By submitting your blog to free blog submission sites you can increase your exposure to visitors that frequent those sites. This is a “no brainier” way to get more traffic to your site by taking advantage of these blog submission sites.
I recommend that bloggers and business owners with a blog submit regularly to these blogs until the entire list of blog submission sites has been worked through.
You can also check out our list of the top 150 citations for SEO, which is another great way to increase your visibility.
One can tackle this list in chunks by simply scheduling an hour or 30 minutes per day to make submissions to blogs.
The easiest way to chunk this list is to create a template for submissions that will be used to readily grab information from by users.
You can take the time to create a blog submission template checklist or simply download ours for ease of.
Creating your own Submission Checklist
Start by identifying an email address to use for submission.
It’s a best practice, in my opinion, to create one just for this purpose. Keep in mind some sites will not allow a simple Gmail or yahoo email address.
I usually just create an email address at my domain like blog-submission-list@example.com
Another best practice is to keep a copy and paste information log for the submission so you don’t have to create it each time.
I find following and tracking my submissions to be helpful.
It’s encouraging and motivating as you can see you are knocking out the list over time.
I find it best to put this in excel and save it for reference when I’m ready to work on the blog submission sites list every few days.
I’m always for saving money during particular phases of growth, therefore, I blog regularly about affordability in web design.
I encourage you to work on submitting your blog to these in order to build your community and list. If you would like help with the submission process simply reach out to us.
We’ve put together a ready to use list of 150 local citations for SEO complete with sources and directories that we use for our clients. Work your way through the list, using the same information about your business at each listing location.
Allow 1-2 hours per 5 listing at the beginning and then things will pickup. If this time commitment is unreasonable or not cost effective for you we can do this work for you
In addition to this list, it is also a great idea to get your name and information listed in local directories, industry specific directories, with local newspapers, with local chambers, and with local or regional blogs and websites.
Local Citation Pro Tips:
Some of these listing sites will give you ton of “almost spam” in your inbox after you get the listing confirmed. My professional suggestion is to create another email address for these listings. Something like listings@yourdomain.com a simple yahoo or gmail address will not work.
Also you don’t have to and shouldn’t post in every one of these. If you are not a hotel business then don’t post on hotels.com.
150 local SEO citation sites can be overwhelming at first, however we’ve made it easy for you by sorting the list based on Authority
If you would like help with creating a checklist to get all of these submitted you can signup below.
If you’re interested in professional help with your search results for Local Listings and personalized search engine optimization check out our Local SEO Service or Talk to Us about your challenges and business goals.
One of the most common questions I get asked is “how much will it cost me?” or something akin to that sentiment.
The underlying question is can I get a quality web design that is affordable, meets my needs, and is easy to use.
Just last week a woman named Debbie from Texas called and asked if there were any affordable web design options.
She explained she was running a small business that sold plants to local vendors and needed an online presence. She was disheartened by the price of web designers and likewise overwhelmed by using a website builder.
One of her grandchildren had made a valiant attempt at designing her website, however, as is often the case it was lacking in technical skill and common web design must-haves.
The above story may change names, locations, and other variables, but it is all too common. I want you to know there are solutions. We have listed the three primary options below and detailed them throughout this article.
Here’s the tl;dr version of the affordable web design options available to all.
Key Article Takeaways
Embrace affordable web design options as they are not going anywhere.
Website builders and DIY Web Design such as WordPress.org will increase in popularity.
There are three main category options for affordable web design:
In the past I’ve written about the value of custom web design, however, there is a time and place for affordable web design.
It may be during particular times in a business’s life cycle
such as during a startup phase. It’s
really not smart to spend more than you have.
A Word to Web
Designers
For my website designer friends and colleagues out there I
would encourage you to embrace website builders and do it yourself WordPress
for some of your lower leverage clients.
By being honest with a startup or small business owner that doesn’t really have the resources you are building a relationship that may flourish once they have a need for high-end development.
In the meantime, I encourage you to provide free and paid help to those using website builders and WordPress.org installs.
Article Goals
It’s my goal in this article to touch on the 3 best options available when looking for affordable web design.
In particular, I’m hoping I can solve a few common problems in the contact questions I received regularly, namely:
How does an affordable item differ from a cheap item?
In this case, what is the difference between affordable web design and cheap website design?
Cheap carries with it a sense of inexpensive and thus affordable, but also of poor quality.
No one wants a cheap web design, read as a poor yet inexpensive design because having a poor yet inexpensive design will merely turn away your visitors.
Don’t
just go for cheap as you may cost yourself more than you saved.
Remember a web design is an assetfor your business or startup.
The Importance of Your Website
How important is your website to your business or your
potential business launch?
This question must be asked when evaluating what is meant by affordable web design.
For example, an online business that sells items via eCommerce will undoubtedly require a website that does what it is required to do, which sells a product.
On the other hand, a consultant that is just starting out like Blankenship Process Improvement Consulting may need nothing more than a one to three-page website design that is both affordable and easy to update.
When you sit down to decide what affordable web design means to you it is imperative to take into consideration the importance of your website and its image to your customers.
According to the eCommerce Foundation, 88% of consumers will research product information before they make a purchase online or in the store. This is huge.
In the end, a web design for any business or individual wishing to sell, motivate or be seen is essential and important as 93% of business decisions start with a search engine.
5 things a website
can do for you:
Creates a Sense of Professionalism
Ease of Access for Potential Visitors
Low Cost per Impression Marketing
Positive ROI (if done right)
An Asset to your Company
What does an Affordable Web Design mean?
Affordable web design will differ for us all.
If you are a serial entrepreneur and you are looking to
create your 17th website affordable web design will have a
completely different meaning than a local small business owner that sells craft
beer, owns a bar, or paints houses for a living.
Additionally, if you are a startup consultant that needs a one-page website with very little else, then affordability should and will mean something different for you.
However, if you’re average sale price is high you might want to spend a little more for a higher quality website than a do it yourself design.
Either way, we’ve got you covered at Green Thoughts.
The increase in technological website design advances and
improvements to builders has opened a lot of doors.
In what follows affordable means there are varying levels of options that will have a range in price from zero dollars in the case of some free website builders to a few thousand dollars in the case of one-time fee affordable web design by an agency.
So what are your options when looking at affordable web design?
Website builders are growing in popularity in recent years and why not as these website builders provide an affordable way to build a website.
These builders include options like Wix, Squarespace, and Weebly just to name a few.
The appeal of a website builder is you do not need any HTML, CSS, or other design coding skills to create a website.
The various builders have a WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get) interface that is usually a drag and drop, such as in the video below, that enables literally anyone to create a website in a matter of minutes or days.
example of a plug & play Website Builder
My suggestion to those that find these website builders the
right affordable option is to take advantage of the various trial periods they
offer and use them to simply play around.
While I feel you can’t go wrong with any of the builders on this list I encourage you to try Wix.com as it is by far the best overall Website Builder on the market.
Best of all you can get a free trial with several of these website builders.
Thus, WordPress, like the website builders mentioned above, deserves
a post all its own in this discussion.
However, WordPress too has some of the favorable features you will find with website builders and it can be just as if not more affordable as an affordable web design option.
WordPress requires another level of computer expertise as you will need to install WordPress yourself (free).
Purchase hosting for the website ($2-$30 a month).
Purchase a domain name ($15 to $20 a year).
Pick a theme or design type for the site (free and paid).
You will also need to maintain and secure the site with WordPress plugins (cost varies).
When discussing the cost associated with WordPress remember that there are similar costs with a website builder as mentioned below.
In the case of website builders and WordPress, you will still want to purchase your own domain name. You may need to pay for apps and/or plugins to increase functionality.
Finally, don’t forget the website builder monthly fee.
I personally love WordPressand design in it frequently for small business clients that are seeking an affordable web design option.
In the end, a WordPress.org website will cost you less than a website builder over a 2 to 3 year period.
However, this presupposes that you will not be spending loads of cash on plugins and customized themes. Let’s take a closer look at these numbers. I’ve taken the liberty of saying the average person will buy a customized theme and utilize at least one paid plugin on most platforms and I’ve chosen the middle plan on most builders.
It’s important to remember our topic is affordable web design so I’m not including customizations in this option that might make a website far nicer and more user-friendly.
While these are interesting numbers the question of quality and finished product still lingers. Can you or one of your associates build a website that converts and looks “good enough”?
Let’s turn to our third final affordable web design option.
Hire an Affordable Web Design Company
One-time fee Affordable Web Design
Yet another affordable web design option is hiring a one-time fee web design company or freelancer.
I would encourage you if you go this route to avoid the
average freelancer and instead find a quality website design company.
I have run into far too many clients over the years
attempting to salvage a web design that an overseas freelancer took on and left
the business owner in a state of disarray.
My advice is USA/UK Designers with a track record.
Freelancers aside, what is a one-time fee affordable web design?
Essentially you will hire a company to provide you with a complete end to end website design that is cost-effective as you define it.
These sites will usually range from$500 to $3000 give or take.
In the end, you will receive a fully functional and completed website design with a “how to use it” discussion from the designer.
The website may or may not be coded in WordPress and thus
may or may not have a content management system.
I implore you to request a CMS or content management software
in your affordable design.
I also encourage you
to request training before signoff on the project.
You will need a website that you can easily update and care for. You will need to add and remove content from time to time.
Here’s a list of
things you should ask for in a One-Time Fee Website Design
Require a content management software
Is there Training on the use of the CMS
Questions about Length of Maintenance Help
Questions about Ongoing fees such as hosting
Does the company provide installments?
Most website design companies will not provide ongoing
maintenance for clients aside from a window of help after the design is
complete.
However, digital
marketing agencies will often provide an ongoing website maintenance package
for a monthly fee.
It never hurts to ask and search the web for quotes on maintenance
packages.
What to look for in a
maintenance package?
Backup and Automation
Fixes and Regular Repair
Security monitoring
Content Updates/Images
Responsive User Interface Changes
Code Updates
Performance Measures
These packages can vary wildly in price based on numerous options such as your specific content needs, changes to headers and images, the addition of landing pages or simply other pages, code updates, number of plugins, etc.
However, most packages for an affordable web design that is smaller and in the starter site category will range from $75 dollars a month to $150 a month.
If you would like a quote on your website maintenance please contact us.
Monthly Subscription Design Services
Yet another affordable web design option is that of hiring a website design company that will then charge you an ongoing monthly rate or subscription for the site.
There are pros and cons to the affordable web design subscription approach.
Pros:
A lower initial outlay of cash
Better website design than a DIY design
Often no need for a maintenance package
The company has a vested interest in your ongoing satisfaction
You can test your business idea without going all-in
The website design company owns your website for
X months
Higher long term price point than a one-time fee
Contract Issues: increase in monthly rate etc.
As you can see this affordable web design option is not for everyone, however, it is a valid choice that can save money during the early phase of a business and in doing so improve cash flows to other vital marketing channels.
Expect to pay anywhere from $75 to $200 per month for a subscription website plan.
These plans should include hosting, some form of maintenance, onboarding, and training with the companies content management software.
There’s a lot to like about this option for those short on capital.
One consideration to think through with an affordable web design that is subscription-based isthe true cost of a monthly subscription.
These subscription website
design agreements have the potential to lock you out of your site if you can’t
make a payment.
Most companies will create a monthly price point for you
based on a term of payments prior to you actually “owning” the site contents.
Affordable Web Design Subscription Example
For example, a website design firm that regularly designs websites that are in the $2000 dollar one-time fee range.
In a subscription plan, we would for this type of site the total cost before ownership would carry an increase in the total price.
The $2000 one-time fee site would become a $2750 to $3000 dollar site with terms of 12 to 36 months depending on where you wanted to be per month.
Hypothetical Price Points for Monthly Subscription Plans
Terms
Price/Mon
Total Cost
Net 30
$0.00
$2000
12 mon
$200.00
$2400
18 mon
$146.06
$2629
24 mon
$120.00
$2880
36 mon
$97.22
$3500
While $97 dollars a month looks good for a higher quality web design over time you are paying for a much more for the same website.
Essentially, you are being charged interest; however, it provides a more affordable monthly payment.
Imagine a scenario where you become cash strapped and you can’t pay the subscription vendor you will have no recourse aside from working things out with the website design company.
My advice would be to read, or have a lawyer read, the terms
carefully before signing an agreement.
Make sure you understand your obligations and your
installment payment terms.
Request detailed documentation on maintenance plans and what will or will not trigger price increases.
A monthly subscription website design can prove to be a very affordable option that balances risk and reward for a company that is unable to do it yourself and is not able to outlay the cash to pay all at once.
How much will an affordable web design cost?
Obviously the answer to this question will depend on your needs. However, you should be able to get a website up with anywhere from 0 dollars to 999 dollars when starting out.
As you can see it is not impossible to find affordable web design. It’s also important to remember these prices include intangibles such as less time burden on your part with an agency one-time design or a subscription plan.
In my own business, I know how much money I can make in an hour of work. When I am considering doing something myself or outsourcing it I simply ask if the number of hours it will take me to do it is more or less than I can make in that time period.
If it is even close I outsource it most of the time.
The balance between cost, ease of use, and need.
When considering your needs for website design and particularly so when looking for an affordable web design option one must consider the related concepts of cost, ease of use and website need.
One should aim to find an area on the chart that will satisfy all three needs the most optimally, however, we don’t live in a theoretical Venn diagram world.
So I’m providing a few insights below to help you find the
sweet spot for your need.
How to know if you’re getting a
good deal- Cost
I’ve already discussed cost and price to an extent in the
charts above. However, I’m asked
regularly if x or y is a good deal.
Just last week a blog reader asked if I thought a college student’s proposal for a WordPress site was a good deal at a particular price point.
As I’ve mentioned above affordable is about more than just cost.
Yes, it involves the question of can I afford the cost at this point in my life/business, but it also involves asking if the quality of the provided outcome or in this case web design will be high enough.
Sadly, no one can
truly answer this question for you.
It’s something you will need to sort through using the
charts and tools listed above.
In the end, if you are comfortable with the price, you feel good about the business or person you are thinking of hiring, and have a real need then go for it.
Which affordable web design option is the easiest to use- Ease of Use
Ease of use can be a very subjective concept. However, this is another question I’m asked
regularly. The problem with the question
is what’s easy for one may not be easy for another. There are website builder sites out there
that have run studies on ease of use with volunteers to provide statistical
data on the outcomes.
Interested in a data-driven approach to ease of use? Check out Website Builder Expert for an overview of how they conduct research.
In our own rankings and reviews of website builders, we took the approach of taking an average for particular indicators as ranked by 15 such websites. Essentially we aggregate ease of use across multiple sites.
Five Steps to Find Affordable Web Design Ease of Use
Get a free or trial plan or watch tutorials of
Website Builders/WordPress
Rate the Ease of Use on a scale of 1-10
Take Notes and write down what you liked and
didn’t like.
Test another product.
Repeat until you feel comfortable with a
solution.
There is just no
replacement for testing and trying out a product on your own. It’s why people lay on mattresses before
making a purchase.
That being said in my personal opinion the average internet user will be fine with Wix, Squarespace, Weebly, or WordPress. I believe they all have comparable ease of use.
The Relative Importance- Need
Your personal or businesses need to have a website and the importance of having one that does a particular action or provides a particular feature is important to consider when balancing cost, ease of use, and need.
This need will influence the level of help or DYI you may be
able to go forth with as a purchaser.
These three options are filled with lots of possible solutions, however, to find your best option just pick an option and dive in based on your current level of expertise and knowledge.
Once again reach out to us if you need a designer that can
work within your budget.
We offer both subscription installments and one-time fee website designs that are affordable. We can also help you with most any website builder if that’s something you need help with.
5 Simple Steps to
Setup Author Tracking in WordPress with Google Analytics
Are you interested in tracking your blog authors in google analytics it can happen with MonsterInsights? This is an important metric for those that have multiple authors posting regularly. You will be able to identify and those that stand out from the crowd and really produce.
In the article that follows I’ll show you how to setup Author Tracking in WordPress with Google Analytics in 5 Simple Steps with MonsterInsights Pro Plugin.
MonsterInsights has over 2+ million active installations on WordPress installs at the time of this writing. It comes in over 23 languages and is, of course, updated regularly.
You download the plugin for free here from the WordPress.org plugin site or by searching in your plugin section of the WP dashboard by searching Google Analytics.
After searching select the below:
Simply click Install Now and then Activate from the WordPress Plugin menu. Now that you have the free version of MonsterInsights installed continue to step 2.
While the free version of MonsterInsights is a wonderful tool that provides a dashboard view of your Google Analytics, see below for a screenshot, the various paid versions are much more powerful. In particular, you will need the pro version or higher for author tracking. However, it comes with so much more than just author tracking!
Additionally, the Pro Version, which is needed to track author posting, however, it includes features such as a dashboard widget, page insights, date range history, search console reports, scroll tracking, EU Compliance, Affiliate Links, Ecommerce Reporting, Custom dimensions, category/tag tracking and more.
In order to activate the MonsterInsights Pro Plugin follow our link below to purchase the plugins and return here to follow the setup.
Welcome back! You’ve made a great choice. I’ve have used MonsterInsights for several years on numerous agency and individual accounts I work with and find the ease of obtaining insights well worth the fee.
Verify Google Analytics in the MonsterInsights Pro Plugin
Go to Insights on the left WordPress Toolbar and select Authenticate with your Google Account.
Your next step is to select the google account that your Analytics resides with as in the screenshot below.
Finally, allow MonsterInsights to manage your account.
After allowing the above you will be taken back to your WordPress dashboard and into the MonsterInsights home.
Simply select from the drop-down the property you wish to completely authenticate on this site.
After you have completed this task you will be able to review your Google Analytics tracking data in your dashboard and by going to Insights >> Reports.
After installing and activating, go to Insights >>Addons to reach and install the Dimensions addon.
Next, go to Insights >> Settings and in the License Key field, paste the key and click on the Verify Key button.
Once verified it’s time to move to step 3 of our author
tracking setup.
Step 3 Setup Custom
Dimensions Tracking in the Plugin
Click the Trackingtab and choose Custom Dimensions from the left menu.
Finally, click on custom dimension you will then need to add a new custom dimension by clicking and choosing the appropriate dimension from the drop-down.
For our purposes in this tutorial, you will need to select Author from the drop-down.
Remember to save changes before moving forward to the next
section.
Step 4 Setup Custom
Dimensions Tracking in Google Analytics
First of all, navigate to Google Analytics in another browser window and login in and move to Admin >> Custom Definitions >> Custom Dimensions.
It should look like the below screenshot.
Furthermore, click New Custom Dimension, then add Author to the Name field once open and note the index number in your google analytics.
Add the noted index number to Custom Dimension ID as below.
Back to Google Analytics again
Go back to the open tab in your browser with Google Analytics open and find Customization >> Custom Reports to add a report to track your blog authors.
In the Report Content
fieldadd Author in the Dimension
Drilldowns and save.
You will now be able to track authors in Google Analytics
for metrics such as bounce rate & page views. If you want to view other reports you can add
the author dimension as a secondary dimension.
Step 5 View the data
regularly in the MonsterInsights Plugin
It’s always nice to take the time to enjoy your work. Now you can view authors in your MonsterInsights Pro Plugin.
I hope this brief tutorial has helped you to learn the value
of MonsterInsights Pro and the process of setting up the plugin for author
tracking in WordPress.
Therefore, if you are still on the fence about MonsterInsights Pro I would encourage you to check out the ratings on WordPress.org!
I can personally say that I love the product and have found it useful for many of the client-based projects.
If you have questions please comment below. If you liked our post please share it on
social as sharing is caring.
A PPC landing page is where all the action takes place.
If you are new to PPC landing pages and using them as an advertising vehicle you may not be familiar with the vernacular, a landing page is where your customers are redirected to when they click on your PPC ad. It gives them the details of the offer your ad pitches and hopefully is so well-crafted that customers feel encouraged to take the desired action. I’ve written about high converting landing pages in the past so check it out.
The keyword in that last paragraph is well-crafted. How do you craft a
landing page that entices your customers to take action – sign up to your email
list, download your app, or buy your product?
That’s what we are going to discuss today. Five true and tested ppc landing page design strategies that are easy to implement and will enable your ad landing page to turn incoming visitors into converted sales.
Clean landing page design
Keep the PPC landing page design clean, concise, and consistent
Clean Landing Page Design
A design should never be cluttered, least of all a landing page design connected to ad money. Keep the distractions to a minimum (read: none). Only include information that is necessary for the customer to take the intended action.
Concise Landing Page Copy Writing
The information needs to be to-the-point with no unnecessary fluff but also not too dry and cold. Keeping in line with your online brand identity, make the design and copy approachable, effective, and interesting.
Consistent PPC Landing Page and Ad Connection
It is of vital importance that you keep the design, as well as the overall feel, of the pay per click landing page consistent with the advertisement. There was something in the ad that enticed your customers, give them more of it on your landing page. You want your landing page to be filled with the same exciting copy, same aesthetics, same feel where and when possible
Make your PPC landing page mobile-friendly
More than half of all Internet traffic comes from mobile devices – 51. 65%. Google has already started mobile-first indexing of web pages, and penalizing sites that don’t optimize their pages for mobile viewing.
It is therefore essential that you create a mobile-friendly
landing page. It involves making the design (shapes, features, colors, and
typeface, etc.) suitable for mobile-viewing. Using fonts that can be easily
read on smaller screens, forms that are easier to fill without having to
repeatedly poke the screen, and most importantly, placing links with adequate
distance between them so people don’t click the wrong one by mistake.
If you find you are having trouble creating a mobile-friendly landing page please reach out to us and we can help.
Add a tracking code to your landing page
To make sure your landing page is performing up to the mark, you need to put it through vigorous testing. One of the ways to test its conversion capabilities is to embed a tracking code in it. The code will help you see how your customers are engaging with different areas of the landing page if they are feeling any hindrances, which areas are performing the best and which the worst. Having this hard data at your disposal will make your A/B designing and testing effective for conversions.
There are numerous options out
there for A/B testing if you are interested in learning more Copy Blogger has a
great article about getting
started with spilt testing. Other
great tools that aren’t as do it yourself include Google Website Optimizer (free), or Optimizely and Visual Website Optimizer are paid a/b testing
options. Another great tool for those
using WordPress is MonsterInsights,
which works with Google Analytics (free) to make your data easy and powerful.
At the very least you should have Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Google Website Optimizer installed along with social media pixels to track users.
Magnetic Call to Action
The design, size, wording, and
placement of your Call to Action, CTA for short, is one of the most important
parts of the landing page. Your CTA button is what you are asking your customer
to do: join a mailing list, read more, download a file, create an account. It
needs to be prominent, extremely specific, interesting, and (for the love of
good advertising!) original.
Too many landing page CTAs ask you to ‘Submit’, ‘Join’, or ‘Click’- which for some reason make them sound so ominous. I mean all of the language at your disposal and you had to use ‘Submit’. Why? Get creative with your Calls to Action and split test them as mentioned in number 3 above.
Make your CTA conversational, inject it with something of value to the consumer, and don’t be afraid to be humorous. Being relatable sells.
Catch Attention with a Video
Did you know that our attention spans are now reportedly even shorter than a goldfish’s? Yes, a ridiculous 8.25%. Don’t force these distracted people to read about your product – instead, show them through an exciting video!
According to the latest research, people like watching videos
about a product more than they like reading
about it. Content marketers are therefore turning towards video marketing as
part of their regular content marketing strategy, especially for landing pages.
To make your landing page video convert for you, produce it in high-quality, use humor, animation, and emotion, and add authenticity to drive the engagement. Wondering how you are going to produce that video? I’ve used InVideo in the past and it works great. It’s essentially a template based drag and drop video creation tool that literally anyone can use. You can learn more about InVideo here.
Talk to us!
A PPC landing page design is a fluid being. It needs constant changes until it is perfected. These constant changes will require a ton of A/B testing to see which version of the page works best. And what works for one industry may not work for another – so be ready to test, adapt, and evolve.
If you need help getting your A/B testing running or just have a general question reach out to us.
A best practices landing page design can greatly increase conversions for your business’s lead generation campaigns. High converting landing pages are an extension of your online marketing campaigns and to maximize conversions, landing pages should be geared to the reason the person has clicked-through. Here are the four key elements of a successful landing page.
Above the Fold
Above the fold refers to the part of the page that a visitor will see when the “land” on the page from another source. When traffic first land without scrolling that’s the above the fold area under discussion. This area will change depending on the device the individual is using, such as cellphone, iPad, desktop etc.
The average person spends only about 15 seconds on a landing page before leaving it. This means you have just a few seconds to get your point across. Due to this fact clean and simple information is imperative above the fold. Keep this in mind as you design or communicate with your designer.
[adToAppearHere]
Typically, I recommend a clear Call to Action with a big ass button that says what you want the user to do along with a clear Value Proposition and quick subheading to give some detail. Here’s a great example from HubSpot.
The High Converting Call to Action (CTA)
Before you begin to draft the design of your landing page, determine what you want visitors to your site to do. Depending on your online marketing goals, you need to create expectations and a method for measuring results. Are you trying to increase newsletter subscribers? Do you want them to test-run your service with a free trial?
Speaking of methods for measuring results on your website this is imperative for you to get setup with NOW. I’ve worked with far too many website redesigns that have no Analytics and no Tracking. At a bare minimum you need Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, LinkedIn Insight Tag, and Google Search Console. If you need or want help setting these up reach out to us.
Your actual call to action should be directly tied to your goals.
It may seem obvious, but some businesses forget to ask for what it is they want. If you want someone to download a program you offer, having a download button is necessary to a successful landing page. Keep it simple but let people know exactly what they are downloading, subscribing to, etc.
This discussion of goals being tied to design is very important. It means that your business needs to be clear about where it’s going, how it wants to go there, who it is targeting and how to best do that BEFORE designing. A discovery session or a call with a consultant can help clarify this so you aren’t constantly requesting website and design changes unnecessarily. A qualified landing page design agency can take your site to the next level and protect your asset.
A call to action by itself isn’t enough if people don’t know what they are getting from entering their information. You should usually only ask for the vitals; otherwise, too many fields may scare off potential conversions. Vitals might include only an email address or name at the top of your funnel. However, to qualify leads and when quoting it is often better to add requests such as budget, phone # etc. This can impact your conversion rate tremendously and save your sales force time and money.
Landing Page Design and Your Content
“Clear, concise and persuasive” should be your mantra for landing pages. Provide enough information so that people who have never heard of your company, or are unsure of what you offer, can get a handle on just how much your product will benefit them. This is where the Value Proposition I mentioned in the opening fits in and really helps your landing page shine.
How long should the Value Proposition be? It depends. While a single sentence or two may work for some; it doesn’t work for all. You want to provide enough interesting information to warm up visitors and encourage them to continue in the direction you want, following the CTA. Always have at least one picture for eye-catching appeal. If possible, have a below the fold video. I don’t recommend video or sliders on landing pages as they slow load times and just mess up the user experience. However, a well done and professional video can work, but this isn’t something a DIY web design can pull off in my opinion. You really need a custom designer working on this.
[adToAppearHere]
However, if you just don’t see yourself as a web designer that’s ok too. We can provide you with help and many of the website builders are great at helping a newbie design site. One popular builder is Beaver Builder and iThemes has designed a course just for those looking to build there own website with the builder.
Design that Works: Landing Page 101
Design is very important when it comes to landing pages. Too much noise in the way of images, wording and such in the design can feel overwhelming and unclear. However, a page without enough elements can bore visitors. Keep your landing pages consistent with the design of the email or PPC marketing campaigns that led the visitor there; this includes fonts and colors. Studies have shown that single, centered-column landing page is the most effective, but you can test out other layouts to match your marketing campaigns.
Keep in mind where the page fold occurs. Have your call to action clearly stated and above the line. Of course, you don’t want to lose people who scroll down so scattering your calls to action is beneficial as well.
Provide the essential information above the fold, and if you need a longer page, include additional information below the fold. Making sure your call to action is a flattering, color contrast to the rest of the page is a great way to draw attention to that section of the page.
Conclusion
Simple, well-designed landing pages can increase your conversions from marketing campaigns but remember that testing is the key. I believe that businesses should be A/B Testing landing pages and the source of these landing pages regularly. Be consistent with the design that has led people to the page and make the call to action clear.
High converting landing pages are about extending marketing campaigns, and in order to have a successful conversion rate, these pages should provide just enough interesting and informational content to show the visitor just how this product/service can benefit them. Pay attention to your CTA, content, and design to improve your landing pages and boost conversions.
