The What and the Why
It’s a common problem – a new business starts trying to advertise on social media, and clicking on their ad takes you straight to their home page without utilizing landing pages. I know that this seems like the best idea. Let’s face it, we all want our website to be seen, right? Why not send customers straight to the home page?
I know that your home page is the face of your website, but I’m in the business of helping you grow. To do that with social media advertising, you’ll want to use landing pages – and I’m about to tell you why.
What is a Landing Page?
Before I talk about the advantages of having a landing page, let’s start by defining what that is.
A landing page is a web page built to zero in on the specific product or service you are trying to sell with your advertising, while also gathering information on the customers who clicked the ad.
For further definition, let’s look at the two types of landing pages: Lead generation pages, and Click-through pages.
A lead generation page focuses more on gathering customer information for future contact, such as their e-mail, phone number, or mailing address. A click-through page acts as a thoroughfare to your website, but concentrates your products or services to best match the advertisement you placed.
Why have a Landing Page for Social Media Advertising?
If there’s one thing social media is good for, it’s finding exactly the information you want without having to dig for it. Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, you want your advertising links to take your customers straight to the product or service you’re offering.
For example, if I clicked on a Facebook ad for a free downloadable e-book on gardening and ended up on the homepage of a home improvement website, I probably won’t look for that e-book. Instead, I’ll peruse the site, and leave the site without giving that business any usable information.
Or worse, I’ll bounce. Bouncing is when a customer looks at a web page and then hits the back button or goes straight from your site to another site. Social media users are accustomed to ads taking them exactly where they want to go, and they won’t hesitate to hit that back button.
Your landing page cuts to the chase – Here is what you’re looking for, here is what you can give me in exchange. With convenience and a simple line of communication, you increase the chances of gathering information and making a sale. After all, that’s what business is all about, isn’t it? Social media is the bait, and your ad may be the hook, but in the end, your landing page will be the reel. So yank ‘em in with a landing page, and you’ll find more prospects and conversions than your home page could provide.
Landing Pages Work – Just Try Them!
I’ve worked with a lot of people who couldn’t understand why their social media ads weren’t working for them the way they should have been. Putting out a beautiful ad that links to your home page just isn’t enough anymore.
With landing pages, you’re putting the most important information in front of your customers in the most convenient manner for them. Convenience builds confidence, and confidence builds loyalty. In addition, you’ll be generating more leads, gaining more website hits, and seeing many less bounces on your website.
If you’re worried that your social media ads are just not performing the way they should be, I suggest trying out landing pages. You’ll be surprised at the difference it makes for your business – I know I was!