Browsing the internet has become second nature; without realising it, you always visit landing pages. Landing pages are designated pages you are taken to when you click on an ad or a standard link on a search engine. They can also act as the page that follows a call-to-action, such as a thank you page. The homepage of your site is also a landing page.
It doesn’t matter how you “land” on a landing page; the purpose will always be to encourage you to convert into a lead or a paying customer. Landing pages are a very powerful and vital tool for a business’s digital marketing strategy and successful online presence.
It’s all well and good to have a high-quality PPC campaign, but you still need to ensure that your landing page is optimised to the best standard to encourage a conversion, which is where a PPC Agency can help.
Well, why do I need a landing page?
Why do I need to create a specific page just for a form? Why can’t I just use my homepage? Can I just add my form to my about page? All great questions.
After reading our best practices, you will be able to answer those yourself. However, we will answer them for you anyway. A dedicated landing page allows you to remove all customer distractions, including navigation, links to other pages, and more, so you can guarantee the customer’s undivided attention. With unwavering attention, your can encourage your visitors to complete the action you want them to take. To sum up, landing pages are designed specifically to generate conversions.
Okay, so now we know why we are creating landing pages and why they are essential, we need to go through best practice guidelines to make them successful for conversions.
Consistent branding
Your landing page needs to look like it belongs on your website. It doesn’t need to be a replica of any page or overly complex. The simpler, the better when it comes to a landing page. They just need to contain your branding elements, including:
- Company logo in the top right corner (keep the position, size and colour of this consistent on all pages)
- Brand colours
- Typography
- General website layout design & aesthetic
Clear headings
All headings on your page should be clear, concise and acutely describe what the page is about. Your page will need to be streamlined with the copy you have used in your original call-to-action on search engines.When customers land on your page, a heading or H1 is typically the first thing to read. You will need to make this grab your customer’s attention and be catchy whilst still communicating the page’s purpose.
Eye-catching visuals
Including visual content on your landing page helps improve the engagement of your customer and the page is more exciting. You can use images, icons and videos on your landing page to tell a story, encourage interactivity and provide directional cues for customers to complete a call-to-action.
Statistics from 2019 show that video content can be a highly effective way to engage users, with an increase in conversions of 80%, meaning that video is the way forward. 96% of consumers found that video content was a helping hand in the decision process when making an online purchase.
When including video content on your landing pages, ensure they are strategically placed with a prominent call-to-action and attractive thumbnail. You also want to ensure that your videos are short and sweet, as users are not likely to watch a long video.
Obvious call-to-action (CTA)
A landing page needs to contain one clear call-to-action button. To help the effectiveness, use a contrasting colour (this doesn’t need to be bright, keep it in line with your branding) and structure this as an actual button rather than a weblink. Make your CTA button large enough to be noticeable, so customers are not confused about what action you want them to complete. When considering the best position for a CTA on your page, consider the F-Pattern and Z-Pattern of eye movement. So you don’t confuse your customers, only use 1 CTA per page.
Trust indicators & social proof
Trust in your brand is crucial for customers becoming lead or paying customers. Consider adding a few elements that provide credibility to your brand, including statistical evidence, testimonials, reviews or trust badges like awards or customer logos. Social proof can help build trust between your brand and the consumer, which increases the likelihood of customers converting.
71% of people are more likely to make a purchase when referred to your site via social media channels. So, you should include social media sharing buttons on your website, allowing your customers to share and promote your brand for you.
Other effective social proof types include company details on your website, including your company phone number, email address and physical address. It increases creditability in the eyes of your consumer base and makes you seem authentic.
Mobile friendly
In the modern age, mobile-friendly is a must.
Customers want something right here, right now, and with the continual rise in mobile users online, you have got to ensure your site is useable on a mobile device.
So as you design your landing page, remember that you must create this to be responsive and optimised for mobile devices. If this is something that you aren’t sure about, there are plenty of fantastic web development agencies out there that can help you.
Quick loading pages
How quickly your landing page loads is one of the most significant factors in customer retention and conversions. Faster loading speeds lead to a higher percentage of conversion rates; slower page loading speeds increase your bounce rate as customers are impatient, which will result in a lower conversion rate. The speed of your page loading also plays a vital role in search result ranking as it impacts the user’s experience.
Use simple designs
A simple design is best. A site with a simple layout ensures more effortless loading (increasing your loading speed), easy navigation, and it’s not confusing for your customers. All websites follow a very similar structure, with global navigation at the top and a search box in the top right corner. If this is placed anywhere else on the website, users will not know how to browse your site and will leave it unfulfilled.
Write compelling content
Your headings are essential. However, you don’t want to be spending all your time creating the perfect titles and then not delivering on the content that essentially sells your products/services and promotes your CTA. Your wording needs to be concise and straightforward and should gently push your users to complete your desired actions. Word choices also speak volumes to customers; using words like “you” and “your” make them feel special and like they need your product or service.
Wrapping up your landing page
Landing pages demand your attention because they typically generate most of your leads. You can do many things with a landing page, so you just need to play around and see what resonates with your customer page and what converts well.
Just ensure you follow the best practice guidelines above, and you will have no problem generating a high-performing landing page. If you need some additional guidance or support, get in touch with a PPC Agency.
