Landing Page Design - For PPC

[EvanHinrichsen]

Hi all,

I'm hoping you can help give me some ideas on achieving a higher conversion ratio on my landing page.

Currently, we're doing PPC on Google on a bunch of hotel and accommodation related keywords, as wellas location based keywords. We're currently achieving a 3% conversion ratio. My first question would be, is that good? Can we improve? If so, how?

I've looked at our keywords that we're paying for and believe that these keywords really relate well to our services. Originally we had the ads click through to our homepage. I adjusted this to go to a landing page to mention our top 3 to 4 packages with our biggest selling points, location, excellent reviews and special events. The result was no increase or decrease in our conversion ratio.

Here's the location of the landing page, any help would be greatly appreciated: Langham Hotel Melbourne - 5 Star Accommodation on Southbank

[EvanHinrichsen]

Thanks Clint!

I completely forgot about A/B testing. Really good advice. Thanks mate!

[tryinhere]

Originally Posted by EvanHinrichsen

Thanks Clint!

I completely forgot about A/B testing. Really good advice. Thanks mate!

when you do that try a copy of that page or similar and make a very prominent "redeem your on line booking discount voucher here and save an additional xyz % of our already low specials"

or in Aussie language grab me by the balls when i visit that page with an offer id be hard pressed to say no to, you put a lot of effort into getting them to the site, take them out at the knees with a great offer / and have a look at replacing the pretty pictures at the top with your redemption voucher / on line order only special offer type thing or at least make it the first picture / or above the fold minimum, hit me right in the eye.

[EvanHinrichsen]

Hi Pete,

That makes perfect sense. Although, its hard to get a sign off on discounts. However, I may be able to get a discount on our spa or restaurant. I'll let you guys know the results!

[stevenalowe]

Originally Posted by EvanHinrichsen

Hi all,

I'm hoping you can help give me some ideas on achieving a higher conversion ratio on my landing page.

Currently, we're doing PPC on Google on a bunch of hotel and accommodation related keywords, as wellas location based keywords. We're currently achieving a 3% conversion ratio. My first question would be, is that good? Can we improve? If so, how?

I've looked at our keywords that we're paying for and believe that these keywords really relate well to our services. Originally we had the ads click through to our homepage. I adjusted this to go to a landing page to mention our top 3 to 4 packages with our biggest selling points, location, excellent reviews and special events. The result was no increase or decrease in our conversion ratio.

Here's the location of the landing page, any help would be greatly appreciated: ...

When I click on your landing page, I see no less than 41 things to click on.

Frankly, a 3% conversion rate with a page that noisy/distracting is great.

I'd suggest - at least for a split-test - creating a true landing page with nothing on it but your compelling offer. The trustmarks, reviews, et al are good (they're not links, so they add information and don't distract visitors away from the page), but your landing page should focus on selling the thing that grabbed the visitor's attention in the original ad.

If you want a link to your main site, label it 'more information about us' or similar, and have it open in a separate window.

Once you have the visitor's interest and attention, you don't want them to be distracted by anything except your compelling offer.

Focus on the benefits of the package that you are selling, and have a clear call to action as appropriate (book now, sign up for special offers, whatever).

[wolfmmiii]

Originally Posted by stevenalowe

I'd suggest - at least for a split-test - creating a true landing page with nothing on it but your compelling offer. The trustmarks, reviews, et al are good (they're not links, so they add information and don't distract visitors away from the page), but your landing page should focus on selling the thing that grabbed the visitor's attention in the original ad.

A PPC landing page (at least for AdWords) without alternate exit links will be tagged as a "bridge page" most of the time. That said, 41 seems excessive (depending on how they are laid out).

[stevenalowe]

Originally Posted by wolfmmiii

A PPC landing page (at least for AdWords) without alternate exit links will be tagged as a "bridge page" most of the time. That said, 41 seems excessive (depending on how they are laid out).

yes, the whole "bridge page" thing seems to be somewhat subjective. According to google adwords help, a disallowed "bridge" pages are:

Websites that feature links to other websites while providing minimal or no added functionality or unique content for the user

search 'google adwords bridge page' for the full link (I'm too noob to be trusted to embed a link yet ;-))

Landing pages should always add relevant, and preferably unique, content.

[wolfmmiii]

Yeah, the "bridge page" thing is what most affiliates have all sorts of problems with. It CAN BE subjective and that's why the landing pages I design for my sites and my clients are usually pretty complex with lots of different content and such.

There's usually lot's more required of a landing page than just unique and helpful content.

[stevenalowe]

Originally Posted by wolfmmiii

There's usually lot's more required of a landing page than just unique and helpful content.

Just out of curiosity, how far do you go? The last landing pages I made for adwords only had about 1000 words of unique content, and the quality score was 7 out of 10.

In other words, how much is enough?

[wolfmmiii]

Originally Posted by stevenalowe

In other words, how much is enough?

It's not necessarily about how much but how useful. I've promoted Amazon landing pages with 250-word reviews on them without issue. However, my sites are different than many out there. I use lots of customized themes, plugins, and templates to create pages that are not your run-of-the-mill type.

[stevenalowe]

Originally Posted by wolfmmiii

It's not necessarily about how much but how useful. I've promoted Amazon landing pages with 250-word reviews on them without issue. However, my sites are different than many out there. I use lots of customized themes, plugins, and templates to create pages that are not your run-of-the-mill type.

Care to link to an example - or would that be giving away secrets?

[wolfmmiii]

Originally Posted by stevenalowe

Care to link to an example - or would that be giving away secrets?

I've promoted my tdtechreviews.com site (among others) with PPC on several occasions to test conversions and such.

[stevenalowe]

Originally Posted by wolfmmiii

I've promoted my tdtechreviews.com site (among others) with PPC on several occasions to test conversions and such.

wow - 42 things to click on other than your Buy button - this converts well?

(Not trying to be a smart @$$, just curious about the approach/method)

[wolfmmiii]

I use different formats depending on whether I'm doing SEO or PPC. The site in its current form is laid out for SEO. That said, virtually every link is either an affiliate link, a PPC link, or a link that leads to another page with other monetization.

Of course, it doesn't convert as well as a landing page with a single Amazon link but the fact is, a landing page with a single Amazon link isn't going to be approved by AdWords anyway so it becomes a moot point.

Building landing pages (and sites) that AdWords will approve requires creativity and based on the number of AdWords complaints from affiliate marketers, most affiliate marketers lack the creativity to build AdWords-compliant sites. Being AdWords-compliant requires a different mindset that many folks refuse to embrace.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that keyword selection and understanding your visitors' intentions makes the number of "other" links largely unimportant.

By the way, I took your advice and started work on a course/ebook. It will be very comprehensive so it could take a while.

[stevenalowe]

Originally Posted by wolfmmiii

I use different formats depending on whether I'm doing SEO or PPC. The site in its current form is laid out for SEO. That said, virtually every link is either an affiliate link, a PPC link, or a link that leads to another page with other monetization.

Of course, it doesn't convert as well as a landing page with a single Amazon link but the fact is, a landing page with a single Amazon link isn't going to be approved by AdWords anyway so it becomes a moot point.

Building landing pages (and sites) that AdWords will approve requires creativity and based on the number of AdWords complaints from affiliate marketers, most affiliate marketers lack the creativity to build AdWords-compliant sites. Being AdWords-compliant requires a different mindset that many folks refuse to embrace.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that keyword selection and understanding your visitors' intentions makes the number of "other" links largely unimportant.

By the way, I took your advice and started work on a course/ebook. It will be very comprehensive so it could take a while.

SEO for that site makes sense.

for the course/ebook, a membership site jumped-started via webinars might be a good approach. For example, do a free introductory webinar to build a list and engage your audience, and pitch the ecourse as a membership site at the end. Should get a good response, if you reach to target market to start with.

the advantage of this is that you don't have to create the entire course at once, in advance, but deliver content on a schedule to customers who have already paid you in advance


keep us posted!