Web Analytics: Landing Pages

Landing pages have become an integral part of marketing strategies with one specific key performance indicator (KPI) at their nucleus. Landing pages allow brands to direct their consumers to a separate page increasing the likelihood of them completing an isolated action. These pages are typically very simple and very clear as to what the viewer can get from the page. Ultimately, landing pages allow businesses and brands to target their audience, provide something of value and convert a higher percentage of visitors while capture their information.

Web analytics bring the effect of landing pages to life.  When we look at all the metrics within web analytics – amongst all categories (foundational, visit characterization, visitor characterization, engagement, conversion, etc) – landing pages provide one of the best environments to best understand all metrics and how they work together to inform strategy.

Ellins highlights the following key landing page metrics that should be considered in relation to all metrics within the path-to-conversion funnel:

• ·      Bounce Rate: The percentage of people who enter the website on the landing page and then leave without visiting another webpage.

• ·      Pages/Session: The number of pages each visitor visits on average after landing on the webpage.

• ·      Average Session Duration: The average time a visitor spends on the website after landing on a certain webpage.

• ·      Goal/Ecommerce Conversion Data: If goal tracking or ecommerce tracking is setup correctly then you can see the most valuable metric of all based off each landing page. The conversion rate is the rate of conversions over a relevant denominator.

As with any web initiative, the data exists – usually in abundance – but what qualifies success? What informs strategy? When we look at the data derived from the activity of a landing page we are looking at the past. How do we apply the learnings to the future? How do we grow, change and challenge our current opportunities? Vaughan, from Hubspot, provides actionable insights we can garner from landing pages. 

What is the overall effectiveness of your landing pages? 

As with anything on the web, we are trying to drive traffic and ultimately increase the consideration and conversion of our KPIs. If landing pages are generating little traffic it is imperative to adjust promotional strategy on other channels such as social media, email and blogs. In addition, conversation rate should be a fundamental metric used to determine the success rate of a landing page. Vaughan notes that on average, landing pages generate a 5-15% conversation rate. If the landing page is performing subpar it is imperative other metrics are evaluated to determine the source of the friction and to find solutions optimizing to stronger strategies. 

What landing page elements to test and optimize?

One of the greatest aspects of the web is that we can optimize, in real time. The web analytics of a landing page can help provide direction for testing and optimizing webpages. Evaluating top converting pages can also lead to the development of best practices to follow for the next landing page initiative. 

How are your landing pages are converting over time? 

“Understanding how individual landing pages are converting over time can help you pinpoint the offers that diminish in value. Knowing which landing pages are no longer performing for you can keep you on top of your landing page maintenance (Vaughan, 2012).” Landing pages tend to be a tactic that require goal setting which makes understanding the data and garnering insights much easier – we have an end goal, does the data get us there? So often data is just a heap of numbers with no purpose because we failed to give it one. Setting goals for all aspects of a website is the first step to ensure we are able to successfully evaluate and identify opportunities and challenges.