specific action. Landing pages are most commonly used in paid search campaigns, but
can also be used for natural search.
Landing pages are particularly useful when you're bidding on a set of keywords related to
a specific product or service offering. Landing pages generally contain very simple
navigation, if any, and focus on some type of call to action. Landing pages are most
effective when they closely match the ad text or description in your keyword ad or search
listing, and have a clear call to action. Any element on the page that is not directly related
to your call to action should be removed.
There are 4 basic elements that are essential to every good landing page:
- Page Headline and Offer Summary
- Supporting Product or Service Image
- Product or Service Copy (Description/Benefits)
- Call to Action
This section will show you how to create landing pages that convert. You will learn about
the most important aspects of good landing pages, and what you should avoid.
1. Landing Page Elements
As I mentioned in the previous section, there are 4 basic elements essential to every good
landing page. This section will focus on those elements in more detail, providing
suggestions and tips for each element.
I have included a landing page from one of my live campaigns as an example. This will
help to illustrate the landing page elements:
(Screenshot on the following page…)
Page Headline and Offer Summary
The page headline and offer summary should closely match the ad copy in your paid
search listing and should be located near the top of the page. The headline should stand
out from the other text on the page by being a larger font-size and possibly bolded for
additional emphasis. Your summary text should be short and use a slightly smaller font
size than your headline.
For example, in my paid search listing for the landing page above, I mention that the user
can get 2 free audio books. In my headline text it reads "Get 2 FREE Audio Books Risk-
FREE at Audible.com". Notice how the headline font is larger than the other text on the
page and is located at the top of the page.
You may have noticed that this page does not display any summary text beneath the
headline. I did this because the headline already described the offer in enough detail.
Supporting Product or Service Image
The product or service image should appear above the fold, and provide the visitor with a
good visual reference about what the product or service is. Using a supporting image for
a tangible product is generally very straightforward. I recommend using a thumbnail
image instead of a full-sized image so that you can also display copy describing key
benefits next to the image. Make sure that you place your affiliate link in the image.
If you're trying to use an image to market an intangible service, consider using a
screenshot of the service provider's website or an image that shows the service in use. For
example, in my image above I show a woman listening to audio books through her
headphones.
Product or Service Copy (Description/Benefits)
The landing page copy should focus on the primary benefits of the product or service
offering. When you write the landing page copy, I recommend that you use short
paragraphs (no more than 4-5 lines) and highlight or bold the most important benefits for
impact. You should also consider using bulleted lists that summarize the benefits of the
product or service.
Try and keep the overall length of your landing page copy short and use your affiliate
links to deep link to more detailed pages on the merchant's website. Strategically embed
your affiliate links to the product or service throughout your page copy.
Call to Action
Your call to action should be very obvious and appear above the fold. The call to action
should have plenty of white space on all sides and should appear on its own line with no
other text.
If you are using a text link for your call to action, make it stand out by using a large
bolded font. If you are going to use an image for your call to action, make it stand out by
making it look like a button that can be clicked.
Avoid using generic call to action statements like "Go", "Click Here", or "Visit Site".
Instead use a descriptive call to action like "Click Here to Save 25%", "Download Your
Free Trial", or "Get Your {Product/Service} Today".
In the example above, I use a red button with a bevel, which makes it stand out on the
page. The red button calls attention to itself because of its size and color.
2. Landing Page Tips
As an affiliate, you can gain a serious advantage over the competition by improving your
landing pages. You can also vastly improve your return on investment (ROI) with your
paid search campaigns by making better landing pages. Here are some of the top landing
page optimization tips I have learned as an affiliate:
Make Your Landing Page Look Easy
Most people don't like to read on the Internet, they prefer to scan. If your landing page
looks like work, your visitors may abandon your page too soon. Make the content
digestible by using short paragraphs, bulleted lists, and tables/charts.
Make a Fast Loading Page
Because you only have a few seconds to capture your visitor's attention, you must ensure
that your page loads fast. Eliminate any unnecessary graphics or media objects that may
weigh down the page.
You can test your webpage download time using the Web Page Analyzer located at
http://www.websiteoptimization.com/services/analyze/. This tool will show you how long
it takes to download your web page using various connections. Pay special attention to
your page download time on a 56k modem. It may sound silly, but many Internet users in
the United States still connect to the web using a modem.
Customize the Headline, Summary Text, and Copy
Don't use the same landing page for every keyword that you're targeting. Customize the
visitor's experience by using the most relevant headline, summary text, and sales copy for
each keyword. I know it sounds like a lot of work, but it's worth it, especially when you
consider your increase in conversions. This can be done by creating a separate landing
page for each group of related keywords. This can also be done dynamically by using a
server side script.
Use an Image Caption
Consider using an image caption, which is the text that appears directly below an image
that describes the product or service. When people scan a web page, the caption below
the image is one of the most frequently read items.
Use Testimonials
Ask your merchants for relevant product, service, or company testimonials. Early on, I
underestimated the power of testimonials. However, after implementing a few genuine
testimonials on some of my websites, I saw an increase in conversions.
Test Different Versions of Your Landing Page
One of the best ways to increase conversions is to test different versions of your landing
page to see which one converts best. This is known as split testing.
If you want to learn more about split testing I highly recommend Scott Miller’s
ConversionLab e-book http://conversionlab.quityourdayjob.com.
Google is currently beta testing a new tool called Website Optimizer that will allow you
to perform split testing on your website. For more information visit
http://services.google.com/websiteoptimizer
