Picture this: a prospective customer is rushing out the door when they notice water dripping from their ceiling. They groan, Google a plumber near them and click on the first result they see: an ad for your business. They see you offer same-day service and want your help. Yay!

But when they click on the ad and get to your site, they can’t quickly find a way to schedule a same-day appointment. Frustrated and pressed for time, they return to Google and ultimately go with a competitor. "Yay!" rescinded.

If your Google paid search and social media ads are getting clicks but aren’t converting customers — or if you just want an easy way to increase your conversion rate — you might want to take a look at your website. Don’t worry, we’re not going to tell you to redo it. Instead, we’d like to introduce you to the concept of landing pages.

A landing page is a webpage you create specifically to send people to when they click on your ads. Because these pages focus on convincing visitors to perform a single action, like requesting a quote, they’re often better at getting you good leads.

In fact, Hubspot reports that landing pages have the highest conversion rate out of all sign-up forms. This, in turn, can help you get a better return on your ads. 

Ready to learn more? Let’s explore four strategies for creating high-impact landing pages.

1. Make sure your landing page matches your ad.

Rule number one: ensure your landing pages are relevant to your audience’s interests.

Think about the prospective buyer who clicked on your ad. What would they expect to see when they land on your site? If you advertised cheap cleaning services, they might expect information about your low prices. Or, if your ad targeted the keyword “reputable contractor,” they might expect to see testimonials and awards.

You already know the individual is interested in what you offer; make sure you keep their attention by tailoring your page to their needs. If they don’t see what they’re looking for right away, they might just leave.

Note: this means if you’re running multiple ads that focus on different products or offers, you should have multiple landing pages. For example, if you’re an HVAC company, you’d want to create different landing pages for both your heating and air conditioning services.

2. Use clear and compelling copy

Once you’ve honed in on what buyers expect to see, you can start crafting your copy.

Your headline is one of the most important aspects of your page, as it’s often the first thing people see. As such, make sure it grabs the prospect’s attention and clearly demonstrates the value of your services.

To do this, it can help to think about:

• The problem you solve (“Same-day repair” )
• What you do (“Turn your lawn into a masterpiece”)
• What sets you apart (“Roofing leader since 1952”)
• Your unique offering (“Limited time offer: $200 installation”)

Remember: keep your headline benefit-focused. It should address prospects’ main problems, and they should understand what’s in it for them within seconds. Consider using words like “you” and “your” so it’s easier for them to understand how they might benefit from working with you.

As for the rest of the page, you may want to cover:

• Why you’re better than other options (faster quotes, locally owned and operated, more financing options, etc.)
• Social proof (reviews, awards, certifications, etc.)
• Any relevant images (your team working, before and after pics, etc.)
• Process steps (e.g. 1. Get an estimate within 30 minutes 2. Book an appointment 3. Service will take up to five hours)

Just keep in mind that landing pages need to be clear and concise — solely focus on addressing the user’s needs, proving your worth, and directing them to your call to action.

3. Only have one call-to-action (CTA).

Call-to-actions are so important, they deserve their own section. After all, the sole purpose of a landing page is to guide the visitor to take action.

It may be tempting to also ask prospects to follow you on Facebook or check out your reviews on Yelp, but don’t distract them with unnecessary information or links to other parts of your site. Instead, keep your page focused and continually point them to the one CTA you care about (like to give you a call or book an appointment online).

Here's how you can make sure your CTA stands out and encourages conversions:

• Ensure it’s visible as soon as they get to the page. They shouldn’t have to scroll down the page to find it.
• Avoid simple text links. Buttons and contact forms are much easier to spot than hyperlinks.
• Use contrasting colors from the rest of your page. For example, if your page is mostly white, consider using a bright-colored CTA button that complements your brand colors.
• Use action-oriented verbs. Make it clear what you want the visitor to do — e.g. “call us”, “get a free quote,” or “book an appointment online.” Try to avoid generic CTAs like “submit.”
• Keep forms short. Only ask for what you need — no one wants to give a bunch of personal information just to get a quote.

4. Make sure it loads quickly across different devices

Your landing page will likely be most individuals’ first impression of your brand, so make sure it loads quickly, looks modern, and works on whatever device they’re on.

Today, almost 50% of web traffic comes from mobile devices, so it’s important to make sure your landing pages are responsive, which basically means they can adapt to different screen sizes to ensure everyone has a great user experience, whether they’re on a phone, tablet, or computer.

Fortunately, many website builders like WordPress offer responsive templates, so you may not need to bust out your coding skills this time.

Bottom line

Ads and landing pages go hand in hand like you and your tools. As these pages are essential for driving lead conversions, make sure you take the time to craft them as carefully as possible — and once they’re live, be sure to check their performance, test other headlines or CTAs, and continue to optimize. The new jobs you get will be well worth the effort.

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