How to Create a Great Landing Page for Your PPC Campaign
Creating a new landing page for a PPC campaign can be tricky. In order to create a great landing page, you must keep many things in mind and it can be tough to know if your page is really set up for success.
To help with this, I’ve put together an easy list of 15 questions you should ask yourself every time you build a new landing page.
I’ll cover each point specifically, but let’s start by taking a look at the overall list:
Questions to Ask Yourself
This list is a great quick reference you can use with every landing page. If you can answer “yes” to every question, you’ve probably got a pretty good page.
- Do I have a headline that quickly describes my business or offer?
- Am I communicating value in my headline/subheading?
- Is my CTA obvious and above the fold?
- Am I using contrasting colors in my CTA?
- Is it clear what a user will get from following my CTA?
- Have I eliminated extraneous links?
- Is my page easy to read and follow?
- Am I focusing on benefits, rather than features?
- Are my testimonials believable and useful to a potential customer?
- Am I only asking for information I need on my form?
- Do I have a page title?
- Does my page match the ad that is sending it traffic?
- Have I had someone else read through my page?
- Do my buttons and forms work?
- Have I mobile-optimized my page?
How does your page measure up? Hopefully, you could answer a resounding “yes” to all of these questions. If not, let’s take a look at some things you might want to change.
Why These Questions Matter
I’ve put this list together after reviewing and creating countless landing pages. In my opinion, these questions cover all of the essentials your landing page needs to perform well from day one.
Obviously, a little landing page testing can help any page perform better, but let’s take a look at why these questions are so important.
1. Do I have a headline that quickly describes my business or offer?
A good headline tells your visitors that they are on the right page and what they can expect from your content. It should focus on defining your offer and your business. As you write your headlines, remember, clear is better than clever.
2. Am I communicating value in my headline/subheading?
Another key to making the most of your headline and subheading is to focus on the real value that your business or offer will provide. Don’t tell them what you do, tell them how you will make their life better or easier!
3. Is my CTA obvious and above the fold?
The most compelling landing page in the world isn’t worth very much if people can’t figure out how to take action. Including a call-to-action (CTA) above the fold makes it clear from the moment they arrive what you want them to do and how you want them to do it.
4. Am I using contrasting colors in my CTA?
One easy way to make your CTA easier to find is to use contrasting colors. Pick a color that stands out from your background and catches a user’s eye.
It might be tempting to pick a transparent button or one with a thin outline, but remember, you want your CTA to stand out! As long as it doesn’t detract from the rest of the page, it’s best to prioritize visibility over style.
5. Is it clear what a user will get from following my CTA?
If you want people to act on your CTA, you need to make it clear what people will get if they follow your CTA. In general, the more specific you can be, the more likely people will be to convert.
6. Have I eliminated extraneous links?
Links on your site are a great way to help users navigate through your content. Links on your landing pages are a great way to lose potential customers.
Unlike your home page or other pages on your site, you don’t have to worry about pleasing everyone. People only visit your landing pages because they clicked on your ad, so you know exactly why people are on your page. If you feel like they need to visit another page before they can convert, you’re doing something wrong on your landing page.
7. Is my page easy to read and follow?
Confusion is the enemy of conversion. If people feel frustrated, confused or overwhelmed on your page, they’re a lot more likely to hit the back button than to fill out your form.
To double-check this, try asking someone who’s never seen your page before to describe what the page is about and what you want them to do. If they can’t give you a good explanation, you need to rethink your content.
8. Am I focusing on benefits, rather than features?
People don’t buy features, they buy benefits. Instead of telling people how great your product or business is, focus on showing people how your product or business will benefit them in their daily lives.
9. Are my testimonials believable and useful to a potential customer?
A good testimonial is priceless. But, if your testimonial is weak, not directly related to what you’re selling or seems fake, it can actually cost you sales. Make sure that your testimonials are helping you, not hurting you.
10. Am I only asking for the information I need on my form?
As a business, you want more information from your customers. After all, having their email address is great, but having their phone number is even better. However, the more information you ask for, the less willing people are to give it to you.
Shorter forms tend to convert better, so if you don’t need a particular piece of information right now, don’t ask for it!
11. Do I have a page title?
A page title is the name of your page that shows up on the tab in a user’s browser. Making sure that your landing page has one will help make your page seem more legitimate and professional.
12. Does my page match the ad that is sending it traffic?
As mentioned previously, you know what ads are bringing traffic to your landing page, so the look, feel, and content of your page should match your ads. Nothing makes your potential customers hit the back button faster than clicking on an ad for one thing and ending up on a landing page for something completely different.
13. Have I had someone else read through my page?
Proofreading your landing page is good. Having someone else proofread it is even better. A fresh pair of eyes can catch mistakes that you might never notice—but your users will.
14. Do my buttons and forms work?
Nothing is more frustrating than paying to send clicks to a dysfunctional landing page. It’s all too easy to make a quick last-minute tweak to a page that breaks a button or ruins an integration, so make sure everything works before launch.
15. Have I mobile-optimized my page?
These days, even if most of your actual conversions happen on desktop, you can bet that lots of people are still visiting your landing page on mobile. Your mobile experience may be what turns away a potential customer or gets a passive user to convert, so make sure that your mobile experience is great.
Conclusion
These 15 questions are a great way to guarantee that your landing page is ready to launch. Your page might need some testing and work before it’s perfect, but if you can answer “yes” to all of these questions, you’ll be well on your way to success.
