Using Landing Pages Correctly Can Result In Increased Sales
Underestimating the value of landing pages is a mistake that can lead to a diminished customer base and dissatisfied visitors to your site. Customers who are consistently led to the same, basic homepage to find what they are seeking will more often than not leave shopping carts empty.
In the article “Three Perils with Search Landing Pages”, Jared Spool summarizes three major landing page errors that can be made when trying to increase sales.
The most popular mistake is giving the consumer more than they ask for. When a consumer types in a search query, they should be brought to a page directly targeting that search, making the landing seamless and efficient.
The second biggest landing page mistake companies make is not providing visitors with enough help once they are on the site. By implementing a “best rated” or “customer top ten,” the purchase decision becomes easier.
The third peril is a landing page that misses the mark completely.
“To ensure that your landing pages are delivering what users are actually seeking, use an analytics program to regularly inspect your site's incoming queries, and don't forget to carefully prune out ads that are missing the mark,” Spool said.
In the Lyris HQ article “The Importance of Optimized Landing Pages,” additional negative effects of a faulty landing page are examined.
“Abandoned shopping carts are already a big headache for online retailers, but a bad landing page means site visitors won't even start shopping if they can't figure out what to do or why they should make the effort,” Lyris HQ said.
Providing specific landing pages can be especially beneficial in analytic reporting. For promotional campaigns, dedicated landing pages known as splash pages should be used as a central point of contact for promotional inquiries. All elements of the campaign —E-mail, print ads, TV commercials, etc. should drive consumers to the splash page’s web address. By doing this, you’ll be able to precisely measure the success of the campaign.
For more information about how landing pages can improve your company’s bottom line, visit the State College, Pennsylvania based digital marketing professionals at The JLS Agency.
