Amazing Results with Adwords

Call Five: From Click to Close

    1. Impress me in 8 seconds or less
      1. People draw IMMEDIATE conclusions from your website in the first 8-10 seconds (some say as little as 5 seconds!) Treat it just like a live first impression.
      2. It's typically NOT about how fancy or "flashy" your website is. (It's about giving people the info they're looking for QUICKLY and CLEARLY)
      3. What was the hook in your Ad Copy? Stick to that theme on your landing page!
      4. Quality images are important -- some visitors will assume the quality of your offering is equal to the quality of the picture they see.
      5. Keep your value proposition and differentiators EASY to see and understand
        1. Remember: why should they buy?
        2. And: why should they buy from you?
    1. Keep it to the point: ads and key phrases that match the landing page
      1. You should create multiple landing pages, each addressing SPECIFICALLY what your ad states (your quality score depends on it)
      2. Be strategic about HOW MUCH content is delivered on the landing page
      3. Particularly "above the fold" (the area where people can see without having to scroll)
      4. Speak to your customers in a language and tone they can understand.
    2. Do you have credibility? Then prove it.
      1. Prominently display industry certifications, distinctions, awards, comparisons, etc.
      2. Security verification, Privacy Policies and any other consumer protection links/buttons are also effective.
    3. No better advertising than "word of mouth" so to speak
      1. Testimonials
        1. Include a powerful sentence from a customer or customers that RESTATES or confirms your value prop/differentiator
        2. Scrolling testimonial quotes can be a great way to add a little movement without being too "flashy"
        3. An audio/video clip can be even more compelling
      2. Case Study/Success Story Links
        1. This is an excellent marketing tool AND a way to get more keyword rich content included in your page
        2. Doesn't have to be long; 1-2 pages is fine
          1. Summary/Highlights (A few bullets capturing the high level info/benefits)
          2. Background
          3. Challenge
          4. Solution
          5. Quantifiable Results
    4. Navigation is key
      1. Make it easy for customers to find their way
      2. Avoid single or "squeeze" pages (pages that require information before giving the visitor information)
        1. Google doesn't like them (https://adwords.google.com/select/siteguidelines.html)
        2. Consumers don't like them
        3. If you do get their information, they are not as qualified as an opt-in through an optional offer
      3. You could be losing up to 1/3 of your traffic because of difficult navigation or check out process
      4. If you choose to have funnels (which is a great idea!!), still have a main navigation where visitors can back out
      5. Highlight where the customer is and how much further they can go (for example: See TARGET landing page)
    5. Creatively and abundantly GET ACTION with calls to action
      1. Choose at least 4 CTA's for your page
      2. Review of great CTA's
        1. Action button (Buy/Order/Contact)
        2. RFP/RFQ/Price Inquiry
        3. Demo (info requirement can be an option)
        4. "Free Trial" or similar offer
        5. "Funnel" Selections
        6. White paper/case study offer
        7. Newsletter Sign-up
        8. Blog/article link
        9. Live Chat option
        10. "Callme" Icon (This is sizzling!!!)
        11. Question Submittal/Ask the Expert
        12. Then, of course, your "Contact" button and info@email.com links
    6. Layout & Elements (Images, Content, Buttons, Navigation)
      1. Because we read L-R, Top-Bottom, be cognizant of which elements go where.
      2. Keep visitors focused on the primary objective (by having too many other images and offers, you'll dilute the purpose of your landing page.)
      3. Anticipate what ELSE the customer might be interested in and position those elements accordingly. (This includes the all-important CROSS SELL/UPSELL)
      4. Good organization and design can allow you to include a lot of great and compelling information on one page (see NEF Landing Page)
    7. Video or audio done right can be a big draw
      1. By "speaking" to your prospects in short but powerful video, you can both welcome them AND ask them to take action
      2. Professional video is often more appealing than amateur or self video
    8. Ongoing process
      1. You should constantly be testing elements
        1. Substance: the actual content, colors and images
        2. Location: where on the page is most effective
      2. Continually add great, keyword rich, relevant content
Useful links:

Next call: ABC's of AB Testing and Analytics