Do visitors know what to do when they arrive at your website? Landing pages welcome visitors more effectively than your home page because they are relevant to the specific Search term used. They're better at converting visitors into customers. What is a landing page? It's the entry page that you see when you click from a pay-per-click ad (or email link) to a website. Unlike your home page which has to accomplish many different goals, a good landing page responds only to the specific search term or link. Successful landing pages lead to higher conversion rates and greater returns on your marketing investment.

Why landing pages work. Visitors immediately "get" that the content of a landing page is relevant to their search term. They don't need to navigate to find what they're looking for. They don't need to think. They're ready to move along the conversion process: to submit a form, contact a rep, or make a purchase.

Elements of an effective landing page. Good landing pages are simple and highly targeted. They don't contain anything that's not essential¯ including the general site navigation. Compelling copy should emphasize the benefits of your product or service and persuade your prospects to take the next step. If you're asking the visitor to submit a form, it's a good idea to summarize your privacy policy. You should also offer a toll-free number for people who prefer to call.

How landing pages work. One of our clients, TravelStore, a leading California-based travel agency, started a pay-per-click campaign last year. We designed a template that's easily modified to create a landing page for each destination. So when a prospective client searches Google for "Australia Travel" for example, they click on TravelStore's ad to arrive at a relevant landing page. http://www.travelstoreusa.com/pages/340/Australia.html The landing page offers just three options: fill out a vacation request form, contact a travel expert, or call the toll-free number. Since we began the campaign in October 2003 the conversion rate is over 38%.

Measure the results. Web analytical tools help you measure the effectiveness of your landing pages. Google has a free conversion tool for its Adwords customers. You can learn how to improve your conversion rate by comparing two different landing pages. But change only one element at a time so you know what the impact is.

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