A landing page is a page on your website that is built for a specific purpose. Unlike normal web pages that have many goals that encourage exploration, landing pages have a single focused call to action. This focus is what makes landing pages the best option for increasing the conversion rates of your marketing campaigns and lowering your cost of acquiring a lead or sale. Typically, the goal of a landing page is to convert leads in exchange for something of value for your users. These pages contain overarching information about the subject of the page, and a form to capture contact information.
Why Do you Need a Landing Page?
You may be wondering why you’d want to create a whole page just for people to fill out a form. While the homepage or service page seems like an appropriate place for this kind of content, there’s a few advantages to using a landing page.
- Data Tracking
With HubSpot, tracking metrics from landing pages is easy! Having an isolated page and form for your campaign allows you to easily track the number of visitors, submissions, and page behavior and attribute them to the specific efforts of the landing page. - Targeted Messaging
Since landing pages are meant to contain specific, targeted content, having their own page allows you to tailor the messaging to your specific offer. These pages are designed to create conversions. Landing pages also eliminate distractions by removing website navigation and other calls to action to capture your prospect’s undivided attention. This creates a “convert or bounce” page that ensures you’re getting the highest chance of conversion. Less links means less things to carry your visitors away from your call to action. - Link sharing
Landing pages offer the benefit of having their own url. In addition to tracking benefits, this makes it easy to share and market to your audience. Sharing links to your landing pages through social media and web ads is a great way to drive traffic to your page when you want to attract people to your offer. Another benefit of landing pages is that it offers you a way to track more traditional campaigns. You can track the effectiveness of a postcard, flyer, or commercial by using a url that is only advertised on that collateral. That way, you know that any page visits coming to that page are generated from that particular media.
How to use Landing Pages: Structure
As I mentioned above, landing pages should be different than normal web pages. They should be focused on a single topic and direct the user down a single path to conversion. Below are some core pieces of a landing page that you need to consider when building yours.
- Concise Content - The content of a landing page should be clear and simple. We want users to know immediately what you’re offering, and how it will be valuable to them.
- No Distractions - Create a “convert or bounce” atmosphere in your landing page. Remove navigation, internal links, and other calls to action. Remember, we’re offering something in return for an email address, not a sale, so, putting up these guard rails won’t feel too forceful to the user. The goal is to capture that contact information so you can then begin to nurture the lead in exchange for providing something of value to your prospects.
- Valuable offer - Landing pages should give people a reason to give your their email information. Your content should offer actual benefits to the user. People generally hold their email like they would hold a $20 bill. The content you’re offering should be as valuable or more than their email address to be effective. Content such as checklists, tips, free trials, free webinars, and document templates are a great way to provide value that shows that you’re here to help solve problems, not just make a sale. People who find you helpful and trustworthy are much more likely to buy.
If you’re ready to start building your landing page in Hubspot, check out this guide from our partner, Hubspot themselves!
How to Use Landing Pages: Driving Traffic
You can’t convert if you don’t drive traffic to your landing pages. Here are some of the main ways to do just that.
- Paid Search Traffic
Most search engines offer paid advertising. When someone searches the terms that you want to target, you’ll have the chance for your search result to display. Send these search results to a landing page that has a specific purpose and single avenue of interaction. - Paid Social Traffic
Running ads on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Linkedin is an awesome way to target people who fit your demographic, regardless if they’re in the market yet. These ads target demographics such as age and location, but also learn users interests and serves your ad to relevant people. If someone’s list of Facebook interests contains BBQ & Grilling, they’re going to be seen as a target for your BBQ Sauce ad. - Email Campaigns
Email is one of the most effective strategies because of its wide reach and low cost. Emails and landing pages are a highly effective way to nurture existing customers and create new relationships with people on your list. A well designed and thought-out email will entice your readers, and the landing page, linked in the email, will offer details and a clear call to action. - Organic Search
While organic ranking is a long-haul, creating compelling valuable content, with relevant keywords can help your landing page rank. This creates a passive “unpaid” source of traffic to your landing page.
When to Use a Landing Page
So landing pages sound pretty sweet right? If you’re ready to roll, but you’re not sure how to incorporate them into your digital strategy, here’s a few practical ways to use landing pages.
- Every ad you run - Use landing pages to effectively track and offer valuable information to funnel users to your lead capture. Make it simple!
- Events - If you’re hosting an event, create a page all about the event to offer clear information and sign-up options.
- Promote a product or service - Landing pages that focus on a single product or service are a great way to spread the word about it. Especially because it gives you the option to market that product or service specifically with targeted search ads.
- Promote an e-book or gated content offer - A landing page for an offer is a great thing to market with search ads and social media ads. Offer a quick valuable download to begin to expose the value you offer to your prospects.
