For higher landing page conversion rates, try a survey

I’ve been thinking a little bit more about landing pages and conversion rates recently; I do it in my own job, and some freelance efforts, but it’s also just something I’m interested in. I watched an entire video this morning meant for people new to Google AdWords, for example. I wanted to see what strategies they propose for getting people to your destination page via their system. It was 34 minutes, and I ripped through the entire thing over coffee. Maybe I’m a nerd.

I just came across this post on Hubspot’s blog; it’s about what types of channels lead to the best landing page conversion rates. Here’s the central chart associated with the post:

As you can see, these elements will land you above the benchmark conversion rate:

• Post survey
• Third-party loyalty app
• IMAX Ad
• Facebook Boost Post
• Website
• Print
• E-Mail
• Business Card

Everything else is at, or significantly below, the benchmark level.

“Post survey” is actually far and away the winner, which makes sense from a psychological standpoint — if you’re already filling out 5-10 questions about your opinions or beliefs or context around a product, you’re probably already interested enough that you don’t mind giving your e-mail or phone number or whatever exactly it takes to get the final aspect (the giveaway), or maybe you just do it at the end of the survey regardless. You’re a more active participant / seeker of information in this process, which is what marketers love — people a little bit closer to the “sales” portion of “the funnel” (FYI: “the funnel” as you know it is probably dead).

Look at some of the things below the benchmark conversion rate:

• Facebook Ads
• AdWords
• Mobile Ads
• Banner Ads

See a pattern there? Lots of ads. Ads are not necessarily “active” experiences — rather, they appear as you’re searching for something else actively. They’re almost an impediment to your active interest in a process. And yet, advertising is a huge industry. Go figure. 

That’s not to say that AdWords is a bad thing — you can still argue it’s the most important advertising and marketing program in the course of human history — but it’s just to say that trying to get someone when they’re already active will be more effective for conversions than trying to encourage them to be active (which is what ads essentially do).

Couple of other thoughts:

1. “Website” ranks high; Hubspot notes, and probably correctly, that that’s because people now realize they can get tangible business info on a website. If that’s true, then re-strategize around LinkedIn. It’s very important as a driver of traffic to your homepage.

2. Facebook organic reach is declining — FB posts and shares were below the benchmark level — and ads are also below. On there, the best way to engage seems to be the “Boost Post” option, which is basically like re-upping a post in News Feeds for a certain price.

3. Interesting that even as digital has created its own culture and marketers and all that, some of the highly-converting areas were “print” (traditional) and “business card” (very traditional). E-mail, in a way, is also traditional — although there’s a lot of digital strategy around that space now too.

4. E-mail… good goddamn.