PlayAbly Podcast Episode 8: Landing Pages, Turning Clicks into Conversions

In this episode, we're unlocking the secrets behind landing pages—those crucial first impressions that can make or break your conversions. We'll dive into everything from design and messaging to optimization tips, transforming your landing page into a true conversion powerhouse. For eCommerce brands, we'll also discuss how ecommerce gamification, such as gamification quizzes and interactive ecommerce elements, can elevate customer engagement and drive faster conversions.

Ready to learn more? Visit us at Playably.ai for details on boosting digital engagement through gamification e-commerce strategies!

Welcome to the PlayAbly Podcast! This episode is brought to you by PlayAbly Ads, where we turn your marketing into an interactive, game-based experience that captivates customers and boosts conversions. Mention this podcast when you book a free demo on our website, and you’ll get your first month free! Head to playably.ai to schedule your demo and see how gamification ecommerce strategies can transform your brand.

Thanks for tuning in to the PlayAbly Podcast! Ready to engage customers like never before? PlayAbly turns your site into an interactive experience that drives results. Don’t forget—mention the podcast during your free demo and get your first month free! Book now at playably.ai.

Get your first month free with PlayAbly when you mention this podcast during your demo. Discover how ecommerce gamification can enhance your shop at www.playably.ai!

Stay tuned for some game-changing insights! 

Welcome to the PlayAbly Podcast! This episode is brought to you by PlayAbly Ads, where we turn your marketing into an interactive, game-based experience that engages customers and boosts conversions. And here’s something special—mention this podcast when you book a free demo on our website, and you’ll get your first month free! Visit playably.ai to learn more and schedule your demo.

Thanks for tuning in to the PlayAbly Podcast! Ready to engage your customers like never before? PlayAbly turns your website into an interactive experience that drives results. Don’t forget, mention the podcast during your free demo, and get your first month free! Book now at playably.ai

Get Your First Month of PlayAbly free when you mention this Podcast during your free PlayAbly Demo - learn how gamification can improve your ecommerce shop at www.playably.ai

Transcript

PlayAbly Podcast 8: Landing Pages: Turning Clicks into Conversions

[00:00:00] 

Kajal: Welcome back to the Playably podcast where we dive deep into the strategies that make your digital experiences not just engaging but unforgettable. Today we're unlocking the secrets behind landing pages, those crucial first impressions that can make or break your conversions. We'll be talking design, messaging, and optimization tips that will transform your landing page into a conversion powerhouse.

Stay tuned because we got some game changing Insights coming your way,

Gabi: Hey, Thanks. I'm excited to dive into the world of lending pages. That's one of my favorite subjects. 

Kajal: What is the difference between a landing page and a website? 

Gabi: Good question. That's one of the first questions I always get a landing page is a specialized page designed with a single objective in mind. Unlike a website where you have multiple pages, and links.

A landing [00:01:00] page is designed to streamline a visitor's experience to take a specific action. This specific action could be downloading an ebook signing up for a webinar or making a purchase. The landing page will guide the user toward that action. 

Kajal: what makes a landing page effective when it comes to conversions?

Gabi: I think the two most important things are the landing page structure and the landing page layout. As for the landing page structure, you want to make sure that you're presenting information Logically, but also enticingly so that you're guiding your visitors to take action. you need to make sure you have an engaging headline so that whenever somebody lands on your page, their interest is instantly piqued and they want to stay on the page and learn about whatever it is that you have on that [00:02:00] page.

You should use relevant visuals, especially at the top or what we call above the fold, because the visuals would also help you peak the visitors, interest. if it is a lead generation page. You want to make sure that you have that form, the lead form or the CTA also above the fold.

when it comes to layout, the number one rule is prioritizing the above the fold. You want to make sure you're displaying essential information, like your headline. the main benefit or the value proposition that will keep the visitor engaged with that landing page. You also want to present information in a clear and uncluttered way.

Usually we suggest using bullet points and short paragraphs that break your content so that it's easier to Read and digest, you [00:03:00] also want to make sure you have very clear and distinctive, call to actions, that are action oriented. directing your user toward whatever action you want them to take.

This I think would be the main points of a higher converting landing page. 

Kajal: correct me if I'm wrong, but above the fold means everything you see without scrolling, right? 

Gabi: Yes, once you land, On a page, the first thing you see.

is usually a hero image, sometimes a video, depending on the audience and brand, like the benefit or the value proposition or a specific product or service. we sometimes use social proof. Because it helps gain the user's trust. If you have customer testimonials, you can place it above the fold, reviews.

Whatever you can use as social proof to prove your point for your product or service. 

Kajal: And starting at the top with the headline, what makes a good headline? I know you [00:04:00] said relevant, but what are your tips for making a headline great? 

Gabi: the headline should always have your main benefit or value proposition. You want to lead with that. You also want to make sure you have a call to action near the headline. So if it's shop now, a shop now button, if it's sign up to receive more news about this or download an ebook. place the main benefit or value proposition and a CTA, above the fold next to the headline.

Kajal: And I know, in the headline you're talking about benefits and some people get confused, and often put features there.

Can you detail the difference between a benefit and a feature? 

Gabi: a benefit is. your strongest value proposition as a brand. a feature, is something your product, does for the user. a benefit from a water filter is, living a healthier lifestyle, drinking [00:05:00] better quality water. A feature is our filter comes with five different settings and three different colors. leading with the benefit helps create an emotional connection with the users. They're not just there for the features, but the benefit they'll get by using your products.

Kajal: Upfront just telling them this is what it's going to do for you. I think that's a smart way to capture attention. 

Gabi: Yeah, exactly. 

Kajal: I know a lot of traffic is on mobile. what about mobile optimization? Are there any differences and best practices for a mobile friendly landing page? 

Gabi: Yes, we usually create a landing page because most of the traffic for almost all websites is mobile, like 90 to 95 percent of the traffic comes from mobile.

Devices. the main thing when creating or optimizing a mobile landing page is [00:06:00] to have a responsive design. This means your landing page should adjust to all device sizes from desktops to smartphones to iPads.

within that, you also want proper formatting because with a smartphone you have limited screen space, and it's essential that you format your content properly to ensure that it doesn't come across as bulky or overwhelming. if your header takes up the whole screen on a desktop on mobile, you want to make sure you either use a different header or you format the sizing so that it looks good on a mobile screen. you also want to make sure that you optimize for times, because usually.

Users visiting your page from their phones, expect a page to load very fast. They're expecting the page to load faster than they would if they were using a desktop. you need to make sure you're compressing the images and optimizing your code to improve [00:07:00] performance. you also want to make sure that your landing page or your CTAs are touch friendly buttons, so that they can simply click on it and it's taking them to whatever it is that they want to go.

Kajal: Yeah, I know there's a lot of times I've landed on an ad clicked on it, landed on a webpage, and then nothing works, or I'm unable to purchase the product. I am very susceptible to targeted ads, so they're probably going to make a sale and nothing is more frustrating than a page that doesn't work.

Gabi: And when that happens, the first thing you see, is users bouncing away immediately because nobody has the patience to wait to get to that page. I would say on the mobile, optimization, that would be step one, when we were creating the landing page, we usually create a mobile first experience to then move it to desktop.

Kajal: as a data focused company, I know that we're always A B testing How can somebody A B test a landing page? [00:08:00] 

Gabi: So that's one of the biggest uses of landing pages because it is so much easier to A/B test when you have a landing page than having to create a whole new page within your website.

you can simply duplicate your landing page, which is a very easy process. And then you can change, let's say, the CTA buttons. it is extremely important to A/B test it, especially if you're using your page with different audiences. You want to make sure what converts best with different audiences so that you can target them specifically.

When A/B testing landing pages, we highly recommend duplicating that page, changing either the headline or the visuals then start A/B testing one step at a time to understand what converts better, what is not converting and what might be pushing users away, until you get to that winning landing page. 

Kajal: red buttons perform well consistently, or does their effectiveness change over time? 

Gabi: B 

Kajal: testing? 

Gabi: [00:09:00] Yes, you should definitely keep A/B testing. red buttons, do work with some brands, but it's really going to depend on your branding. we prefer to stay within the brand colors, but sometimes testing other color variations might also help.

it is. Extremely helpful to always A/B test because seasonality changes things. you might start acquiring a new audience depending on the product that you just launched. let's say you test something during the summer and you know it works, but now it's winter, and you have a fashion line.

the data you collected back during summer, is not going to be accurate for your winter promotions, for example. testing a landing page constantly. is very helpful for a brand, not only to keep conversions up, but also to give you a better understanding of your audience. what can I do to keep them engaged throughout the [00:10:00] year? 

Kajal: we know how important engagement is. Can you share an example of landing page that dramatically improved conversions for a client?

Gabi: we have a bird company. that sells bird feeders, bird food, and various bird products. their website hasn't been optimized or updated in the past. Three years. it had a lot of products and different SKUs. year after year conversions were declining and bounce rates were increasing.

They were spending more on ads, but couldn't figure out why people were not converting. when we started working with them, we conducted user interviews, and research, and developed a landing page focused on conversions and increasing engagement. Our landing page had three different products, which we call a collections landing page.

we started leading with the benefits. the [00:11:00] benefit for that specific brand is that their birdhouse was stronger and more durable than their competitors. and they had three different types of birdhouses.

we added social proof. and very appealing images, not just editorial images, but also user generated content that their customers were, sharing with them or posting on social media. we used different color CTAs that they were using on their original website.

We tested that for four weeks and noticed an increase in conversions of 35%, which was surprising. not only that, we were able to decrease the bounce rate by 25% and the session duration. increased by 15%.

that's a good example of leading with the benefits, using the right, visuals and sharing real stories from real customers It helps you not only increase your engagement, but also boost your conversions. [00:12:00] Amazing. 

Kajal: Any tips and tricks for landing pages?

Gabi: I think when they think about brands, when they think about landing pages, they might think it's too much work and don't try it because they might think they don't know how to implement and run an A B test. 

It is not hard to create a landing page and then create the AB test. I would suggest if you're not already doing that, start doing it and start AB testing, make sure you're leading with the benefits using, visuals that make sense to your audience, use a strong CTA. And I am sure you'll see not only your conversions, but also your engagement increase over time.

Kajal: Thanks for joining us, Gabby. I really appreciate it and hope that everybody has learned a lot about landing pages. 

Gabi: It was great to be here Hope to be here soon.