What are landing pages and why should I use them?

So, you have started your marketing campaign and so far, everything is running smoothly. Your print advert is running, your Adwords are ranking well, your email campaigns have achieved a great click through rate, your website looks amazing, everything is set up and good to go. You can see people are opening your emails and looking at your website – but who are they and what do they want?

This is where landing pages come into play.

What is a landing page?

A landing page is a standalone webpage where visitors can find a single and clear call to action (CTA). This important marketing tool is used to provide specific information or awareness to visitors. Mostly, these are used to complete a sign-up form before providing further information or used as a click through to the point of purchase. Importantly, the message needs to remain clear and provide a great user experience.

Why should you use landing pages?

The short answer is that it will help increase your conversion rate.

A home page is designed with a more generalised purpose in mind. A landing page is a standalone page specific to your advert or campaign.

As I mentioned before, you’ve noticed that people are clicking on your ads and visiting your website or email links, but you have no idea who they are or what they want. By using a landing page as a click through from your ad, you are now able to give customers the chance to enter their information, providing you with all the data you need to contact them. Alternatively, you have now directed a customer to an information page where their next action leads them to purchase your product.

How do they help you?

Landing pages are there to help you capture data and retrieve customer information. Once you have that information, you can start the lead nurturing process or begin a sales process.

Most landing pages prompt a customer to provide their information – information that can later help you guide this customer towards a sale and provide them with the specific item or service they are looking for.

I’ve built my landing page, what now?

The great thing about landing pages is that they work while you don’t. Once the page is set up and running smoothly, all you have to do is wait for the leads to role in. Of course, you can’t forget to promote your landing page, but this can easily be done by adding it to your existing marketing campaigns.

Once a user has completed your CTA on the unique landing page, you will have two options:

Once details are submitted, the user will be directed back to your website home page for further information or a look around or be directed to a check out page to purchase a product.
Once details are submitted, a ‘thank you’ page will pop up. From here a user can then exit the window or tab and continue with their browsing.

How to use landing pages

Now you understand the purpose of your landing page, you can begin directing traffic through your print adverts, email marketing, AdWords, website or social media content. You have taken the time to design an advert, so your landing page should reflect and expand on the advert..

There are many different types of landing pages out there, however here are a few to consider for your business:

Click through landing page

The sole purpose of this type of landing page is to provide necessary details of an offer while also explaining some benefits. The ideal goal is to convince potential customers to proceed through to the point of purchase.

Lead generation/ data capture landing page

Used to prompt potential customers to leave their contact information, this can also include details of their enquiry.

Product detail landing page

Usually found within the retail industry, this type of landing page, as the name implies, give the viewer more information about a specific product or service. The CTA is usually to view a similar or related product or to be taken through to a checkout page

Use landing pages to provide a capture point for your marketing strategy, but always remember to: