Landing Page Optimization – Welcome to a one-way street. Part 1

>> Workshop session from Elena Glyzina, BizzClick Sales Manager <<

When you run CPC campaigns the first thing you have to deal with after you decide to promote through SE traffic is a landing page optimization.  Even when your ads catch users’ views&clicks, a campaign is targeted on the right audience but conversion level is as low as a snake’s belly in a wagon rut you should think&act on landing page optimization.

Search engine marketing world is a cruel gang. It changes its rules as fast as greased lightening. Wait, you don’t have to take into consideration millions of options, just few major tips plus wherever you find attractive about a deal.

As sales manager at Bizzclick, I saw fails&avials.  My colleagues also gave a few important techniques that their experience pointed out as trustworthy. Here they are:

1) Make it simple as 1, 2, and 3

Landing page is the first what user sees when he finds ad attractive enough to click on it. So in case you promote some product let’s say hand-made calendar, landing page should reflect the deal, point out specific features and have simple interface to proceed to a deal.

Sounds as simple as a bell rings? I have come to opposite thought when I saw several deals abandoned because of circus-is-in-a-town atmosphere. It works great for children they handle with grotesque everyday, but adult consumer is chop to shop when your landing page fails to be much focused and deal information is not as simple as 1,2,3. Nobody deserves to go blind by reading thousands of words until find out “da liegt der Hund”.)

2) They should know where they go

Branding has nothing to do with this, unless you promote official site of official company than everything should be on the corporate white-tie level. In case you promote some deal (affiliate link online shop) there should be “Welcome to…..” on the top of web page, than product summery (name, what is made for, mfr., picture, size or other parameters) “sale” sign works good when it is true,) don’t have to explain it is obvious. Link to partner page (in case if redirect is an issue).

3) Tricks bring risks

Some advertisers prefer to play with user patience by taking control over users PC. Seriously, it is as annoying as pain in the neck.  As if you haven’t been there. Advertiser thinks “user will be wow”, user thinks “WTF just happen, I won’t go there anymore”. Well some users might copy link to tease friends on Facebook or Twitter, but my experience tells me it was far of what advertiser want them to do. Of course I don’t shave everything with Ockham Blade; there are some categories such as online video gamers who won’t mind some whiz bang effects. But nowadays so many landing pages tend to rock on the top with “advertising tricks” some “clever” agency guys told them to use. Avoid it, if you want a consumer to take you seriously.

P.S: Users are smart you know, whey download newest apps, so unless you optimize page tricks for every OS and browsers, you should prepare to be gone with sign “You can’t view this site because (I shall continue) – an advertiser thought you’d be amazed!”

To be continued…