When it comes to paid advertising, landing pages are often an afterthought for many businesses. However, a well-designed landing page can be the difference between wasted ad spend and a steady stream of conversions. 

You may be pouring money into driving traffic to your site, but if the landing page experience falls short, those potential customers will bounce right off.

The difference between organic and paid media landing pages?

While they serve a similar purpose, organic and paid landing pages are optimised differently.

Paid media landing pages are laser-focused on converting the target audience. They feature persuasive ad copy, hard-hitting offers and clear calls-to-action (CTAs) that compel users to take the desired action. These pages are designed to receive direct traffic from your paid campaigns on platforms like Google Ads, Meta or TikTok

Organic landing pages, on the other hand, are part of your website’s overall content strategy. They’re optimised for search engines to improve your site’s visibility, rankings and traffic. 

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Why dedicated landing pages are crucial for paid ads.

The stage of the marketing funnel you’re targeting will determine the best approach, but let’s assume you are after conversions. Using your homepage as the landing page for paid ads may seem like a convenient option, but it’s not an effective one. 

Your homepage is built to cater to a broad audience, not the specific segment you’ve painstakingly targeted with your ads. As a result, you’ll likely see a higher bounce rate and increased costs-per-click( CPC) - a costly combination.

A dedicated landing page allows you to create a hyper-relevant experience tailored to your target audience’s pain points and desires. 

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Building high-converting landing pages: Checklist (Not exhaustive)

• Define the Goal - before you start designing, clearly define the purpose of the landing page. Are you aiming for sales, lead generation or something else entirely? This goal will inform every aspect of your page’s design and content. 

• Minimise distractions - Your landing page should be a streamlined experience with a single focus: converting visitors into customers (or leads). Ditch the navigation menus, excessive links, and any unnecessary elements that could divert attention from your primary CTA. You don’t want visitors going to other pages or even worse to another website.

• Prioritise key information - Your headlines, unique selling points (USPs), and CTAs, should occupy the prime real estate at the top half of the page. Visitors shouldn’t have to scroll to find the essentials. However, avoid cramming too much information into a small space. - Clarity is key!

• Maintain relevance - Your landing page should deliver on the promise made by your ad copy. If visitors feel misled or fail to find what they were expecting, they’ll bounce right off. Ensure a seamless transition from the ad to a landing page.

• Show! Don’t Tell - Compelling visuals and content can help visitors better understand your offering and envision themselves as customers. Use high-quality images, videos or interactive content to bring your product/service to life. 

• Social Proofing - Testimonials and reviews from real customers can go a long way in building trust and credibility. However, avoid generic praise - include specific details like names, dates, and tangible results to make your social proof more authentic and human.

• Keep it Concise - While you want to provide sufficient information, resist the urge to over explain. Use clear, punchy copy that gets to the heart of your USP and the benefits the visitors can expect. 

• Optimise for Speed and Mobile -  Prioritise page speed optimisation and ensure your landing pages are fully responsive for the growing number of mobile users. “The probability of bounce increases 32% as page load time goes from 1 second to 3 seconds” - Think with Google

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