How to Create a SEM Landing Page
SEO and SEM strategies have transformed the way smart businesses operate. Done well, they make it easier than ever to find customers, target them, and generate sales.
Year by year, more people are turning to search engines such as Google when they want to find a product, service, or advice. A July 2020 eCommerce study found that 81 percent of consumers had searched for a product online in the preceding month, and these figures continue to grow.
That’s why eCommerce businesses need to have an SEM landing page that works. It’s as important as having the right branding or the right communication plan template and can make a big difference to your bottom line.
Our guide will show you four steps that will help you to create a winning SEM landing page, but first, let’s take a look at what SEM is and what landing pages are used for.
What Is SEM?
SEM and SEO are often used together and are powerful components in a modern marketing strategy, but they aren’t interchangeable terms. SEM stands for “search engine marketing” and refers to search engine results on Google and elsewhere that have been paid for.
This can be particularly effective when used in conjunction with adverts or content on specialist websites, such as eCommerce review sites or software like webex.
SEM differs from SEO (search engine optimization), whereby organic methods are used to drive a website or landing page up the rankings. Adverts that appear on search engine pages and sponsored results are the product of search engine marketing.
What Is A Landing Page?
A landing page is a page on your website that a person arrives at when they click your link on an advert or search engine result. This makes them an essential component of an SEM strategy, as the goal is for the viewer to click on the link, arrive at your landing page, and then take the action you want them to.
For this reason, designing a winning SEM landing page can be one of the most important decisions your eCommerce business takes, just like having the right affiliate marketing tools. By following our four tips, you’ll be able to power up your landing pages and make your SEM strategy even more successful.
Four SEM Power Tips
1. Find the Right Keywords
Search engine marketing, by definition, involves an outlay of cash, as you’ll have to spend money to create ads or search engine results that relate to certain keywords. Your priority should therefore be to work out which keywords complement your business and how many searches these keywords attract on your chosen search engine.
Never assume you know which keywords are best without checking the stats first. Use analytics to determine how the keywords you already use are faring and analyze alternative keywords by using a free or paid keyword analysis tool.
2. Determine What You Want Your Landing Page to Do
Your SEM strategy is designed to drive traffic to your landing page, so it’s vital to know what you want that landing page to do.
Two key operations are usually at the heart of landing pages: do you want the page to sell a particular item, or to gather data or promote a service? The answer to this question will determine the call to action you use and the wording on the page.
SEM is most frequently linked to landing pages that sell an item, so don’t be afraid to be bold and upfront with sales information and a ‘buy now’ call to action.
3. Grab Attention
One advantage an SEM strategy has is that when a person clicks your ad and lands on your page, they’re ready and willing to make a purchase. That doesn’t mean the sale is as good as complete, however, so ensure your landing page instills confidence in the consumer.
Your landing page should grab attention for all the right reasons. Use bold colors which complement each other and ensure the page looks professional and compelling to boost more customer engagements.
4. Use Engaging Copy to Drive Your CTA
A landing page that looks great is important, but it won’t bring a healthy conversion rate unless it also has engaging and well-written copy. The world of eCommerce is increasingly competitive, but the words on your SEM landing page allow you to stand out from the crowd.
Your landing page needs to be well written, informative, and relevant. Consumers today don’t just want to see a product; they want to know all about it. eCommerce experts know when to automate testing and how to get the best prices for the products they sell, and it’s just as important that they know how to create high-quality copy for their landing page and website.
With a great-looking landing page that reads as nice as it looks and a well-crafted ad allied to the right keywords, you can create an SEM strategy that turns potential sales into actual income.
Author Bio:
Jessica Day is the Senior Director for Marketing Strategy at Dialpad, a modern business communications platform that takes every kind of conversation to the next level—turning conversations into opportunities. Jessica is an expert in collaborating with multifunctional teams and remote agents to execute and optimize marketing efforts, for both company and client campaigns. Here is her LinkedIn.