Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Landing Page Essentials

Whether performing PPC advertising, running a special or doing a seminar, it is critical to have a landing page where interested parties go when they click on the action button. This is the page where your sales argument is presented. Everything on this page should be designed to entice the visitor to take a specific action, such as providing their vital statistics in exchange for a free widget. Typically, the purpose of a landing page is to capture a sales lead or to sell something via a credit card transaction.

The essentials of a landing page are to have a Header and Sub-Header that reinforce the benefits presented in the ad or webpage that led the visitor to the page. The textual content is a persuasive dialogue, sprinkled with testimonials, that leads the visitor to conclude that this is a good deal...something he/she can't live without.

Credibility is critical. Hence the testimonials. If others have been successful with the offering, it alleviates the fear of proceeding. No one likes to be a pioneer. Offering a "satisfaction guaranteed" policy with a full refund within (say) 30 days usually overcomes any lingering doubts.

Boosting the transaction with freebies to raise the ante is a powerful enticement. Putting a time limit on the offer creates a sense of urgency and spurs the visitor to action.

And the "action" must work flawlessly. Be sure to test-drive your transaction process to ensure everything works as it should. A significant percentage of potential buyers drop out at the purchase stage when it takes too long, has errors or is just plain confusing.

So, careful design of your landing page is essential to achieving a high conversion rate. Always remember that it's like a funnel which guides users to the decision you want them to make.

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