When you’re dealing with Lead Gen landing pages it can be tricky to know what you can do to improve the user experience. You know that you need to include information about your product/service, and of course that vital lead form, but what else? Well that’s where we can turn to eCommerce websites for inspiration.
This blog will explore elements from eCommerce websites which can be integrated into your lead gen landing page to help improve the user experience, including:
eCommerce websites put a huge amount of focus into the user experience, because without a strong website, an eCommerce brand would fail. This reliance on the strength of the on page experience helps them lead the way in terms of on page content, experience and usability.
So whilst Lead Gen and eCommerce may have two very different overall strategies, they both want the same thing from their landing pages – to turn a visitor into a customer!
Speak Their Language
Websites like PrettyLittleThing are very good at using language and a tone of voice which resonates with their targeted audience. Their website content is filled with words like ‘Babes’, ‘Bestie’ and ‘Queen’, and whilst this approach wouldn’t work for a law firm or accountant, it has been designed to appeal to their target audience – females between the ages of 18-24. A site visitor within these demographics is likely to feel a sense of trust, recognition and familiarity, thanks to PrettyLittleThings decision to incorporate this personality into everything they publish on their site.
Lead Gen landing pages can do the same, by using words and phases which are related to their target audience. For example:
- Technical content – If you are reaching out to a highly technical audience (for example software developers or sound engineers) then you can use content which isn’t your average person isn’t going to understand. If you try to simplify your content too much, you may risk coming across as amateur or as an unsuitable solution for your audience, who are going to be on the lookout for evidence of technical competency.
- Culture focused content – If you are reaching out to an audience which are interested in more of the personality and culture of your company (for example a yoga studio or parenting class), then include language which puts this into words. This is likely to be more emotive language (‘let us motivate you’, ‘we’re here to help guide you through your transition’, ‘we can’t wait to help you on your journey’), and you should look at what words and phrases you use on a regular basis for inspiration.
- Industry jargon – If you are reaching out to a highly specialised audience (For example dental clinicians or veterinary surgeons) then you shouldn’t shy away from using jargon specific to that industry. Whilst the context of the content may not be understandable by those outside of the field, industry terminology and abbreviations are an effective way to demonstrate your relevance and specialism.
Product Descriptions
If you browse products on an eCommerce website like Amazon or Currys, you have access to an abundance of product information. From the dimensions of a book, to the weight of a tube of mascara, eCommerce websites are fantastic at providing as much product information as possible.
So whilst for Lead Gen landing pages you may not have a tangible product to define, you can still give people all the information they need to know about your product or service. You can’t just expect them to land on your site and be ready to provide you with their contact details! You need to give them content which helps them to feel informed, confident in you as a provider and certain that they have the right solution for their problem.
Some potential content options to help you define your product or service:
- Customer reviews/ratings – Quotes and testimonials from previous customers are a great way to help establish trust and demonstrate your reputation to potential customers.
- Competitor comparisons – If you work in an industry where you have a lot of direct competitors, use your content to differentiate yourself and promote what makes you a better option. For example: how many years of industry experience you have, any awards which you have won, fleet size or office locations. You can present this through bullet points, within your landing page copy itself, or if suitable, in a comparison table.
- Technical specifications – If you have technical specifications, such as the models of car engines you work on or system requirements for your software, then make sure to include these on your landing pages.
- Accreditations and certifications – It is likely that that the visit is going to be the first time someone is introduced to your company. This means that you need to build trust and authority, to help them feel comfortable in choosing you as a provider. A great way to do this is by providing information about your accreditations and industry specific certifications. These are trust indicators which help someone to recognise you as a legit and reputable company.
- Supporting resources – Other resources such as buyers guides, project checklists or design templates, are a great way at providing value to your landing pages visitors. Not only will this provide them with something to use which refers back to you, but you have demonstrated your value adding intent to helping them solve their problem.
- Package breakdown – If you are offering a service, such as kitchen fitting, then be sure to explain what your service includes. Do you include dismantling the existing kitchen, do you include hiring a skip for waste, will you be decorating once the kitchen has been fitted? What is covered in a service will vary by provider, so make it clear what it is that you’ll be providing from the offset.
Use Visuals
From product images, to 360 views and demonstration videos, eCommerce websites work hard to bring their products to life with visual content. If a picture paints a thousand words then these websites are producing dissertations.
For Lead Gen, it is also important that the content on your landing pages helps potential customers to visualise your offering. Not only does it help to break up the large volumes of block text that we are used to seeing on Lead Gen landing pages, but it also helps them to feel more familiar and connected with your product/service.
Here are some visual content options you can include on your landing page:
- Photos of your product/service in use – It may sound obvious that a hairdresser cuts hair, or a mechanic works on a car, but there is nothing wrong with representing this using images on your landing pages. Don’t just tell them what to expect, show them by using user generated content.
- Team photos – Put some faces to names by including images of your team. This could be head shots in a ‘Meet the Team’ section, but it could also be them carrying out the work you are advertising for, such as a staff member in a workshop working on a bespoke chandelier.
- Before and after photos – Demonstrate exactly what types of transformations you can offer by including before and after photos of recent photos. Sometimes words are not enough to get across how incredible your work is, so show potential customers exactly what you do.
- Case study videos – If you have a fantastic case study you want to promote, consider creating it in video format. It can be a much more interesting and engaging way to get across large amounts of information quickly and easily.
Include Pricing Information
Very rarely would you walk into a shop, pick up an item and proceed to the till without knowing how much the item costs. That is because pricing is a critical decision factor for most of us, and eCommerce websites understand this. Pricing, including delivery costs, are usually displayed clearly on product pages, and are reiterated throughout the checkout process. Before that final submit button is pressed, the individual knows exactly how much they will be spending. Whatsmore, that individual has all the information they need at every step of the way to decide whether or not the product is financially visible for them.
For Lead Gen companies, providing pricing is a useful way to allow people to ‘self qualify’ themselves, and help to reduce the amount of unsuitable leads they receive. If pricing is made clear to the individual on a landing page, then they have the pricing information they need to determine whether or not this is a provider they can afford to go with.
Whilst the nature of many Lead Gen companies would make it impossible to provide a specific cost for their product/service, offering at least some indication of pricing will help landing page visitors to see if you are the right fit for them.
Some options for including pricing information on your landing page include:
- Prices start from £XYZ
- Minimum spend of £XYZ
- XYZ start from £XYZ
- £XYZ minimum call out fee
It is not about giving them the exact costs, but setting pricing expectations to save you both time in the long run. There’s no point in nurturing a lead only to find out at the very last stage that your pricing is out of their budget!
Abandon Cart = Remarketing
Have you ever started to exit a website during the middle of purchase and had an offer pop up? Many eCommerce websites use this as part of their ‘Abandon Cart’ strategy to encourage users to complete their transaction. They know they already have the interest and attention of that individual, so they want to keep them from exiting the site. By providing a well timed offer, these websites hope to provide visitors with that final push to convince them to commit to a purchase.
Lead Gen websites can implement something similar by utilsing Remarketing Display campaigns. Whilst not specifically a landing page feature, you are utilsing audience lists built with visitors of your pages.
Remarketing Display campaigns allow advertisers to reach out to previous site visitors to encourage them to return to your site to convert through image ads. This is a great opportunity to reconnect with individuals who may be continuing their research or taking some time to consider their options. By reminding them of your brand, you can stay at the top of their mind.
Whilst you may not be able to offer a monetary offer as in the case of eCommerce sites, you can still give them that little bit of extra information they need to convince them to return to your site. You should craft the copy of your ad to include persuasive messaging regarding your product or service. This could be information regarding availability (Appointments available this week, now taking bookings…), welcoming new clients (Now taking on new clients, new clients welcome…) or a unique selling point which makes you stand out from your competitors (Over 25 years’ experience, award winning service, 5 star rating…).
Delivery Times = Response Time
Delivery and processing times are all over eCommerce websites. From how long it will take them to dispatch your order, to how long it will take to get to you and how long it takes to process a return, this information is always made clear and transparent on eCommerce websites. It helps customers to know what to expect, because we feel more reassured when we know timescales. However, what Lead Gen websites don’t do very often is setting these types of time expectations on their landing pages. We’ve all completed contact forms and had no idea if it had even been submitted properly.
Adding information regarding how long they should expect to hear a response from their form submission is a great way to start forming these expectations. If you have a set response time, then include it, if not, then be broad. For example:
‘Thank you – we will respond to you via email within 48 hours to confirm your booking.’
Another option is to include information about what the process is following their form submission. For example:
‘Thank you – we will now review your application and check your requirements against what we have available to rent. A representative will be in contact within 3 business days.’
Or if you will need to contact them to get further details to be able to process their lead, then let them know what too. For example:
‘Thank you – we will be in touch via phone call within the next 24 hours to discuss your case in further detail. Please ensure you have your case ID and driving license number on hand.’
Reassure people that you have received their form and let them know the next steps ahead. Not only will it help with setting their expectations, but it is a good sign that you will be proactive in handling their submission and are appreciative of their business.
Enhancing Experiences With Lead Gen
There’s a lot of concepts that Lead Gen landing pages can take from eCommerce sites. They may require a more creative approach to implementing them, but they can be a fantastic way to improve the experience you are providing your site visitors. We all rely on our websites to take site visitors over the line, so let’s keep exploring each other’s work to be inspired for our own.