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They're Here. Now What?
Congratulations on getting your guests to your website—but where do they go from there? Make sure you welcome your visitors with a good landing page that is in context with your invitation, especially one that is visually appealing and steers them straight to your desired action.
To create an effective message, follow these tips for designing your landing page:
- Stay relevant.
- Design and write to the screen.
- Make a clear call to action.
Stay relevant
Create a smooth, consistent flow between your ad and the landing page to assure your customers that they "landed" in the right place. Then build your visitors' confidence in your company by making sure your landing page welcomes them in context.
Example 1: Bait and switch.
A banner ad that offers one thing, but leads to a landing page that offers a different call to action. Here, a searcher types "best digital camera" in a search box and gets this list of results:
The second link shown in the results list is to ConsumerReports.org. The ad promises unbiased reviews if the user clicks the link. When the user clicks, the following page appears:
Instead of the list of camera reviews as promised by the ad, the searcher arrives at a page asking that he or she join Consumer Reports. The most likely reaction by the "tricked" user is to leave. (It turns out that the link to that page of camera reviews is buried in the bulleted list, and not likely to be noticed by a searcher.)
Example #2: High relevance.
Here is an example of a good way to orient your guest. Following is a banner ad for a gym (note that this particular banner ad also contains a call to action, the "print yours now" button):
Clicking on that banner ad brings you here:
Both the ad and the landing page are obviously from the same company and context. The landing page contains the same color palette, graphic, and font as the banner ad. It's also clear that after completing the form the user will receive the free pass (as shown on step #3).
Design and write to the screen.
Minimize visual distractions on your page as much as possible. Usability research shows that more than half of your online visitors will NOT scroll "below the fold."
Example #3: A cluttered landing page.
It's difficult to know where to begin on this page as numerous elements compete for your attention. The page extends beyond the boundaries of the screen, and uses animation, multiple colors, and graphics in a way makes it difficult to figure out what to do. Note that this is actually the company's homepage; there is no separate, customized landing page.
Example #4: A simple landing page.
Show only the essential information, and if you offer additional details, make it available as a click-through to another page. This landing page has a clean look and simple elements (the APR rate is the focal point, and the picture supports the message) and the call to action is obvious (the Get Started button is large and red).
Get to the point and the action.
Create a simple landing page where the content guides the user's eye to the action:
- Ruthlessly edit your text. Less content on a landing page leads to higher conversion rates.
- Make sure that you spell out exactly what will happen when your visitor fills out a form or clicks on the presented link. Ask for only enough information to complete the sale or the desired action.
- Don't ask your visitor to take a survey or provide information that is irrelevant to the conversion. The more you ask from your visitor, the lower your conversion rate.
Example #5: A landing page in which the point is lost.
The Free Instant Acess button is orange, which is the same color as the arrow, creating some confusion about the call to action. Under the button is a link, creating more confusion about where to click.
Example #6: A landing page with a clear message and call to action.
One approach is to remove as much content as possible, leaving only a call to action. There's not much to describe here, as this landing page makes it quite clear what it expects the user to do.
The more you emulate the content and design elements of proven landing pages the more likely your visitor will take the next step to become a customer. Once you've created your landing page, we can help you manage your web content.
CrossLink Suite. Less Maintenance. Better Marketing.
Request more details on how CrossLink can streamline your web content management and boost your online marketing at 1-888-242-5751.
