The Digital Glue Podcast

EP: 14 - Landing Pages That Lead ...

February 16, 2021 Episode 14
The Digital Glue Podcast
EP: 14 - Landing Pages That Lead ...
Show Notes Transcript

“In marketing I’ve seen only one strategy that can’t miss – to market to your best customer first.”
 

Welcome to Episode 14: Landing Pages That Lead 

Word on the street is that people only need landing pages these days, and that websites are becoming obsolete. Well, we are here to tell you that is SO not the case. Landing pages and websites are both very, VERY important parts of any successful business’s marketing strategy. And while they have the ultimate goal in common, getting the sale, the way they both get there is very different.  

While the website has dozens of potential distractions, the landing page is super focused as a standalone digital source, created specifically for a marketing or advertising campaign. It’s where a visitor “lands” after they click on a link in an email, or ads from Google, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  

Landing pages are designed with a single focus or goal, known as a “call to action”, an invitation for a user to take some desired action like “Buy Now”. It is this focus that 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. That’s why expert marketers always use a dedicated landing page as the destination of their traffic.  

It’s all about creating marketing magic!

Here's what we will be untangling in this episode ...

  • The differences between a website and a landing page
  • How expert marketers use both in their strategies
  • What exactly is a marketing funnel and a call to action
  • How a killer landing page can lead customers back to your website for more!

 

Are you ready?

Pop in your awesome earbuds and let's dive in!

Word on the street is that people only need landing pages these days, and that websites are becoming obsolete. People tend to think that landing pages can do the work of both. Well … we are here to tell you that is SO not the case. Landing pages and websites are both very, VERY important parts of any successful business’s marketing strategy. And while they have the ultimate goal in common of getting the sale, the way they both get there is very different. 

 

While the website has dozens of potential distractions, the landing page is super focused as a standalone digital source, created specifically for a marketing or advertising campaign. It’s where a visitor “lands” after they click on a link in an email, or ads from Google, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Landing pages are designed with a single focus or goal, known as a “call to action”, an invitation for a user to take some desired action like “Buy Now”. 

 

It’s this focus that makes landing pages the best option for increasing the conversion rates of your marketing campaigns while lowering your cost of acquiring that special dream lead or sale.

 

That’s why expert marketers always use a dedicated landing page as the destination of their traffic. It’s all about creating marketing magic!

 

Having fewer links on your landing page increases conversions, as there are fewer tantalizing clickables and distractions. And let’s understand conversions right off the bat …  A conversion is turning a site visitor to a paying customer. The ultimate goal is a ratio of 1:1. 

 

But when understanding one’s website, it’s important to know that they are a huge part of a business’s brand. And the expected ratio when using just a website to connect to your potential customers, is definitely not 1:1. On a website there are tons of clickables that encourages a visitor to explore, learn about their business, research their services and products, read reviews, familiarize themselves with team members, connect on social, devour themselves with free (or sometimes paid) resources, etc. 

 

From here, a visitor can go anywhere … apply for a job, read some press releases, review the terms of service, post on the community boards, etc. And this my friends, creates a relationship. 

 

Remember back to our podcast last week about branding and how consumers attach themselves to brands they trust? 

 

Well, this is how a lot of that is accomplished, via exploration through the wealth of information a website provides. But they won’t necessarily make a purchase. And that’s the point. The landing page is where they target the very specific -- added bonus -- call to action! (Which of course can be connected via pop-up, or side-bar on one’s website as well for some extra added traction!)

 

The landing page for this customer serves a completely different purpose. Paired with super enticing ads that promote a single offer and has just one clickable call to action. Yes, just ONE button and everything about it works hard to turn these visitors into customers. And those customers into potential long-term clients.

 

It’s doing a better job to convert the traffic the brand’s already getting.

 

The landing page exists after prospects at the top of the marketing funnel click a link in an ad, email, or anywhere else on the web. It’s where the conversion -- like a purchase, signup, or registration -- will take place. It’s a marketing funnel digital avenue sort of way of breaking down the customer journey all the way from the “awareness” stage, when they first learn about your business, to the “purchase” stage, when they're ready to buy whatever it is you have to offer.


However, keep in mind that said landing page doesn’t always have to present a paid offer. It could also include a FUN freebie download opportunity in order to gain interest from you audience, get them on your mailing list and interested in more! A way to START building your personalized relationship with them, or at the very least offer a minimal solution to their problem that they can take care of on their own via the information in the downloadable file.


This not only helps them in the moment but opens the door to what else you may be able to offer them!


Whether paid or free, it’s a campaign-specific page with just one single call to action and no website navigation at all. Which eliminates the paradox of choice because as we all know … the more options we have, the harder it becomes to make a decision. 


Like if you are at a restaurant that has an enormous menu, not unlike a website with tons of information, click buttons and tags. If there is a short and sweet offering, chances are you will not only delight in its simplicity, it will be a much quicker decision. The more pleasant that experience is, the more likely you will be to return. 


However, as we already stated, a landing page should NOT be your soul source of business. The beauty in having both a website and a landing page (or multiples) in your strategy is that you can serve all of the needs of your audience without the overwhelm of choice. This is a relationship builder, and a quick and easy offering. 


With that being said, I truly love this quote that is quite fitting, by John Romero who says: "In marketing I've seen only one strategy that can't miss - to market to your best customers first." 




Getting back to the nitty-gritty … A website acts as an introduction to your business’s brand, product, services, values, who and what it’s for, who to contact … you name it. It is meant to set a “first impression,” encompass all that your business has to offer, and direct visitors to learn more throughout different sections of your site.


Being tasked with that high-level introduction means a website must speak to the broadest audience -- including those who may have never even heard of the company, let alone know what it does, and why it’s valuable. All of this makes for relatively generic messaging, multiple page goals, and a whole lotta links, buttons, and navigation for visitors to take various actions.


So, that is amazing for increasing a business’s outreach, but not so much for effective marketing. And for sure, not so much for sales.

 

Think of a web page as a bucket and the traffic you’re sending to it as water. A landing page bucket has one hole drilled into the bottom, so the stream of water naturally flows through that specific hole. And that’s your call to action right there. You have directed it to EXACTLY where you want it to go. 

 

Conversely, a webpage bucket has multiple holes in the bottom and around the sides. You can choose which tap that water is sourced from such as Instagram, email, a Google Ad, and what have you, but once it enters the bucket, you can’t choose which hole it’ll flow through or where it will land. Those extra holes are something we like to call “conversion leaks”. 

 

However, landing pages zero in on ONE carefully chosen conversion goal, giving you more control over where the traffic flows, and ultimately, where your marketing efforts and ad dollars should go.

 

Another way to distinguish the two is landing pages avoid navigation at all costs.

Whether it’s found at the top or bottom of the page, a navigation link will carry visitors away from your call-to-action and flick the invisible switch in their brains from “buy” to “explore”. For that reason, keep additional navigation off your landing page whenever possible. Minus a few clickable social media icons in your header or footer.

 

Yes, that of course means your visitors won’t have a direct path to the rest of your website. But … if you want them to convert, that’s a good thing! Laser focus is what makes a landing page a landing page. 

 

On average, a great headline or cool page design isn’t what makes a visitor click that “Buy Now” button. It’s the overall experience from that very first ad, email, or social media click. The more customized and, YEP! focused, that experience is for them, the more compelling it will be to accept your offering.

 

Landing pages can be very versatile though too. 

 

They are ideal for businesses who have more than one product or service on the go. And they can advertise its contexts on separate pages. 

 

“It slices! It dices! It does your taxes!” 

 

That’s at least two landing pages. LOL!

 

And if you run a campaign across a range of channels, creating landing pages with messaging that matches the source is a must. The captivating visuals you run on Instagram, for instance, may benefit from a different headline, different copy, or call to action than text-based search ads. The versatility is endless and can really pull your campaign together flawlessly. 

 

Here’s a great example of what I’m laying down for you here …

You get an email promoting dresses for puppies. You have puppies and in your head you are thinking ummmm yes please! Your expectations are aligned with that offer. Clicking through to a landing page dedicated to that exact promotion, with a gallery of adorable dress designs, and call to action to buy before the sale ends, not only meets those expectations but guides you directly to the offer you’ve already expressed interest in by clicking through in the first place! Whereas if you’re sent to the Puppies Dress Emporium website … that customized, streamlined experience is instantly broken and puts it on you -- as the buyer -- to locate the offer amongst all of the other information and endless clickables. 

 

That interrupted momentum and lack of focus makes it way more likely you will abandon the offer out of confusion, frustration, or simple distraction. Lost interest, a puppy with nothing to wear to the prom. Do you see where I am going with this?

 

Another big difference worth noting is the landing page’s ability to completely customize a visitor’s experience from ad, to click-through, to conversion. And this is what gives us all the warm and fuzzies over here because this is where things get creative! You can then apply that necessary focus on a really granular level, down to the very last pixel.

 

Sending people to a landing page customized to match the ad, email, or social media post, along with targeted messaging, cohesive and fantastic design, tailored information, exceptional branding (that matches your website) and that SINGLE call to action, harnesses the interest they’ve already expressed. And it gives them the experience, or an even better one, that they subconsciously expect from that initial click. 

 

That focused, flowing experience leaves less room for pause, fewer chances for distraction, creates more opportunity to showcase your offer, and shows visitors that you respect their time and attention by giving them exactly what they want. 

 

Your relationship just became stronger and they are more likely to return. 

You have solved their problem; you made their lives easier … from a marketing standpoint I don’t see how it gets any better than that! Simplicity itself. 

 

And here is the cherry on top of the ooey gooey fudge sundae … because this experience was soooo good, they may become inclined to go to your website now and check out what else you have to offer. Can I get a hallelujah?!

 

Now don’t get me wrong, there is more creativity than we know what to do with when it comes to creating a website for ourselves -- or our clients -- and that process is one of the best outlets for us to fly our creativity flags! 

 

But there is something to be said about entrepreneurs who become so emotionally attached and focused on the end product of their site that they can tend to forget about the most important thing when creating a website … customer experience. 

 

Some people don’t love to scroll through buckets of information, and I know for a fact that every single user out there wants their experience to be easy. So again, when creating websites and landing pages, user experience should be top of mind at all times. No if and’s or buts about it!

 

In conclusion, we firmly believe that both of these marketing strategies are needed as both are integral parts of a goldenly delicious -- yet simple – strategy. And they both serve very important purposes. 

 

So, when it comes down to the uses for both, it’s important to note that exploration can sometimes equal distraction. And when it comes to marketing, that distraction can sometimes erode your campaign’s focus with diluted messaging, competing links, and options to stray away from a specific conversion goal, competing for your attention! And possibly sending them to your competition instead.

In other words, if an ad promises 15% off dresses for puppies and sends people to your homepage, the chances they’ll end up on the “About Us” page instead of making a purchase, and wasting your advertisement spend is super high. 

 

Simply put, websites can’t do it all. 

 

Let them focus on informing and directing traffic -- and let the landing pages focus on turning traffic into getting that ever elusive YES to that sale!