Do landing pages actually work these days?

I have been experimenting with landing pages over the last few weeks, following many published strategies - only to find that despite my Google ads getting the clicks, they are not converting.

I would like to know if any of you out there actually derive good conversions from landing pages, or whether landing pages are really dead in 2008, and no longer providing the conversions.

Thanks, Jon

Obviously YOUR landing pages aren't meeting your expectations. Are your expectations realistic for your market?

By "landing page" you mean "the page you send your adwords traffic," right? I don't see why that wouldn't work if it's done right, but that's just my opinion, I haven't read any research.

Is the landing page relevant to the keywords you're buying? That's probably the #1 thing.

Years ago I studied my logs long enough to figure out that people who bought from me almost always left the entry page, went to the home page, clicked all around, then purchased. That was years ago but I'll bet it's still true. So, with that in mind, is the rest of your site compatible with the sales job you do on the landing page? (Ie, the landing page sales pitch won't work if the rest of the site convinces the surfer that you aren't trustworthy or don't have what they want.) With that in mind I treat my landing pages as "pre-sales" pages, I suggest you do the same.

it's better that your landing page is related to your keyword. I mean if you are selling a product, your landing page must go directly to the specific product and not by just providing any page which requires the visitor to click more than 2-3 clicks before he can see the what he want.

Can anyone suggest a reasonably priced service / company / individual who can produce a professional looking landing page. I'd like to explore the options, and even get my current one's reviewed.

Another important thing I thought of... Do you convert traffic that enters on your home page? If not, you probably have usability issues. I'd spend a few hours reading useit.com. His book "e-commerce user experience" is good, too.

Not sure if I understand what you mean exactly, by "convert traffic that enters on your home page?".

I do have a 'register' option, so people can register, and this then presents a message for them to purchase advertising space, since the site is a property portal.

Did you mean something else?

I think that's your problem right there. Requiring registration is a huge usability problem. I bet you lose at least 50% of your traffic right there, maybe as much as 90%. It does depend on your market, and your sales pitch, your registration rate might be very good.

Generally, for a new site, do not require registration if you can avoid it. After you're popular, then you can pile on the requirements.

I have clicked on adwords pages that took me to landing pages and found them other ways.
From a human point of view landing pages are far too long. To stay on the page long enough to want to buy I would absolutely have to be ready to buy in order to want to stay on the page long enough to buy. Another problem is most of them are to glitzy and over kill. Most landing pages look like they are trying to sell me something and even though that is the goal, no one wants to feel like they are being sold. You might want to focus on the big picture with links to more details on the page.

RE celebritydna's point.

Registratiob is an importnant first step, as to create an advert on my site, the user needs to provide certain information that has to be checked in order (a) for them to be able to create an ad, and (b) for invoicing purposes - since I produce online invoices and email receipt. The Adwords ad is all about the person selling their property online - and most of the ad variations clearly state the cost of the advert to, and some mention the fact that they have to register.

Any thoughts, suggestions etc?

It's really difficult to say without seeing the site.

I think this is the main problem that is why you wasn't able to get traffic because of this.

I think landing page can help traffic and boost up backlinks....

if its used properly, it will be a good help to your site...

Again, I don't know your site, so hard to say what's what.

Are the ads on the same site? If so, then I think I'd make the site more about the ads. There would also be a prominent "place your ad now" link, and THAT link would splash your registration requirement. At that point you've already shown the surfer your content, they know what they're buying, and they are willing to register.

What about the people who just want to view ads? Do you make them register first? If so that's almost certainly a problem. If registration is required to reply to an ad, then splash the registration page when they hit the "contact the seller" link. A well designed site would send them to the ad's contact page after registration. (Ie, don't make them find the ad again, etc. Just give them what they want.)

Thanks CelebrityDNA, some helpful advice there.

The ads are on the same site. On the link equivalent to 'place your ad now' it takes them to a seller form - and displays a message in red that its available to registered users. So, its expecting a non-registered user to register (or a registered one to login at the top of that page).

The people who just want to view ads dont have to register. All adverts can be viewed without registration. Its only when someone wants to reply, they have to register. This is to try and cut down opportunities of sellers (advertising) getting spam and 'rogue' messages from people who arent serious.

Ads themselves display a message telling the user that if they register they can contact the seller.

I dont send them back to the ad after they register (ie to the contact page, for the ad), which is a good suggestion. Guess would just need to maintain another session variable with the ad's id, so that post registration, handler can check if variable set, and send them there.