96% of all ad clicks fail to convert. A large part of this is due to poor landing page optimization. Digital marketers tend to focus too much on pre-click optimization, as they are the ones that get the most attention. Pre-click optimization is essential for any successful ad campaign. However, focusing too heavily on its results in low-converting clicks. This results in wasted advertising dollars and frustration.

By turning clicks into sales, it is possible to spend more time optimizing the post-click experience.

Let’s take a look at some landing page optimization strategies to maximize conversions in all your campaigns.

What is a true post-click landing page?

Contrary to what many online sources claim, landing pages don’t just land on pages.

A post-click landing page is a page that stands alone and is not linked to your website. It uses persuasive elements to encourage visitors to take a particular action. You can download an ebook, sign up for a newsletter or take a free trial.

Take Zoho CRM as an example. The homepage has a form at the top, but the page is all about browsing. The header navigation shows different products (CRMs, social, analytics, and more). Along with dropdowns to view pricing and features, you will also see a customer list.

Compare that to their CRM landing page, which has no navigation and links nowhere to the homepage. It is only focused on new account signing up.

Landing pages can be targeted and optimized to maximize the effectiveness of your PPC campaigns.

Post-click landing page optimization plays a critical role in generating sales and conversions. If you don’t optimize your post-click experience and send prospects to a personalized, highly-relevant page to redeem your offer, you are effectively wasting money by spending on clicks that won’t convert.

These seven components will ensure that the post-click experience is as smooth as possible.

7 Best Post-Click Landing Pages

1. Consistency in Message Match

Message matching is the process of matching the content of your ad with the landing page experience, so visitors feel they are in the right place after clicking through.

The customer will choose the one that appeals to them most when they are presented with many ads. Customers expect that the page they land on will have the same message and content as the one they clicked on.

This is crucial in strengthening prospects’ awareness of your campaign message and instilling trust by demonstrating consistency across channels. Every commercial transaction is built on trust and assurance. Visitors could become confused and skeptical if your landing page does not link to the pre-click stage.

To ensure message match:

• Pre-click and Post-click elements should have the same title/headline
• Both assets should be designed with similar or identical aesthetic elements (fonts and colors, CTA buttons, etc.).
• Use the same media/visuals
• Include the same offer/message, and that is most important
• Dynamic text replacement can make your landing pages more relevant to search terms.

AT&T’s banner advertisement is in perfect sync with its landing page.

These two components of this campaign are related as they include all five bullet points.

Sending leads to landing pages that match your ad can help you avoid losing them. This streamlined approach will increase the likelihood that your visitors will reach your conversion goal. You can make sure that your messages match by creating landing pages specifically for each campaign.

2. Keep a 1:1 conversion ratio

This is an important part of landing page design. Visitors often feel confused by multiple offers or CTAs on a page and choose one. This negatively impacts the overall conversion rate. They could even abandon the page.

It is smarter to create a landing page for each campaign (one offer/CTA per webpage). This will allow visitors to be laser-focused on one task, increasing conversion rates.

One CTA does not necessarily mean one CTA button. The same offer can be promoted throughout the page with cooperating buttons placed at multiple locations for visitors to redeem it.

If you want to generate leads, the first CTA button will be located next to your form. You can also add another CTA button to redirect the customer to your form if they want to explore other pages.

The conversion ratio is the ratio of the number of clickable elements on landing pages to the number that convert. Post-click landing pages should promote one offer (one conversion goal) so there should be only one clickable element, the CTA button. An optimized landing page should not have any navigation or links from other pages. The conversion ratio is therefore 1:1.

3. Social proof

You have already convinced someone who clicked through to your landing pages that they are considering taking action.

Social proof should demonstrate that others have used your offer, or converted to it. This builds trust and increases the likelihood that people will take you up on your offer.

These are some of the most common ways to provide proof of social status:

• Testimonials from customers
• Reviews and ratings
• Recognition and awards
• Statistic evidence
• Logos for companies
• Counters for customers

Social proof is not for everyone. You should focus on the message of your campaign, the solution you are offering, and the product you are selling. Look for reviews and social proof to show that these are related. Find testimonials from people who have used your solution to solve their problems. The more specific you can be, the better.

Visitors should feel safe on every post-click landing page. Social proof is a great way to get rid of all doubts and increase your conversions.

Bonus tip: When you use testimonials or written reviews as social proof, be sure to include a photo of the customer alongside the review. This not only increases viewers’ attention but also makes statements seem more real.

4. Optimized form

Landing page forms are one of the most critical elements in converting leads. However, many marketers make mistakes when designing them. Many components go into designing a lead capture form that is optimized.

Length

The stage in which your offer is at the marketing funnel should dictate how long your form should be. You can ask for more information from visitors further down the funnel (or vice versa) while still achieving desirable completion rates.

Style/Placement

• Two-step opt-in forms reduce page clutter and qualify prospects. They must first click the CTA button and then when the pop-up appears, they must follow the instructions.

• Multi-step forms enable brands to ask for more information from prospects, as they are broken down into smaller sections.

• Click-through pages warm up visitors by first informing them of your offer and then showing a form once they click the CTA button.

Once they have learned all about the offer, they will be able to click the “Get started” CTA button and then complete the multi-step form.

When designing your landing page, be sure to consider the layout, style, as well as placement of your lead capture forms. Each component plays an important role in form optimization. This can make or break a sale.

5. Personalization

Online users expect a personal experience. You need to be able to provide this for them.

• 81% of consumers want brands to know when and how they advertise to them

• 74% feel frustrated when content doesn’t personalize for them

• More than 78% won’t consider offers unless they are personalized

• 79% of businesses that exceed their revenue goals use a personalization strategy

These data show that personalization is necessary to keep prospects engaged and interested on your landing page. People are not interested in being sent to a generic page. This leads to decreased interest and engagement and negatively affects conversion rates.

A personalized landing page acknowledges that a prospect visited your page. This can help convert them into a lead or customer.

6. Encourage urgency

Every visitor must count when you pay for traffic via Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or any other PPC platform. It doesn’t matter if the person converts, but you still have to pay for it. While the tips and tricks in this article will help you create a landing page, it’s still important to show urgency to maximize your results.

If you offer a discount to people who act immediately, it can create a sense of urgency.

Quickbooks does an excellent job of creating urgency by offering a 50% discount for visitors who buy immediately.

To communicate urgency to your visitors, you don’t necessarily need to offer a discount. Customers can communicate urgency to you by displaying countdown times or changing the copy.

7. Always Be Testing

One of the benefits of using post-click landing pages to your advantage is the possibility to test and compare different versions to see which one performs best.

You can test different versions of your landing pages with post-click solutions such as Instapage to determine which changes result in the greatest performance improvements.

Sometimes, small tweaks to the CTA button text can result in dramatic performance improvements.

Split-testing different versions of your post-click landing page are one of the fastest ways to increase your conversion rates. You will be able to improve your landing pages by running each test with a clear goal.

Bonus Tip: Make sure you test everything, from your headline to subheadlines to your call to action. Don’t stop testing after one successful test. Importantly, don’t let your first failure discourage you. Keep going, keep trying, and you will increase your conversion rates.

It’s amazing how small changes can make a big difference.

Conclusion

Your ad doesn’t have to be the only thing that is paid search or social ad campaign. Optimize both pre-click as well as post-click experiences to maximize your campaign’s success.

You can spend time testing headlines, CTAs, and other elements of your landing pages, and then let the data inform your future decisions. To create a cohesive marketing message, segment your ad campaigns and tie them to dedicated landing pages.

You will soon be the envy of your competitors, as you won more conversions and take business away from them.