Your landing page is often the first touchpoint prospects have with your brand, so it’s crucial that you create a good first impression and deliver a great experience. According to recent studies, Google has been focusing more on landing page experience, which makes it more critical than ever to get above average Quality Scores.
Your Google Ads landing page experience is a measure of how well your Google Ads landing page serves your site visitors. A poorly performing landing page means that Google will less likely show your ads and you’ll probably also miss out on valuable conversions. If Google considers your landing page experience to be below average, for example, this could hurt your Quality Score.
What is Quality Score?
Quality Score is a crucial component that determines how well your ad ranks on search engine results and how much you spend for a click on your ad. The quality score is estimated using the Ad Relevance, Expected Click Through Rate (CTR) and the Landing Page Experience. Each of the components is given a score, and the final Quality Score is a weighted combination of the three attributes represented by a number between 1 and 10. Here are several steps you can take to improve your landing page experience and consequently, your Quality Score.
Keep Your Message Relevant and Consistent with Your Ad and Landing Page
It’s surprising how many ads advertise different things from their respective landing pages. When running a Google Ads campaign, make sure your promotion’s message is clear throughout the advertising process. For instance, if your PPC ad is promoting a free e-book, your landing page should also feature a free e-book. It’s also crucial to use similar language between the ad and the landing page as message consistency helps to reinforce a positive landing page experience.
One of the biggest mistakes brands make when it comes to PPC advertising is simply dumping prospective customers on their homepage. While this might be the first page your think of when imagining your company website, it’s probably less relevant to a potential customer clicking through from a Google search. As such, there should be a good match between the keyword(s) a shopper uses to search on Google, the ad he/she is shown, and the landing page.
A Clear Call to Action (CTA)
To increase conversion and reduce bounce rates, be sure to have a compelling “call to action”. Use clear and convincing language that entices visitors. Make use of catchphrases and make sure the CTA is related to your objective-to generate leads or generate sales. Research has shown that calls to action in button form have the highest conversion rates.
Some of the ways to improve your landing page CTA include:
- Designing your CTA button in a contrasting color
- Placing your CTA in a location that’s easy to see
- Using actionable words and phrases such as “Download my free e-book now.”
Easy Navigation
As a common SEO practice, you want to design your website so that users have an easy time moving around and searching for information on your site. If you are an eCommerce store, make sure users can easily complete a transaction. Another general rule of thumb is to refrain from bombarding visitors with unnecessary pop-ups or ads that can disrupt the visitor and compromise their landing page experience.
When a shopper gets to your landing page, he/she should also be able to identify product options quickly, find supporting information and instantly locate the call to action. The trick here is to ask yourself whether or not you’re providing users with an experience that will enable them to get what they want. If your landing page proves difficult to maneuver, the chances are high that users will abandon your site and go someplace else.
Mobile Optimized
In today’s digital landscape, you can’t afford to have a site that’s not optimized for mobile. Mobile use has already surpassed desktop use as more customers use their smartphones to access information. It is therefore imperative to have a responsive site that can be used on all devices. Ultimately, a website that’s optimized for mobile leads to a better landing page experience.
Improve Your Landing Page Load Speed
This is probably one of the most crucial factors affecting landing page experience. You don’t want potential clients waiting forever to make a purchase. A fast website quickly takes potential clients through what your business has to offer. And the quicker the site, the happier the customer, which means a more favorable opinion of your business.
An easy way to check your landing page load speed is to use Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool. The tool will provide an action report that gives options of how you can improve landing page load speed.
