Creating a successful paid search campaign is no small task. Between ad group creation, keyword research, and ad copy refinement, you’ll have your hands full quickly. While creating the “perfect” PPC structure is an imperative part of the process, it is not the only factor to consider.

Often, advertisers find that the so-called “vanity” metrics look great – “oh wow, clicks, impressions, and CTR are through the roof! That means our campaign is working right!?” Well yes… and no. When you have a great CTR yet can’t seem to bring in conversions, that’s where many run into a problem.

Specifically when you have a high CTR, this can indicate to a paid search analyst that the audience is resonating with your ads. As long as the search terms look relevant, ads appear to be serving, and the CTR appears to be average (or above average), that is often the beginnings of a recipe for success. When all of these factors exist in tandem with a low conversion total / CVR, however, that’s when you can run into issues. This is often the point where advertisers will claim “PPC doesn’t work” which is often not the case. The recipe is only half-finished. You wouldn’t bake a cake without actually turning the oven on, right? (Or at least I hope not!)

This is often when the landing page needs to be tested and observed more closely. Is the form fill above the fold? Is your GA4 tag set up correctly? Does your landing page have good UX (or does it make the user want to throw their computer out the window because the page speed is painfully slow.)

Choosing the right landing page is one of the key components in the success of your PPC campaigns. It can help guide potential customers to take important actions for your business and convert them into precious revenue. Below, we guide you through a few expert tips to create the ultimate landing page for your business.

Match landing page copy to your ads & keywords

We’ve all heard the saying: “consistency is key”. This rule is no exception when it comes to Google Ads landing pages. Google’s best landing page practices involve utilizing similar copy on your landing pages as you do in your ads. This helps create consistency for both the AI and the user, which ultimately creates a better experience. Google will reward you with utilizing similar copy by increasing the quality score of your ads, hopefully giving you that leading edge in the auctions.

Similarly to utilizing the same copy on your page, you should be using keywords you are bidding on as well. Ideally your copy, keywords, and landing pages should all be congruent.

Decide what your goals are and how you will measure them

Where conversions are the main focus of most ppc campaigns, you may want to consider a jailed landing page. Giving the user ample opportunity to navigate away from your landing page just might interfere with capturing them as a conversion. Creating a jailed landing page ensures that the user cannot navigate away, and either has to convert or leave. The better your landing page, the more likely the user is to convert as opposed to navigating away.

Have a plan

When in doubt, wireframe! When building a website, utilizing a plan and general structure is a great place to start. This is no different when you are building a proper landing page. If you’re questioning where to begin in terms of design, structure, and best conversion practices; start sketching. Sketching a wireframe (a structured layout) of your landing page can help work as a guideline for the key pieces you’ll want to include.

Make different landing pages for different campaigns

This one is a bit of a no-brainer given the other tips we’ve shared so far, but it still needs to be said. Different campaigns, ad groups, etc. are going to most likely have completely different keyword strategies and ad copy. It’s important to have landing pages that reflect each of the unique goals of the

A/B Test Landing Pages with Google Optimize

Google Optimize is a great tool when determining the impact of your landing pages. Its system makes it all too easy to compare how effective your landing pages are at converting your customers. Check out this great tutorial from Loves Data that gives more info on how you can use Google optimize to get the best results from your landing pages: Google Optimize Tutorial // Updated 2020 Edition

Let your brand identity shine through

It’s important for your unique brand style and voice to come through in a landing page. Keep in mind this is often a user’s first impression of your business, and you want to make a good one. Let your brand stand out, and offer its unique value proposition when building your landing page. Users will be more likely to gain an understanding of who you are and what you stand for as a business.

CTA’s – CTA’s everywhere!

The ultimate goal of your ppc campaign is typically to convert a user, or have them take action on your website. Using call to actions, submission forms, and click to call options throughout the page will give users plenty of opportunity to convert.

Sometimes less is more

Users can get overwhelmed if you’re providing them with too much information at once. Chances are, they’re not even going to read everything you wrote. The small details that are important to you may be “skimmed” by your user. Minimalistic designs are trending, and for a reason. You typically only have mere seconds to capture a user’s attention, especially considering the fact that they’re inundated with content every day. (The average user intakes X amount of content per day.)

But Also…Don’t be too minimalistic

I know, I know, it sounds a bit contradictory given the name of the tip. It’s important to make your copy clear and concise, while providing the information necessary. It’s also important that your page isn’t too barren, do appeal to Google’s AI’s and previous copy-consistent best practices. It’s important to find just the right balance between providing enough detail, and providing too much.