| Landing pages are the first page that you land on | | | | recorded. |
| when you enter a website. Therefore landing page | | | | Whilst it is often tight between alternating versions of |
| optimisation is a process of improving pages to better | | | | the same page, clear patterns sometimes emerge. |
| relate to visitor searches and related expectations. | | | | When one is clearly more popular with visitors than the |
| However, that is simplifying things a little. Landing page | | | | other, you have a clear indication of where to start |
| optimisation is in fact a very complicated process that | | | | your final optimisation process. |
| requires a good understanding of audience, page | | | | Without this thorough analysis and user testing, landing |
| layout and analysing statistical data. To effectively | | | | page optimisation would be lengthy and often lead to |
| optimise a page you will often first have to test it. | | | | unclear conclusions. Therefore it is a crucial step of the |
| Testing landing pages requires the creation of various | | | | process and certainly not one that you should be |
| changeable elements. Whether it is a section of text, | | | | looking to avoid. |
| the position of a call to action or placement of a | | | | When you come to optimise your site, use the data to |
| 'continue' button, all are tested side by side. This | | | | find which combinations worked best and then simply |
| process is quite simple, although it will take plenty of | | | | implement the required changes. As all elements are |
| planning in the first instance and a little deconstruction | | | | tested with a clear 50/50 split, you shouldn't struggle to |
| of all the data at the other. | | | | see which of the two alternatives was the most |
| Before testing though, you really need to identify what | | | | effective. You can then implement the changes and |
| the problems might be with your landing pages as they | | | | see how that affects your traffic flow. |
| currently stand. Sometimes these will be obvious, in | | | | Landing page optimisation is an ongoing process |
| other circumstances you will need experience in | | | | though. No page is ever absolutely perfect, but you |
| determining site issues. Remedies for all of these | | | | can certainly work towards achieving that goal. By |
| potential issues have to be created. | | | | trying different pages, testing other elements within |
| Again, this might be a chunk of text, it might be a | | | | those pages and gaining a wealth of statistical data, |
| reordering of the page or it could just be a simple | | | | you can better understand what works for your site |
| colour adjustment. The psychology of a searcher, | | | | and, more importantly, what visitors expect from it. |
| either on PPC or organic search engine results, is a | | | | The whole process can be time consuming when |
| strange thing. We all have in-built expectations and are | | | | done fully and correctly. Obviously if there are major |
| looking for our own information in a certain format. If a | | | | issues on a landing page or a PPC advert is pointing to |
| site doesn't adhere, we turn tail and run. The internet | | | | the wrong URL, these types of issues are usually |
| affords us the opportunity to browse numerous sites in | | | | easily resolved. Keywords too can play a part. If |
| a minute, so why waste more time than necessary on | | | | you've been targeting a key phrase that isn't relevant |
| a single one? | | | | to the landing page, it wouldn't be too much of a |
| Problems identified can then be tested as part of the | | | | stretch to look at researching more focussed terms to |
| landing page optimisation process. These tests include | | | | bring in quality traffic that won't leave immediately. |
| running the website with alternate versions loading for | | | | First impressions are vital on any landing page, so |
| different visitors, with a 50/50 split between the two | | | | make sure that you optimise yours properly. Don't |
| different page layouts. After a specified period, either a | | | | leave your website's future to chance, be proactive |
| time or visitor number, you can then analyse the data | | | | and get more from your search engine traffic. |