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The First Step in Email Marketing Optimization

 

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landing pageLike any good analytical marketer, you're always testing, measuring, and improving your marketing campaigns. So you reach your email marketing program - what's first? The copy? The image? The call to action? Actually, none of that.

The first step in email marketing optimization is: your landing page.

Email marketing doesn't stop with a click. You want that click to become a conversion on your site, and that is largely dependent on where you send people with that click.

So how do you go about optimizing your landing page? Here are the four basics to get you started.

  • Get to the point. Make it incredibly clear what your visitor is supposed to do. Is it fill out a form? Download a whitepaper? Register for a trial? Make sure this is clear when you first hit your page - no scrolling or thinking required.
  • Stick to the essentials. Are your copy, your images, your form fields all essential? If not, get rid of them. Extra copy and images are distracting, and extra form fields only cause extra friction and keep people from doing what you want them to do.
  • What's in it for them? Why should your visitor do what you want (like give up their phone number or email address)? Clearly outline the benefit you're delivering to them. For a whitepaper, what will they learn? Use bullet points to really drive home everything they get.
  • Guide your visitor. Make sure you smooth the transition from email to landing page - match the headers, images, etc. That click from your email just brought your visitor to a brand new location, and you want them to know they're in the right place.

The next step? Keep on testing, testing, testing. Try out different copy or images or offers. By constantly improving your landing pages, you will make sure to capture as many of those email visitors as possible to generate more leads from your email marketing campaigns!

What do you think? Did I miss any of the landing page optimization basics? Should you start somewhere else when optimizing your email marketing?

Photo Credit: Tidewater Muse

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Posted by Ellie Mirman on Fri, Apr 09, 2010 @ 09:00 AM

COMMENTS

I really like that idea of tackling the landing page first, Ellie. I think many are so focused on the operational parts of just getting the email created, and out the door, that they almost forget *why* they're sending it in the first place! The landing page should guide the creation of the actual email. 

posted on Friday, April 09, 2010 at 9:13 AM by Dave Cunningham


Great post Ellie! Dave, you are spot on in your observation that too many businesses, especially small businesses, are only focused on getting the email created and sent. The challenge of convincing those businesses to get outside their comfort zones and let email marketing and the internet work for them is something we battle everyday.

posted on Friday, April 09, 2010 at 9:51 AM by Chris Stone


Nice post Ellie. I agree with your thoughts on creating the landing page first then crafting the email around the page. Email campaigns fail when they try to accomplish too much within the body of the email message. A good email campaign is a teaser message that causes the recipient to click through to the landing page for more information, then to conversion. User experience and creative on the landing page is essential. I also agree with keeping the landing page forms short and easy to complete. Leave all the details for customer service or sales team to follow up on.

posted on Friday, April 09, 2010 at 10:54 AM by Sean


One of my biggest struggles is what to give viewers. Giving them a "why" to fill out a form. Do you have any old posts with good ides? I sell t-shirts, but I can't send a free t-shirt to everyone. Any electronic ideas :)

posted on Friday, April 09, 2010 at 11:17 AM by Dru


Dru, why not create a Powerpoint slide show of 5 tips to a better t-shirt design? Save it as a PDF and have it link to the submission, so when they submit the form they can instantly download. Create a quick form and maybe give them a few samples on the landing page of some killer designs!

posted on Friday, April 09, 2010 at 11:22 AM by Chris Stone


Great idea Chris, I like it. Thank you very much for your input!

posted on Friday, April 09, 2010 at 11:29 AM by Dru


Dru, if you use the idea, would love to hear the results! Best of luck!

posted on Friday, April 09, 2010 at 11:48 AM by Chris Stone


Great post! I definitely agree, there should be a smooth transition between the email and the landing page. 
 
This article has 5 Reasons Why Email Marketing Works: http://tinyurl.com/yl95bvp

posted on Friday, April 09, 2010 at 2:00 PM by Verndale


I´m agree with you. The landing page is the key, but I think that you could include another point. Targeting. Many marketers or publishers are happy sending big email list trying to improve their convertions rates and you know, targeting it´s a basic point. What do you think?

posted on Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 10:38 AM by Nicolas Vega


I love the conversation here! Thanks for all the great comments. 
 
@Dru et al - There's a related blog article / thread about good calls to action & offers here: "Is 'Contact Us' the Only Lead Generation Form on Your Website?" 
 
@Nicolas I absolutely agree that sending relevant messages to a targeted group also plays a huge role. That's probably the next step after optimizing your landing page and also plays a role in your landing page conversion rate.

posted on Sunday, April 11, 2010 at 10:59 PM by Ellie Mirman


Thanks Ellie, I appreicate the follow up!

posted on Monday, April 12, 2010 at 7:53 AM by Dru


Great article. I think I have step 1 completed and am just about to generate email content, so bring on step 2 please!

posted on Tuesday, April 13, 2010 at 6:08 AM by Simon


Very useful tips. Get to the point. Make it incredibly clear what your visitor is supposed to do. That is the most important. 
Waiting for your Step 2. 

posted on Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at 8:14 PM by Battery


Comments have been closed for this article.