How to Create Killer PPC Landing Pages
A landing page is the page that appears when a potential customer clicks on a PPC advertisement or search engine link. It’s also known as a lead capture page and usually displays contents that is directly related to the message in a PPC ad. This guide will help you create effective landing pages.
There’s basically two types of PPC landing pages. Reference and Transactional.
A reference landing page provides the visitor with information from text, images or links. Reference requires little if any interaction. It’s basically a source site. Such as Wikipedia.
A transactional landing page asks visitors to complete a transaction. Such can be a purchase or in the case of a real estate investor website, filling out a lead capture form. To aid the capturing, transactional pages typically seek visitor information such as name, email, phone, and a comment. This type of sign up form or purchase is called a conversion.
source: 251homebuyers.com
The quality of a landing page can be measured by the percentage of visitors who complete the desired action which is the rate of conversion or conversion rate. Since ROI of pay-per-click advertising is often determined by the conversion rate, advertisers must constantly be testing and changing their landing pages. If this isn’t possible due to managing campaigns for a business that doesn’t grant access to landing pages, at the very least you can suggest changes to improve client landing pages.
Why Landing Pages are Super Important for PPC Campaigns
A benefit of PPC campaigns is that landing pages can be customized to closely target the advertisement which triggered it. While writing enticing ad copy is very important, having killer landing pages is vital in order to “close the deal” and encourage visitors to take the action you want them to take.
Landing pages often determine whether you get a conversion or not. Creating custom landing pages also means that visitors might not see your home page. This makes your first impression that much more important. So, you need to create landing pages that are a true representation of your business in the best possible way.
Features of an Effective Landing Page
The vital ingredients for an effective landing page include:
Reinforce Your Ad Message
The first thing visitors to your landing page will look for is assurance that they have entered the right place after clicking your ad.
For example, if your ad promised to “sell your house in 7 days or less” you’d better have a lead capture form that states “selling in 7 days or less” clearly visible towards the top of your landing page or else the visitor will click away and you’ll have wasted the ad click cost.
An effective way of reinforcing your ad message is to use the same keywords that triggered your ad within your landing page headlines and copy.
source: ibuyhousesboise.com
Write Convincing Headings
Short, convincing headlines can be more effective than longer versions. Combine your ad trigger key terms into short headings to break up your copy and reinforce your ad message in the mind of the visitor.
Use Short Paragraphs
Short paragraphs keep your visitors focused. They are much easier to read than large amounts of uninterrupted text. Endless amounts of words can scare visitors away.
Break up the page with bullet points, call-outs and headlines to make the text easier to read and convey your message quickly.
Write Inviting Copy
Your landing page should welcome your visitors and embrace them with reassuring language and exciting ideas. The first rule is to make sure you let the visitor know right away what they will get out of the service or product you are offering.
Your copy should be benefit driven. How will you solve their problem? What will happen if they sign up for more information? Why much they use you? Use “hooks” to convince them that they can’t do without you. For example:
“We buy houses fast. Get a 100% No-Obligation Cash Offer within 24 hours!”
Your copy should include your unique selling proposition or USP. What makes you different/better than your competitors? Use power words like “free”, “fast”, “safe“, “fun”, “risk-free”, “new”, “guaranteed” and “honest”.
Limit Distractions
The number one goal of a landing page is to create a conversion. Distractions on a landing page could push the visitor away from your desired action. Everything on your page should be design to encourage conversions.
Limit flashing buttons, pop-up windows and links to other areas of you site that aren’t related to a conversion. Instead use content that quickly guides visitors to take action. Include clear headings and enticing call-to-action words. Take your visitors and guide them through the page contents towards the final goal.
Add Influential Images
Good images can be very powerful. But too many images can be a distraction or confuse the visitor. Images along with a testimonial can be a great way to build trust. If you absolutely need to use images, use thumbnails that lead to a closer look at the product.
Calls to Action
Include obvious call-to-action (CTA) on you landing page. CTA’s basically provide visitors the specific instructions you want them to take. If you want them to fill out your sign up form, make it stand out by adding a button stating “Get My Fair Cash Offer”.
Effective CTA’s provide a sense of urgency. For example, “Sell Your House Now!” or “Fill Out the Form Below and Get an Offer in 24 Hours!”.
source: ibuyhousesboise.com
Keep the Super Important Content “Above the Fold”
Visitors tend to scan pages. For this reason, it’s important to keep your important message “above the fold.” Simply meaning the section of a landing page that is visible without the need to scroll down the page. The amount of space that is above the fold will vary depending on device and/or monitor display settings.
Be sure to communicate your message quickly and easily and encourage action without having to scroll.
source: webuyhousesorlandoflorida.com
Testimonials
Connect your visitor with your clients. To be effective, testimonials need to be real and honest from actual clients. If possible, get the testimonial clients name with their quote. This also provides a sense of connection and trust.
Be sure to always ask permission from your customers to use their quotes. Keep them real and don’t edit them. The most effective testimonials are the unsolicited type. These customers are genuinely happy about their experience with your company.
Foolproof Conversion Process
After you’ve done all the hard work to attract visitors to your landing page and convinced them they need your service or product, they’re read to sign up. You don’t want to make the sign up process a pain for them to figure out. The process shouldn’t be confusing or complex. You don’t want visitors to stop their sign up momentum.
Simple sign up forms are one thing. But shopping cart abandonment is tricky. Visitors are more aware and nervous when it comes to parting with money. You don’t want to give them any reason to back out.
If you sell products, in order to minimize shopping cart abandonment, try these tips:
Short Checkout Process- Have High Security
- Provide a Product Description
- Use a Progress Indicator
- No Distractions
- Easy Cart Editing
- Offer PayPal
- Provide Shipping and Delivery Information Early
- Show Stock Availability
- Let Customers Go Back to the Product Pages
- Use Error Messages So Customers Don’t Have to Guess What Went Wrong
- Provide Easy to Find Contact Details
- Give an Option to Save Their Orders
Test, Change, Test Again
Once you have your landing page the way you like it, don’t get complacent. In order to maximize the potential of a pay-per-click campaign, you must always be testing your landing page. Tweak the page based on your analytics of visitor activity.
This information will provide you with patterns, drop-offs, paths, and new keywords.. You’ll be able to pinpoint exactly what triggered their activity and give you ideas for what to change in order better your landing page.
Create Goals for Your Landing Page
Attracting and capturing qualified leads should be one of your, if not the most important, goal of your landing page. Why? Because you can always sell to these clients later. Obtaining their contact details ensures that they are interested in your service.
Summing It Up
When visitors come to your landing page, make it easy for them to take the next step. You should follow through on the promises make by your PPC ad. Give the visitor what they are expecting. If you don’t, visitors will back away and you’ll be wasting your pay-per-click campaign budget.
You need to consistently track results from your campaign, track click-through-rate, ad copy, conversions, and ROI. If you want your PPC campaign to be successful, you can’t have a set it and forget it attitude. PPC Landing Pages require constant tweaking. Be sure to stay on top.
The PPC Management team at SoaringSEM would be glad to manage your campaign, so you can focus your Real Estate Investor efforts in buying and selling properties. Check out our PPC service packages.