What is a Landing Page?

A landing page is a special type of website sales page. It may be a page that directly sells a product or service. Alternatively, it could be a web page that sells visitors on the benefits of entering their name and email address in exchange for a free download; or to get more information about a product or service (usually for more expensive or complex products or services); or to subscribe to a newsletter; or to register for a contest; or to call for more information; or for any of many other types of lead generation strategies.

In most cases a landing page is not a home page (although there are exceptions – including for certain websites that only sell one product or service).

In certain limited examples, a landing page is not even part of a website’s navigation menu, which means that users would not end up on such a page as a result of browsing a particular website. They would arrive, or land there, by being purposefully directed to that page via an email, or an advertisement.  (By the way, the advertisement could be an ad on one’s own site, in addition to other sites).

Landing Page Expectations

Typically, a visitor “lands” on a landing page via an advertisement (such as PPC or other ads), e-mail, or search listing. That initial message establishes the viewer’s expectation for what the user expects to see when they click on a link that leads them to your landing page.

An obvious point that contributes to the sales success of any landing page is how well the landing page delivers on the promise of the ad or email that drove the visitor to the landing page.

If a person clicks on a link from an ad, or email, or search result, with a promise of a solution to a problem, or more information, or certain details, only to land on a generalized page about a company (such as a home page), then the visitor is forced to search again for the information that brought him to the site. Most visitors will leave such a site and look for another website that makes it easier for the searcher to find what they’re after.

For example, if a searcher clicks on an ad that describes a sale for a particular brand of motorcycle tire, only to land on the home page of a motorcycle dealer’s website that features all kinds of motorcycles, helmets, jackets, accessories, parts, mechanical services – as well as motorcycle tires – the visitor would be forced to do further searching on the dealer’s website to find the tire sale.  Many visitors will leave such a website disappointed, and continue their search for a site that will show them the exact motorcycle tire they’re after.

A better example would be a searcher who clicks on an ad for a particular brand of motorcycle tire, and arrives on a web page that has a picture of that exact tire, with the regular price, the sale price, the tire’s specifications, shipping details, a phone number to call for any questions, and a very easy-to-see “BUY” button (or “Add to Shopping Cart”) so that such a consumer can get the info they’re after (if they want), but more importantly, so they make their purchase and move on with their day.

Landing Page Call-to-Action

The “call-to-action” is what you want the visitor to do, such as make a purchase, download some information, make a phone call, etc. In the above example, the call-to-action is represented by a very prominent “BUY” button.

Whatever it is you want the visitor to do, be sure to clearly state it on the landing page. Any visitor should be able to quickly identify what their expected action is.

Market Testing Landing Pages

There is more than one can know about landing pages, including not distracting visitors from the main intent of the web page. Hence, landing pages can be made more effective by “not” including other advertisements.

More importantly, landing pages can be made more effective by testing, testing and more testing. Market testing landing page variables such as the wording in the headlines, the main copywriting information, the placement of “more details,” and product images are among some of the fundamental items that should be statistically compared and then refined.

For more information about testing to improve efficiency, click on “Testing” Your Way To Internet Marketing Success.

Marketing: The Big Picture in Two Sentences

Your marketing efforts need to be:

♦ Driving LEADS into your business

♦ Converting LEADS into SALES

♦ Turning SALES into PROFIT

And it all needs to be continuously refined for greater efficiency and affluence.

Definition of Marketing (revised from the Old Guard)

Most business professionals would be able to provide some reasonable definition of “marketing,” when asked. By reasonable, I mean it would likely include a connotation of expanding sales and profit, or even more down to earth, “making more money.” In other words, they would think in terms of the end result that good marketing is supposed to provide.

But what is the actual definition of “marketing”?

This is the definition of Marketing from the American Marketing Association (AMA):

“Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large”

The above definition was “approved” by the Board of Directors of the AMA (click link above) in 2007.

It’s interesting that tucked into this definition, which primarily reflects a connotation of action and results, is the additional concept of a “set of institutions.”

Here are pertinent definitions of institution from the American Heritage Dictionary:

a. An established organization or foundation, especially one dedicated to education, public service, or culture.

b. The building or buildings housing such an organization.

Institutions (which would include the AMA) are associated with marketing, but they should NOT be part of the definition.

The AMA Board of Directors either do not truly understand marketing, or more likely, are attempting to formalize a sense of professional self-importance in an era whereby the relevance of marketing “institutions” are in decline with the advent of 21st century marketing technologies.

On the other hand, regardless of the useful products and services that marketing institutions do provide, and have provided, the notion of including “institutions” within the definition of marketing would have been inapplicable at any time in the past. It’s just more erroneous nowadays with the advances of technology and the decentralization of institutions within the marketing industry.

Including “institutions” within the definition of marketing would be like including “soap box” within the definition of “speaking.”

Standing on a soap box may be helpful for a speaker to make his voice heard over a crowd of listeners, but it is certainly not relevant to the fundamental action and results of “speaking.”

A more accurate and workable definition of marketing would be presented by removing the concept of institutional self-importance and leaving only the essence of what marketing is all about:

Marketing is the activity and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large

In other words, marketing is all about action and results!

What is Online Marketing?

“Online marketing” is a term that encompasses a large area of specialized technological and promotional disciplines to sell products and services via the Internet.  With more and more companies moving their advertising budgets from traditional media to online marketing, the game is increasingly becoming more and more competitive.  And for most businesses, more and more vital to their bottom line.

More Than a Website

Online marketing is much more than building a website.  In fact, as any business can verify after establishing a web presence, that’s merely the beginning of an ongoing marketing and communication evolution that includes publicity, advertising, and sales, and which is continuously refined to engage prospects for the purpose of selling products and services.

Depending upon the sophistication of one’s products or services and therefore how long it may take to move through a typical sales cycle, the process can be as simple as publishing a product description with good photos and copywriting and then advertising it; to something more complex, such as creating and maintaining an online information media channel designed to engage as many types of buyers along as many points of the sales process as possible. For complex and/or expensive products/services, the sooner you can engage a prospect along their research-to-purchase decision path, the more opportunity you create to establish and build a relationship and demonstrate that you are the solution to what they need.

Subsegments of Online Marketing

Although each of the following areas of online marketing comprises its own body of knowledge and expertise, recognize that if you’re going to effectively take advantage of online marketing opportunities, these points need to be contemplated:

♦ Lead Generation
♦ B2B and/or B2C Sales
♦ Email Marketing and Relationship Building
♦ Search Engine Optimization
♦ Search Marketing (PPC and online advertising)
♦ Strategic use of Blogging, Video and Social Media
♦ Affiliate marketing
♦ Web design and usability

The more these points can be practically and strategically implemented, the better your online marketing results will be.

What is Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing refers to the marketing model of companies paying others to sell for them. Stated another way, if you sell a product, and I refer buyers to you, then you would pay me a commission for those buyers.

This works out good for you, since you only pay me if a sale occurs.

This works out good for me because I don’t need to develop the product, store the product, ship the product, handle customer care, nor do all the other things that are associated with selling products.

If I do a good job for you, you may receive a considerable amount of sales from me. If you have a number of affiliates like myself, then you could have a very good business established.

However, if someone else sells another product than yours, and if that company provides a higher commission, then many of your affiliates may direct their promotional efforts towards the other company to benefit from the higher commission.

Or, if another company pays the same commission as you, but does a better job of servicing their customers, resulting in lower dissatisfaction among customer (and fewer returns), affiliates will move their promotional efforts to that other company. (Affiliates may lose commissions when a customer requests a refund).

Since this is all done online, another way to think of this is by considering the idea of sales websites pushing customers to other product websites.

It’s big business online.

Affiliate Networks

In addition to you (the merchant or publisher) and myself (the affiliate), there is also an affiliate network that facilitates a connection between each of us, as well as the customers.

Affiliate networks provide value to merchants and brands (you) by helping to develop affiliate programs, advertisements and payout pricing.

After an affiliate network has worked out a suitable arrangement with you (the merchant or publisher), they turn around and provide affiliates like myself, with your offers we can promote. Affiliate networks also provide us with support, and tracking tools.  Additionally, they handle the payments between you and I.

Affiliates, such as myself, and others who would be driving customers to your business (and other businesses) are usually able to join affiliate networks for free. However, more often than not, you as a merchant, will typically pay a fee. Affiliate networks will also charge you a percentage of the commissions paid to your affiliates.

A Few Affiliate Networks:

• Azoogle.com
• Affiliate.com
• CommissionJunction.com (CJ.com)
• Neverblue.com
• RocketProfit.com

Affiliate Networks That Specialize in Electronic Products:

• ClickBank.com
• ShareASale.com

Think of these last two networks as providers of ebooks (electronic products) on any subject you can imagine.

By the way, not all affiliate programs require an actual purchase to pay out a commission. Other common affiliate payouts can be based upon:

• Pay Per Impression (an ad, or page view)
• Pay Per Click
• Pay Per Lead/Call
• As well as the Pay Per Sale model featured in this article

In each of these cases the merchant (yourself) is determining what is in their best interests.

Paying for a sale would be the most common affiliate relationship.

However, some products/services may be too complex to expect an affiliate to generate a completed sale, so some type of lead generation opportunity may be in your best interests.  Or, simply paying to display advertisements on other websites (Pay Per Impression) may best serve your marketing needs.

What is “Local Search” and Who is it For?

Local Search is for you, if your products or service are purchased by clients and customers in your geographical area.

“Local search” is a term that represents the use of Internet search engines in combination with geographically constrained search parameters. Typical local search queries include not only information about “what” the site visitor is searching for (such as keywords, a business category, or the name of a consumer product) but also “where” information, such as a street address, city name and/or zip code.

Local Search: Implicit and Explicit

A search that includes a geographic parameter, such as “London,” “Upstate NY”, or “State Street in Santa Barbara, CA,” is an explicit local search. A search that references a product or service that is typically consumed locally, such as “pizza” or “haircut” or “catering,” is an implicit local search.

In terms of implicit local search, the search engines themselves do their best to match the location of the searcher’s computer to the location of the business the searcher is looking for.

Regardless of whether local search queries are implicit or explicit, it behooves a local business owner/marketer to ensure their business is visible for such searchers by making it as easy as possible for the search engines to identify their business to local consumers.

Local Search Engine Optimization and Geo Targeting

Search engine optimization professionals who provide such services to businesses, make it a point to ensure their clients are prominent in local search results.

A few ways to make business listing information available to the various online entities that can promote it, is to publish the info to electronic Yellow Pages aggregators, as well as vertical search engines and specialized regional search directories, and within local business or community directories, etc.

Some search engines will pick up on web pages that contain regular street addresses displayed in machine-readable text (rather than a picture of text, which is more difficult to interpret). Web pages can also use geo-tagging techniques (adding geographical identification to content such as photographs, video, as well as the web pages themselves) to further elevate their local profile.

A more sophisticated local search strategy is to geo target local information to searchers depending upon where they are located. For example, if someone from Germany searches for “Los Angeles Hotels,” a geo-targeting strategy would be to supply information about your LA hotel using the German language.

Local PPC

Promoting your business by pay-per-click advertising on the search engines themselves, is a very direct way to get your name in front of potential local customers and clients.

You may choose to show your PPC ads only to people within an area you specify (example: show ads only to searchers whose computers are located in Chicago) and/or you may bid on terms to target areas within your zone (example: show ads to searchers who are looking for hotels in Atlanta, regardless of where in the world the searchers computer is located). In either case, the ads will appear in front of searchers looking for your goods or services within the area from which you have a reasonable expectation of drawing customers.

The key to local advertising is to find out where the people within range of your business are searching for what you sell. Then, advertise to them!

What is a Google Snippet?

Have you ever wondered where that little snippet (description or excerpt from a webpage) of text comes from that describes each search result in Google?

Well, if you have, there’s good news and bad news about it:

1) The good news is that there is an answer. (Whew!)

2) The bad news is that it’s not as simple as one might hope.

The short answer is that it comes from multiple sources, either on the web page itself, or in certain circumstances, even from other pages (such as the Open Directory Project, also known as dmoz.org).

If you want to know more about this snippet, as well as everything you see in a search result, including page title, page description, and sitelinks, including additional elements that may appear, such as stock quotes, cached pages links, and more, then you’ll want to check out this 8 min video from Google entitled, The Anatomy of a Search Result.

Here is more info from Google’s Search Engine Optimization
Starter Guide:

Description meta tags are important because Google might use them as snippets for your pages. Note that we say “might” because Google may choose to use a relevant section of your page’s visible text if it does a good job of matching up with a user’s query. Alternatively, Google might use your site’s description in the Open Directory Project if your site is listed there (learn how to prevent search engines from displaying ODP data). Adding description meta tags to each of your pages is always a good practice in case Google cannot find a good selection of text to use in the snippet.