We get so caught up in targeting that we forget that landing pages are just as important. I’d argue that they’re more important than the targeting and the creatives of the ad. Because their main objective is to make the sale of the promise you made in the ad.
I look at search queries as questions: Someone is looking for an answer. They might be after more information, or they might want to buy something to solve a problem. Your ad is the first answer to that question. It’s the: “Yes, we have what you need”.
But that answer is not enough. You need to answer with more detail and that’s where your landing page comes in. It allows you to explain point by point why your solution to their problem is best.
This is where the trouble starts. We take so much time creating campaign structures, A/B test camel cased-ads, and then we let people land on a generic landing page. Sometimes we let them land on a category page, or even the homepage… But how can these pages give a clear answer to the question that people have?
Two queries, two landing pages
Let’s say that someone is searching for “Best Widget Provider”. That means we need to convince them that our widgets are the best. We can’t do that on a generic page with general information on widgets.
But if we let them land on a variation of that page:
- Showing off your independent reviews and ratings
- Talking about awards you’ve won
- Having customers talk about why they love your widgets
Same widget provider, but a different query. This one is for “Cheap Widget Provider”. Now we need to shine a light on the cost of those widgets. That means:
- Talking about prices, and what X buys you.
- Talk about added services that are free.
- Showcase discounts.
- Highlight customers talking about how inexpensive our widgets are.
Let’s say your widgets aren’t cheap at all: You might talk about how inexpensive widgets are a bad decision. That allows you to steer the conversation in a way that highlights your strengths.
Landing pages are your only shot to hook potential customers. You have their undivided attention for a few seconds, so you need to make the most of that time. You know what they’re looking for, use that information and make the sale.