The other day I got a postcard from a local B2B firm inviting me to a product show. To attend, just register online. So I entered the website listed on the card and there I was on their home page. So…now I need to search the site to find where to fill out my form to RSVP? What a pain. It would have been great if they’d created a landing page on their website specifically for the show instead of forcing me to click all over looking for the form.
Flipping through a local monthly magazine, I noticed several lost opportunities for advertisers to have used a simple online tool to encourage readers to do what they hoped they would do – book a weekend at a discounted rate at a resort in Traverse City, request an estimate for landscaping services, reserve a table for an annual luncheon – these are but a few examples.
Local companies spend lots of money to mail postcards and purchase print ads in magazines and newspapers, and too often don’t have a good grasp of what advertising is paying off and what isn’t.
Enter landing pages.
A landing page is a web page created for a specific reason or promotion that encourages people to take a desired action. It’s simple content speaking directly to the recipient of the advertising, and it makes it super easy for people to engage with you. Best of all, it is measurable using your website analytics. See how many came to the landing page created for a postcard mailing, see how many came from your magazine ad, see how many came from your email blast. What works best?
An example for the Traverse City resort would be, “go to our website at traversecityresort.com/MayDayDeal to book your room today.” Benefit to customer: it’s easy and quick. Benefit to advertiser: more bookings and it’s measurable.
Other ideas to use landing pages effectively are in trade show materials, online banner ads, and pay-per-click advertising. A landing page can feature a product to buy, encourage registration for a webinar or to join the email list, make request for info, or to request a quote.
Using landing pages in your advertising makes it easy for people to do business with you, and makes it easy for you to see what messages and mediums are most effective.
