Facebook landing pages continue to be a hot topic. Companies large and small are focusing on this fairly young marketing medium, but that does not mean all pages are created equal. The key to a successful page, versus one that falls flat, is focus.
Before a brand creates a Facebook landing page, they need to ask themselves, “What is our end goal when users come to our fan page?” A Facebook landing page basically needs to act like a giant prompt for users to take a particular action.
Some companies may want a user to simply become a fan, while others may want the user to enter his email address into a contact form; another may want the user to actually buy a product or service. Whatever the end goal is, that becomes the objective of the page and should influence all choices regarding content and design.
For example, if a brand wants consumers to click a particular button, the design should emphasize that button and not pull the eye elsewhere. Once a user clicks that button or completes the objective of the Call to Action (becomes a fan, enters an email address, buys a product, etc.), the company has achieved a “conversion.”
Successful pages are those with a high number of conversions. Most high-converting fan pages have a few things in common. They utilize video, graphics, and catchy fonts to grab a user’s attention and direct him toward the end goal. Eye-catching pages lead to high conversions; make sure yours is memorable.
The Right Content for Your Fan Page
Strong design is important to a successful page, but it can’t carry it alone. Like most things on the web, content is king. One of the biggest mistakes a business can make is asking a user to take an action without giving him enough quality content first. Instead of just pushing for the conversion, companies should strive to overdeliver the very first time a user visits their page. Done correctly, content can convince consumers that a company is the authority of that marketplace, bolstering the brand and creating trust.
When looking for effective content, video tops the list. Video is perceived as a higher-value form of content for many reasons. It can be digested a lot easier and faster than paragraphs of text, and it creates a stronger interaction.
What You Need to Know to Create Facebook Tabs
The good news is that, a few weeks ago, Facebook did away with their complicated FBML, or Facebook Markup Language, for good. But a basic knowledge of HTML code will still be required to customize a page. An alternative is to invest in a premium application, like 5-Minute Fan Page 2.0, which does all the coding work and allows brands to create beautiful landing pages in just minutes.
For smaller budgets, there is a great free tool that creates custom landing pages in static HTML: iFrame tabs. iFrame does require a basic knowledge of HTML, and HTML W3Schools is a great resource for those wanting to learn more about coding; it has tons of free tutorials for beginners. Another option is Lynda.com, which offers entire courses on just about any subject for $25 per month.
What Should Be Avoided
Too much and/or incorrectly styled text can severely diminish the effectiveness of a page. These mistakes can make the page appear cluttered, and users will most likely not read it, which hurts conversions. Keep text short and sweet, using strong organization and hierarchy with headlines, subheads, and smaller paragraphs to keep the copy easy to consume.
The Checklist Every Landing Page Should Follow:
An attention-grabbing headline
For example, a headline that gets attention is “How to Lose 34 Pounds in 60 Days, Pill-Free.” A headline like that, when shown to the right person, will entice him to learn more. That’s the purpose of a headline: to get a user to keep reading or watching.
A video
As stated before, there’s a reason so many landing pages utilize video over text: It simply converts better. With video, a very large amount of information can be conveyed in 30 seconds, and it’s more likely to keep the user’s attention much longer. Programs like Camtasia or Screenflow, paired with Keynote or PowerPoint, are great for creating short, bankable videos.
A call to action
Back to the important end-goal prompt. This is where brands tell the user what to do next. If the page doesn’t tell them what to do, how will they know? Pages that clearly and directly ask visitors to complete an end goal have the most conversions. Simple requests like “Click ‘Like’ Above” or “Enter Your Email Below” go a long way toward building a list of leads.
Follow these steps to ensure your landing page doesn’t just get viewed, but converts users into fans. Guiding users into taking the next steps doesn’t help only your company – it helps them solve a problem or enhance their lives, too. Make sure your landing page encourages them to take the next step – it’s a win-win for you both.