front.

 Make it unfussy

Make a use of lot of white space and restrict distractions in your landing page design. Keep your visitors focused on your product/service and increase your conversion rate. Ensure the use of any graphics should lead calls to action.

 Put a call to action

It is very essential to convert very call into action. All landing page design should have a clear call to action button. This is the preferred action which you want your users to take in order to increase the conversion rate. Landing page should have a clear call to action by using any special graphics, special font, special placement or using all of them.

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AIDA Theory for Landing Page

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Website Marketing

Whenever a consumer has to buy a product, he normally visits dozens of offline stores and simultaneously surfs tens of sites. Critical task for a manufacturer or service provider is to stand out of clutter and be on top of mind of client while he is on the final decision making stage. This entire process can be divided in two parts, first-to get a client to your page and second-fasten his decision making process in your favor.

First stage can be achieved by help of offline and online marketing tools like article marketing, blog writing etc. Second part of converting prospect to a client has to be done with designing of landing page. Landing page design is not simple process. It requires various skills like copy writing, web designing and above all sales conversion. The landing pages has to be perfect advertising for your product which not only creates interest but drives the prospect towards buying the solution provided by you.

In pursuit of converting visitor into customer, landing page can be designed keeping AIDA theory in mind. AIDA stands for Awareness, Interest creation, Desire for your product and Action to purchase the same. Success of this theory depends on two important parts, first equal emphasis has to be placed on each step and second a visitor has to progress from one step to another in correct progression without missing any of them. AIDA works with keeping type of client in mind. There are four basic types of visitors:

a.) Surfers: They are just casual movers, who do not what they want and have some unfulfilled needs.

b.) Comparison doer: He is in need for something and is moving from one site to other and comparing all available options.

c.) Converted Client: This type of client has already made a decision and just needs to be guided properly to transact swiftly.

d.) Customer: Has already bought your product and is satisfied with your service. He can be your reference generator.
AIDA can be applied to all type of clients but in different ways. A surfer who is not aware about his latent need can be transformed into window shopper. He occasionally lands on your page, at this point your landing page has to start with increasing awareness, which means informing him about your product and lead him till he buys one. Comparison doer is aware about what he needs but has not decided where to purchase it from. Landing page has to be designed in such a way that he finds value in your deal and pushed towards action. Clients of last two types are converted ones and need to be provided all operational help to make their experience pleasurable.

By working on AIDA model with discipline, you can have great landing page which will result in highest conversion rate for you.

Types of Landing Page

Posted on December 3, 2011 by Website Marketing

A landing page is a vital part of any online business strategy. It extends your advertisement and helps client take a decision in your favor. Many a times it also works as transaction gateway. Landing page gives a call for action and also guides visitors about company. All landing pages are different from each other. But they can be categorized in 5 main types, depending on what is their main function. Each type has its own advantages.

* First and most used type of landing page is Facebook landing page.

As the name suggests, this type of pages make visitors to transact on their visit. It is not necessary that this transaction is monetary. It can also be informative of nature. Various transactions that are intended by landing page makers are

• Sale of product or service

• Getting information from visitor, this can then be used in future for sending product information or other campaign promotions.

• Directing visitor to other site page

What separates transactional landing pages from other types of pages is a clear call for action. It makes visitors take a decision at the same time. This type of page is mostly used by online marketers.

* Second type of landing page is Reference landing page.

Only aim of this type of page is to pass on information to visitors. Neither it takes any information from visitors nor does it guide the client to some product. This type of landing page just is one way communication. It is commonly used by educational institutes, Government offices that have to give information or by companies that have new announcements to be done. It is very difficult to measure success of this category of page, as there is no feedback taken or no sale happening.

* Third type of landing page is Offline support landing page.

These types of pages intend to support and get feedback on offline campaign being run by the company. They are considered as one of the most successful types of landing page. The reason behind it is visitor has taken extra efforts to reach to this page and is also aware about product due to an ongoing campaign. It also gives reassurance about products to clients who have gone through the offline campaign. It is also used to gauge the effectiveness of offline campaign by taking feedback from visitors. Offline campaign is a very costly affair, by using offline landing page, which is virtually cost free, to get feedback increases success ratio. This feedback can then be used in fine tuning the print or television AD campaign.

There also are some more types of landing page design that are used often. They are PPC landing page and Organic landing page. But these both are very scantily used and are not very effective.

We suggest you to use from above three types of pages for success of your campaign.

Advantages and Disadvantages of various types of landing pages:

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Website Marketing

Depending upon the requirement, a landing page can be designed in various ways. From being simple transactional page to one that just shares information, landing pages can have many motives. Each type of landing page has its own merits and its own limitations. However, good a landing page it has some short comings which need to be understood fully before designing the page. Below we discuss some salient features about most used type of landing pages.

A.) Landing page having its own domain name:
Major reason of creating this type of page is to have clients reading the main page directly without having any distractions. Layout of this type of page is set in such a way that call of action is very clearly pushed down to the visitor.

First advantage of this type of landing page is viability of separate branding. Since the domain name is separate than the home page of your business, branding and positioning of this site can be done differently. A catchy name and aggressive marketing can make it on top of visitors mind. Also, additional advantage can be cross promotional activities that can be done for complimentary products.

There are few disadvantages of this type of page. As you are marketing your landing page, this can increase marketing budget. For small and start up businesses where marketing campaign has limited budget, big cost can be a limiting factor. Another restricting aspect of this type of landing page is lower search engine rankings. Search engine give higher rankings to pages that have rich content and are continuously updating themselves. This type of pages has very limited contents are also do not change it regularly, making it difficult to get good page rankings.

B.) Landing page that is integrated to company site:
-This is type of landing page is placed inside the main site only. It can have different lay out and suitable graphics. As the landing page is part of company’s site, you do not need to have special marketing campaign for promoting it. It saves a lot of money and energy at marketer’s part. The landing page can benefit from awareness of the main site and can get a good share of visitors. Also, good rankings of the main site on search engine can benefit your landing page.

As your landing page is not having separate domain for itself, brand identity of your landing page cannot be created. This also decreases chances of having loyal followers that can be used for cross sales for various campaigns.

C.) Making home page as landing page:
This type has properties of both above types. In this case, landing page is designed as the main page and then other pages are added to it making it company site. Major advantage of this type of landing page is – having a good page ranking due to content specifically designed to get a higher number of hits. One limitation of this type of page is not able to put a clear call of action.

Before designing your landing page just keep in mind all above issues and take a decision which is most beneficial to your company.

Importance of Landing Page

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Website Marketing

In just one sentence, landing page converts traffic of your site into revenue of your business. Having a landing page has several benefits; few of them are listed below

• Talking to client in his language

A prospect that comes to your page by means of a PPC campaign or search engine comes from any specific keyword. When you have landing page, which is different from your home page, you can design it according to key word, which is driving the traffic. You can also design separate landing page for different sources of traffic. This can surely have a positive impact on the client acquisition as well as a percentage of conversion from the visitors. You can also change the landing page according to campaign. If you have two sets of campaigns and want clients from each set to go on a specific page, which is also possible.

• Easy to modify

While there can be many people visiting your landing page, each of them has different requirements and will give different feedback. Depending on the increase or decrease in conversion ratio of the page you will need to incorporate several changes. By having a separate webpage for promotions, you have liberty to change as and when required. While your homepage has to remain consistent with brand ideology and corporate communication, landing page can be modified with changing requirements and times.

• Measuring effects of promotion campaign

Having separate landing page for all promotion mediums helps in knowing which campaign is generating how much traffic. These results can help in spending more on rewarding medium and stop spending on not so good campaigns. This will lead to effective advertisement and saving of undue costs. Also, quality of traffic from various mediums can be analyzed.

• Designing content that gets high search engine ranking

Landing page is separate communication and hence can be designed with specific goal. Filling the landing page with keywords can easily get you higher rankings on search engines and result in huge traffic to your page.

• Giving specific message

When you want to convey some specific point or want to drive a new product campaign, all experimentation are possible with landing page. It can be changed and refined with any need of your campaign.

• Boosting conversions:

A page that is designed with clear know how of what type of client is visiting it and coming with what aim can have much more effective communication. This to the point communication can help in making client feel special and pre-poning his buying decision. It also transforms client in your favor.

Benefits we discussed above will all lead to more business for you and improve your bottom-line. This makes a very well-built reason for having a landing pages that builds on your reputation.

Strategies for great landing page

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Website Marketing

Prime objective of good landing page is to involve visitor and make him take a decision towards buying the product. But it has also one more thing to do and that is creating a satisfied client base. These clients will not only visit your page regularly but also refer it other online friends. To achieve both goals landing page has to be designed in a strategic manner. Below are four basic principals to get winning landing page

Step: 1
Suggesting action on the page: With all the marketing efforts put in by you traffic is bound to come to your landing page. Once the visitor reaches your page effectiveness of landing page comes to test. It has to evolve itself in such a way that prospective visitor feels the need of product offered by you and also trusts you as prime supplier of same. The landing page has to create a sense of urgency in mind of visitor so that he takes the decision at earliest.

Step: 2
Increasing conversion ratio: You would have put an idea to buy, in a visitor’s mind by suggesting action as discussed in step 1. Now you have to give him a reason to place an order immediately. This reason can be giving him some contest or giving additional discount for purchase at the same moment. Visitor has to feel that this is one time offer and he will loose it by not taking a decision on the spot. Also, one more way for increasing conversions is to add value to your product by offering some supplementary product that enhances his product usage experience.

Step: 3
Retaining clients that have already associated with you: A very well known principle of marketing says that it costs seven times more efforts and money to get a new client to try your product compared to existing customer. It becomes very difficult for any business to be successful, if it is running a leaking bucket i.e. you are working hard to get new clients but your existing client are giving you a miss when they have to repurchase the service. Satisfied client not only comes back but brings others also with him. This can be achieved by upgrading your services and providing products which exceed client’s expectation. An eye on competitors can also help you in getting a pulse of the market and update you about new developments happening in the market space.

Step: 4
Take Feedback and implement: When you have a target of customer delight, you need to upgrade yourself continuously. For keeping your landing pages on the mark, you need to know what your client’s demand is. If he feels satisfied about your page, then he shall be able to guide you on how to develop other services and how to get your site better than other.
Once you follow above mentioned methodology two things will happen; 1.)Increase in conversion ratio and 2.) more and more visitors due to good referrals.