Email landing pages need more thought

It appears that many marketers aren’t putting much effort in to email landing pages. Research by Silverpop revealed a somewhat blasé approach.

by Helen Leggatt

silverpop%20logo.gif In a study of 110 B2C and 40 B2B companies across North America, Silverpop discovered that only a third of email messages linked through to a landing page specifically created for a product or offer. Half of those companies surveyed provided links to an existing, relevant webpage within the website.

However, 17 percent merely dumped the customer on their existing website homepage. Best practice demands an easy flow from email through to landing page and beyond, with a consistent message, creative and call to action.

Elaine O’Gorman, vice president of strategy for Silverpop, advises the testing of landing pages against homepages.

“Testing trumps best practices,” she said. “If you’ve made some custom landing pages and you’ve tested them against dumping people on your home page and you convert better by dumping people on your home page, then by all means do it.”

Silverpop’s landing page report, titled “8 Seconds to Capture Attention”, contains information on over 14 different elements affecting landing pages including design elements, branding consistency, calls to action, page goals, URL design and more, and can be obtained free, with registration.