Lansing, I mean, Landing page Development
In these posts, we always try to bring to your attention the more overlooked elements of strong online marketing campaigns. I have covered ad text, timing, and accountability. My new topic is landing pages. I was recently reading a very good article on landing pages here, by Tim Ash on Search Engine Watch, and it tipped me off to an idea regarding landing pages within geographic campaigns. Many of our clients at Netvantage Marketing use geo-targeted campaigns, meaning that the search engine marketing we are performing are only serving ads for those Googling in certain geo-graphic pockets. A key piece of a successful geo-targeted ads is utilizing the local area within the ad text, as well as bidding on keyword variations with a geographic orientation. For example, instead of “copier suppliers” we may select “lansing copies suppliers”, and then write accompanying ad text that highlighted the geographic area you serve. It can be a great tool to increase click through rate and customers. But then what?
One of which is your landing page. Landing pages are an important element to your AdWords campaign. Sure, you can generate lots of traffic through your search ads, but are they converting? When users go to your site’s content, the real measure of success will be conversion to your goal. Landing page content gets even more intriguing when you enter in the realm of geo-targeted campaigns.
The first and more important recommendation I would make is to make sure that for each of your landing pages, you are taking into accounting utilizing geography within your content. This particularly important for your header tag structure. If a user has clicked on “lansing copier supplier” - have this be prominent within the lead h1 introductory text. Then be sure to use geography within the body content.
The second recommendation I would make is probably more work, but worth it. For each of your services offerings and corresponding ad copy, make a landing page for that geographic area. Your ability to convert customers from this page will certainly rise. So, if you are serving two geographic areas, or geographic areas that could have different names, construct landing pages that fit both. Using our copier supplier example - you may want to point users to a landing page that highlights “Lansing copier supplier” content, - and then also construct a landing page that highlights “Mid Michigan copier supplier”.
Of course, I am getting deep into online marketing strategy and I should stop to say, at the top of this process you should be running an entirely different ad group for “Mid Michigan copier supplier” versus “Lansing copier supplier”, including your keywords and ad text. This is what will make my landing page suggestion work the best.
Yes, this all seems meticulous. Yes, it is work. If you are starting out on your own, I recommend a few ad groups and corresponding landing pages to test and gain a comfort level. Once you are comfortable, add onto your campaign with this strategy. The overall major trend in search marketing is the power of localization — be sure to take advantage of this and use it your benefit with strong landing pages.
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[...] Landing pages have been a topic of discussion lately with clients, so I think it is an appropriate discussion point for today. I have written about landing pages before, with an emphasis on matching your users expectations’ with their click through. If a user performs a search, and clicks on your ad, be sure you are matching their expectations. I elaborated on this specifically with my geographic blog reference, written in January. [...]