101-landing-page-optimization-tips

101LandingPageOptimizationTipsDoyouhaveabandonmentissuesbecauseyourlandingpagebouncerateisliterallythroughtheroof?WastingprecioustimeandmoneyonineffectivePPCcampaigns?Tiredofyourbosscomplainingabouthowtheindustryaverageconversionrateisdoublewhat“you”achievedlastmonth?Donʼtknowhowtofixtheproblem?Neverfear.Withourauthoritativecollectionof101LandingPageOptimizationtips,weʼllhaveyoutesting,reporting,increasingROI,andunbouncingyoure-marketingcampaignsbeforeyoucansay“Screwthis,Iʼmofftobecomeapostman...atleasttheirdeliveryratecangetcloseto100%”.Copyright2009unbounce.com&101LandingPageTips.comPage1of27TheFundamentalsStickingtothefundamentalscantakeyoufromhavingaterriblelandingpagetohavingonethatpeoplefindhardtopokeholesin.Applythemvigorouslyandatalltimes,thenenhanceyourcampaignsbydiggingintotheotherareaswediscusslateron.1.SendpeopletoarelevantandtargetedpageYourhomepageisamish-mashofgoalorientedcommunication-andusuallyforgoodreason.Withthatinmind,resisttheurgetosendpeoplethereasitʼsbettertargetedatthecuriousexplorertyperatherthanthepersonclickingthroughfromabannerorAdWordslink.Thinkonegoal,onemessage,oneaction.Andhenceonepage-generallyanewone-alandingpage.2.ProvideaconsistentexperienceFromadthroughlandingpageandontothedestinationsite,design,messagingandtoneshouldbeconsistentwiththeexpectationsoftheuseratthetimetheyclickedthelink/banner.Yourupstreamadisthesource,andusingariveranalogy,youshouldbedrinkingfromthesamestreamattheendofthejourneyasyouwereatthestart.3.“DonʼtBoreUs...GettotheChorus”(Roxette)ThetitleofthistipcomesfromtheGreatHitsalbumbySwedishpopduoRoxette.Asoneofthemastersofbubblegumpop,theyknewhowtohighlightthemostimportantelementofeachsong-thechorus.Noonelikesababbler,andweonlyputupwithitforthemostpartbecauseitʼsourfriendthatʼschewingonourear.Whendealingwithonlineprospects,youneedtogetrighttothepointwithnomussandnofuss.Theastuteamongyouwillrecognizethatinprovidingananalogypriortomypoint,Iamessentiallycounteringmyownargumenttoadegree.Butoncloserexamination,whatthisshowsisthatsometimesyouhavetoprovidesomeeditorialorinstructionalintroductiontoyoursubject.Ifthisisthecase,likeRoxette,justmakesurethejuicybitsstandoutsignificantly.4.Focusthevisitorsattentionwithaclearandconciseheadline.Imagineyourselfwalkinginabusydowntownstreet.Youglanceatthenewspapervendingmachinetoseethebigblackheadline.Ifitcapturesyourattention,youmightstop,bendoverandreaditforawhile.Ifitʼsreallygood,youmightfishadollaroutofyourpocketandactuallypayforit.Page2of27Conversely,ifitʼsjustabigpageofsmalltypewithnovisiblepurpose,youwouldnʼtevenbreakyourstride.Maketheheadlineclear,easilynoticeable,andinarelevantpositiononthepage.5.EnablesharingonyourvirallandingpagesIfyourgoalistocreatebuzzwithalandingpage-suchasaflashgameorhumorpiece,ensurethatitiseasilysharablewiththecommonsocialnetworks.ThemostobviouschoiceforsocialmediabuzzcreationisTwitter.Thismicro-bloggingplatformhasbecomethesocialsharingtooldujourandcanhelptospreadyourmessagequicklyandinanexponentialfashionifwhatyouaredoingistweetworthy.Thekeytoit'ssuccessliesinthefactthatit'snot100%altruistic.SharingcontentonDiggorRedditcanhelpestablishyouasanauthorityifyouhavealongtermgoaltobecomerecognizedinthecommunity.However,sharingviaTwitteraddsthecontentintoyourownpersonaltimelinewhichextendsyouronlinepersonabyshowingcontentthatrepresentsyourpersonalityandbeliefs.It'sreminiscentofthepsychologysurroundingonesCD,vinylorbookcollection,whereyougainpleasurefromthereactionofotherstoyourtaste.6.UserSegmentationIfyouhavemultipleusertypes,createalandingpageforeachsegmentanddrivetrafficviaseparatesources.Thiswillenableyoutomeasureyourmosteffectivemarketsegmentation.Ifyourlandingpagehasextendedlogicorgeo-targetingcapabilitiesyoumaybeabletocreateasinglepagewithchangingcontentbasedonvisitor.Ifthisisthecase,ensureyourtrackingcanhandlethesecomplexities.7.RemovetheclutterRememberthatadcampaignthathadasinglebuttonproclaimingDon'tclickme?Nobodycouldresistthat.Notonlywasittempting,butitdidn'thaveanycompetinginformation.Asyoucreateyourlandingpage,stepbackfromtimetotime,lookatitfromadistanceandseehowmanythingsarevyingforyourattention.Refineyourlandingpageuntiltheansweris1.Observe-Remove-Repeat8.RemovethenavigationSimilarly,donʼtgivepeopleafull-scalewebsiteexperience.Youpaidtogetthemhere,sokeepʻemfocusedandontrack.IftheyreallywanttoknowyourfavoritePage3of27colororlookyouuponGooglemaps,theycangotoyourwebsiteintheirowntime.Eachnavigationoptionyouprovidedilutestheirattention.9.KeepreadingtoaminimumEnsurevisitorsgetachancetoreadyourmostimportantcopy.Ifitʼsburiedamongst5paragraphsoftext,itʼllbemissed.Anexceptiontothisrulewouldbeapagedesignedtoprovideahighlevelofdetail(suchasaBookpageonAmazon),butthisisusuallybestutilizedasthedeep-linked“productdetail”pageonthetargetwebsiteandnotonalandingpage.10.Abovethefold.Asmuchasthisstatementfillsmewithmuchchagrinandshouldnʼtalwaysbeconsideredinthesamewayforcertaintypesofwebpage,itstillholdstrueforthelandingpage.Yourprimarymessagingandcalltoactionmustbeabovethefold(thebottomofthescreenfortheaverage