posted by steve | Category: Random Rants |

Earlier this year I obtained Google Adwords Professional status.  This solidified the work that I’ve been doing for years to help companies market on the Internet.   One of the recommendations somewhere along the way was to use a custom landing page for Adwords, with the intent of capturing the user’s information through an online form or motivating them to buy right from that page.  The recommendation calls for a special landing page, specific to the keywords, to be crafted.

However, in many instances I’m uncomfortable with this approach.  From a usability standpoint, I’m searching the web for something.  I see the link at the top (or wherever) on the page and want to click through to get more information.  When I’m funneled into a contact form asking me for e-mail address, phone number, and other personal information it’s an automatic back-click.  Now the advertiser has not only spent money on the Adwords ad, but they have made me think that their company has nothing to offer.  The landing pages often feel seedy or spammy, even those from reputable companies.

An ideal landing page is one that enables the visitor to obtain rich information about the product or service and to click through easily to the main web site.  If you’re using a landing page that traps the visitor into providing personal information right away, without a means to get to your main web site, you’re likely going to spend money on unnecessary clicks.

Of course, with Google Adwords  Google Analytics, you can make a report that shows how long people are staying on the landing page or if they drop out after clicking through.