I’ve learned a ton of lessons over the course of my career. Sometimes, it takes longer than it should to learn those lessons, but once I do, they stick. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned over the past few years is just three words, but they are incredibly impactful.
Use landing pages.
The user experience doesn’t start when your user gets to your site. It starts the moment they first see your messaging, in a Google Search, or on social media, or in an email, or in a display ad. That messaging and imagery needs to carry through to your site, with a simple, clear call to action. Your homepage doesn’t deliver that. Your homepage gives users access to everything you offer. A well built landing age gives users a clear path to exactly what they are looking for.
If you are paying for display ads, on Facebook, or Twitter, or anywhere else, and you aren’t creating unique landing pages for each ad message, you are missing out. Users are likely abandoning your site because the expectations you set in your ad are not being delivered when they click through.
If you are paying for search marketing (like AdWords) and you are not creating unique landing pages for your search terms, you are missing out. You already know what they are looking for. You have the ability to deliver it right away.
Don’t think a simple landing page can make an impact? Consider this: Landing pages with a single link have an average conversion rate of 13.5%. Landing pages with 5 or more links have an average conversion rate of just 10.5%, according to Unbounce Marketing. Users only take 8 seconds to view your headline, but 90% of users that read your headline also read your call to action, according to Impact BND.
So what makes a good landing page? Keep it simple. Use the same language on the landing page as was used on the ad or referring site. Keep imagery consistent. Have a clear headline, and a simple call to action. Provide information that adds to the messaging the user consumed prior to clicking through to your site. Using videos on landing pages can increase conversions by 86%, according to Eyeview Digital. But most importantly, test.
The good news: Creating a landing page using WordPress is remarkably easy. Testing multiple landing pages is easy too, so you don’t need to guess. And if you need it, we’re here to help.
Good luck!
-Scot