the client services blog
in the Snohomish County Business Journal here
“Savvy online marketers use landing pages to increase conversion rates in their online campaigns. Simple design combined with continual testing gives better results than simply pointing traffic at a page and hoping it produces results…”
Enjoy!
I was going to do a post about organic chocolate landing pages, but one page is so easy to improve that I will just show what the page should be like.
The page in question, which you can reach through an ad for ‘organic chocolate’, which is also their homepage:
Problems with this page:
1. I typed in ‘organic chocolate- but I don’t see any organic chocolate.
2. Way too much data- if I can’t make an easy decision, I’ll leave- I don’t like feeling dumb.
3. I don’t see how to buy.
The solution:
1. Find an organic chocolate product.
2. Make a page with just that product, a description, and a Buy Now.
3. Point the ads at that page.
For example:
Make it obvious what you are selling, tell people why they should buy, and make it easy to buy.
I am looking for clients in the chocolate industry, and I came across landing pages for the top 5 ranked PPC ads under ‘extra dark chocolate.’
I rank each on the three basic landing page principles.
1. Is it easy to tell what is being sold?
2. Is it easy to tell why I should buy it?
3. Is it easy to buy?
In no particular order:
Hershey’s
1. It is selling 5 things- a tin full of chocolate, a crate full of chocolate, a thank you card, Cherry kisses, and a collection of dark chocolates. But I searched for ‘extra dark chocolate.’
2. Because it is Hershey’s? Though that doesn’t help when Hershey’s is not know favorably for their dark chocolate…
3. I would bet that I would click on the image to buy it, and I would be right- that takes me to a product detail page that answers more about why I should buy it.
Scharffen Berger
1. “Image not available”?!? You just paid upwards of a dollar (is my guess) but you don’t care enough to show me an ad? I called and left a message. UPDATE- they fixed the page. As a result of my call? Don’t know.
2. Well, I can’t tell what they are selling, soooo..
3. If I click on the Image not Found, it takes me to a category page for the whole Scharffen Berger store… not anything in particular to do with Extra Dark Chocolate.
Secret Spoon
1. They are selling hand-dipped strawberries, clearly.
2. Because they look really, really good.
3. Click the Buy button I assume.
Target
1. They are selling Choxie, which I think are chocolate balls, but not totally sure.
2. Because it is only for connoisseurs.
3. No buy now button, no anything. I can click around, but no add to cart. Help!
Teuscher
1. They sell chocolate. From Switzerland.
2. Well, I don’t see any specific benefits… but I am also not looking at a particular item.
3. I have to click on one of the boxes to get to a product page.
Landing page fundamentals:
1. Tell me what you are selling.
2. Tell me why I should buy it.
3. Let me buy it.Secret Spoon hit 2 out of 3- it is clear what they are selling and how to buy it. Good show!
All For You by Brian Keith 