A landing pageThe page users are directed to from any campaign designed to drive traffic to a specific URL (uniform resource locator). is the page users are directed to from any campaign designed to drive traffic to a specific URL (uniform resource locator). The traffic to a landing page could be from a banner or PPC (pay-per-click) advertisement, an e-mail, a print advertisement, a television or radio spot, or direct marketing. Users are being sent there for a very specific reason, including the following:
As far as landing pages go, first impressions really do count. They need to capture the user immediately and make him want to complete the desired action. Users who land on these pages make the decision to complete the desired action based on two criteria:
Effective design and benefit statements can help users to make the decision to complete the desired action.
Focus the page on a single call to action. These are purpose-built, purpose-driven pages, and extraneous information should be avoided.
The landing page does not need to carry the same navigation of the Web site and can look slightly different (though a large deviation in style is not advised). The aim is to keep users on a path to the goal.
Landing pages can detract from SEO (search engine optimization) efforts, as there might be many similar landing pages created. Use the robots.txt file to keep search engine spiders out.
There are no cons to designing a Web site for your users first and foremost. It can require some creative thinking when it comes to ensuring that wacky ideas are accessible and usable, but the benefits of taking the time to ensure that Web sites are coded according to best practice will show in the longevity of the Web site.
Beautiful Web sites do not need to be sacrificed for standards compliance.
