Interactive Elements: Coming In for a Smooth Landing Page

When was the last time you went to an auto parts store to just look around? My guess, never. You go to an auto parts store—or grocery store or a graphics company, for that matter—with a specific purpose in mind. These are what we call destination businesses.

This is where businesses have an opportunity to capitalize using landing pages. The questions commonly asked are “How are landing pages relevant to your graphics company? What is the difference between a landing page and the home page of your website and most importantly, how can a landing page impact revenue?” Using landing pages is akin to using a target rifle with a laser versus a shotgun. When a potential customer uses the Internet to find a product or service you offer, having a page that is specific to their search drives them to what they need without having to navigate through an entire website. Now let’s take a look at the core components of landing pages.

Let’s Start with “What is a Landing Page?”

A landing page is nothing more than a page of your website that has a specific call to action. The difference between a landing page and a general information page in your site is the landing page is designed for a very specific purpose. A landing page is a lot like telling someone what door you would like for him or her to enter your business based on the direction they are coming from. In print form, such as a direct mail piece, that “door” to your business comes in the form of a specific URL, or web address. If the customer or prospect enters that URL into a browser, it would take them to a specific page in your site rather than your home page.

In the world of the web, customers and prospects could be coming from an e-mail marketing piece, a search in Google, a social media post, or a myriad of other options. Have you ever been on Google looking for information, clicked on a link to a website and then saw everything BUT what you were looking for? This is a case of no landing page in place, or worse a really bad landing page.

Ernie, of Ernie’s Auto Emporium, is looking for a new way to gain more traffic in their dealership by putting up large color prints in their windows. Ernie, not knowing his current graphics company can help him, opens up Google and types in “auto dealer marketing, Lincoln, NE.” What Ernie finds is, a company we’ll call ABC Graphics, has created a landing page specifically for auto dealers who need help with marketing. ABC Graphics has a link to a landing page with a description “ABC has been helping Auto Dealers for 20 years increase traffic and sales.” Ernie happens to click on the link, and, voila! He lands on a page ABC Graphics designed especially for auto dealers who are looking for help with marketing. Ernie, excited by the fact ABC Graphics specializes in auto dealers, calls to schedule a meeting.

What are the Core Components of Landing Pages?

For a landing page to be effective it must be well structured or you’re better off without one. As in Ernie’s case, ABC Graphics knew its audience and what clients and potential customers were looking for. Ernie wanted to work with a company that understood the automotive industry, and ABC Graphics was waiting for him. The following are five essential components to creating a landing page.

1. Looks are everything. Your landing page must be visually interesting yet simple. Key in on one product or one service.
2. Less is more. In short, your landing page has a clear call to action. This action could be “call us,” receive a coupon, join your e-mail list or numerous other actions.
3. Content is king. The language used is the same language that your clients think and speak. It is clear, concise and describes what you do in a way that anyone can understand. Remember, these words you choose will also appear in your direct mail copy, webpage, keywords and headlines.
4. Shorter is better. Content and visuals should be viewed within the frame of an average computer monitor. A little scrolling is OK; just don’t make your customers work too hard.
5. Navigation is intuitive. Your customer needs to know where they are, where to go and what to do.

What Should you Expect from a Landing Page?

Review your analytics. Analytics (these should be included with your website hosting) will tell you how effective your landing page is, how people arrived, what they clicked on, etc. Did they arrive through a search engine? Perhaps a link within your e-mail marketing piece? Did they type the address into their web browser and go directly to your page? This knowledge allows you to capitalize on more of the same or similar marketing pieces.

There is one more thing to expect, and maybe it goes without saying: You should expect to get more leads from a good landing page. Put quite simply, your landing page should bring you clients who already have an idea of what they want, so when they land on your page, they are delighted to see that you offer what they are looking for. We call these people “qualified leads.” And when you have qualified your lead, you are closer to earning his or her business.