19 Sep 09 Top Landing Page Optimization Tips to Consider

When Designing a Landing Page for a Pay Per Click Advertising Campaign

Achieving success with Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising requires that you have a solid understanding of several different Internet marketing techniques. These techniques include Search Engine Optimization, SEO copywriting, keyword research analysis, website design, PPC ad copywriting, and target audience identification.

This article will discuss landing page optimization tips to increase your conversion rates and maximize your ROI with PPC advertising. Here are some things to consider when designing a landing page for a Pay Per Click advertising campaign:

Write and design for your target audience'If you're trying to sell engine degreaser, lay off the pastels and go for vibrant colors and a bolder design. Avoid flowery adverbs in your copy, too. Use words like 'professional strength,' 'industrial,' 'powerful,' and 'aggressive.'

Don't overdo optimization'No matter who your target audience is, if you hammer them with optimized keywords and phrases, they're going to bolt. Use keywords in headers and subheads and let the keywords appear naturally throughout the content.

Make sure the content is relevant'When compelling ad copy inspires someone to click on your ad, make sure that your landing page accurately reflects what viewers are expecting to see. If they think they're going to learn more about fishing lures and the copy is actually about renting time-share condos on a walleye lake in Canada, your conversion rate will suffer.

Use proper Web layout'Remember that Web users scan a page first to see if it's worth reading. Use subheads, make your points concisely in the first sentence, and use supporting bullet lists. Dense blocks of text are turn-offs to site visitors.

Links! 'Your landing page doesn't have to explain everything. Provide summaries; then include links to other pages on your site that explain the subject in greater detail.

Test a few different landing pages'This may seem like an additional and unnecessary expense, but you'll be better off in the long run through higher conversion rates and a better understanding of marketing to your target audience. Prepare three or four different landing pages before the ad is launched; swap them out at regular intervals, and most importantly, use tracking reports to document the results. What you learn about PPC advertising through these reports will be invaluable and will save you money over time.

Learning what does and doesn't work with Pay Per Click advertising is an ongoing process even for Internet marketing professionals. Their knowledge and experience can help you in a variety of ways and save you a fortune in the long run. Furthermore, after analyzing tracking reports, even PPC specialists are going to recommend tweaks and different approaches. Plan and budget for flexibility, and you'll sell products and services while driving more targeted traffic to your site over time.