Creating a Google Ads advertising campaign or other PPC campaign requires effective landing pages in order to maximize conversion rates for your pay-per-click (PPC) ads. Landing pages require proper conversion rate optimization (CRO) in order to convert the highest possible number of users into customers. CRO requires no additional spending in Google Ads and may dramatically increase your sales and help you gather an abundance of leads.
To be sure, there are many advertising networks that offer PPC advertising in addition to Google Ads. In this article we will refer mainly to Google Ads because of its popularity and dominant market-share. However, the tips in this article apply to all PPC advertising.
Creating an effective landing page requires effort, but the benefit to your company can be significant. Clicking on the ad is only the first step; you need to have an effective landing page to convert those users who clicked on the ad into customers who follow through with a certain call-to-action (CTA). The CTA could be anything from purchasing a product from your website to subscribing to your newsletter. With a high-quality landing page, your conversion rates will be optimized and perform better and your business will have a higher return on investment on advertising costs.
Landing pages for Google Ads, or other advertising campaigns, should be relevant to your creative message. Crafting a relevant landing page means delivering on what you promise in your advertising copy. Doing so will bode well with users as well as increase your Quality Scores and search rankings.
When you design a landing page, it needs to go hand-in-hand with the user’s intent. Your Google Ads account will get better rankings, but you’ll also be driving an increased number of conversions.
Characteristics of an Effective Landing Page
- The landing message promotes a specific action that is targeted towards the user’s search query. It consolidates your website’s information into a pitch (call-to-action) to get the visitor to convert into a customer.
- Landing pages are generally minimalist in design and objective. Keep it simple and to the point in order to maximize the page’s effectiveness.
- Your page should entice the user to click. Clicking is the number one goal and that should be apparent in your design.
- Stick to a single page. A landing page can be chopped up into sections but keep it in one page and don’t make it too long.
- Use a professional template for your landing page (unless you decide to make one from scratch).
Landing Pages: How They’re Made
Now that you have a good idea of elements contribute to an effective landing page, you need to actually start making one. It’s not easy, and usually not cheap either. However, there are a variety of options to choose from.
It’s important to note that you can’t just make a landing page in Google Ads. But they’re a key step to completing the pay-per-click process. This means you’ll need outside help.
Hiring a professional graphic designer is one of the more expensive options for designing a landing page. But it could be worth the money. Professional-looking web pages are effective, and people are more likely to click on an attractive landing page.
But there are plenty of cheaper options too, which are generally more viable for small businesses. Mailchimp has a free landing page tool that only requires a Mailchimp account to use. It offers unlimited pages at no cost and various templates to choose from..
Wix also offers a number of free templates to use for your landing pages. These templates provide a clear call to action so that users can be converted into customers.
Optimizing your Landing Page
Remember that the theme and message of your ads and their respective landing pages is essential for getting users to complete the desired action, whether it be making a purchase, downloading a pdf, or signing up for a newsletter. The easier it is for a user to follow through with an action, the better.
Now that you’ve crafted a few viable landing page designs, be sure to put them to the test before going public. A/B testing is commonly used to determine the best option to achieve conversion goals. The experiment essentially tests two variables, in this case two possible landing page designs, against each other. It will then show (through performance) which of the landing pages is more optimized for your PPC campaign and thus which will convert more users.
Your PPC (pay-per-click) ads should include the right keywords to get conversions. High web traffic means absolutely nothing if users aren’t compelled to convert. You need to analyze data on Google Search Console in order to see the how certain keywords perform. That is, you’ll be able to see which keywords are attracting users to your website, which in turn you can use to your advantage. Use this information to bid on the best keywords for your call-to-action.
When using the Google Search Console, the keyword performance data is rich with information. For one, you’ll be able to see how well your site ranks in Google searches based on specific keywords. Additionally, the tool offers a look at the number of clicks your landing page receives based on each keyword, which will help you identify the top performers.
The Best Practices to Follow for a High-Performing Landing Page Design
- Powerful headlines– Be sure to craft a compelling headline that aligns with your pay-per-click keywords. Potential customers will be more likely to keep reading and follow through with an action.
- Appealing call-to-action-Your CTA should be very noticeable to users and be a clickable concise text that has a clear message.
- Eye-catching design-This is where professionalism gains serious points among potential clients. With a clean and attractive landing page, users will be more likely to trust your brand. Also, make sure your designs maintain the theme of the brand’s overarching website to avoid confusion and promote association.
- Associate with the keywords-When users click on your Google Ad, the landing page should be full of keywords that are part of the applicable ad group. Embed these keywords within content that speaks to what your brand has to offer.
- Minimalist lead capture form-Your lead capture form, which allows you to collect information from users who follow through with action, should include all relevant fields for what your brand is offering. But make sure you don’t include too many as to overwhelm and scare off a potential lead. Consolidate to only the most important fields on your form.
Following the practices in this guide will ensure an effective Google Ads campaign. Not only will your ads be more visible on Google search queries, but more users will convert to customers, making your ad campaign worth the investment.
Source: forextv.com
