A strong landing page can lower cost per click, improve conversion rate, and increase quality score.
In this blog, I’ll tell you how to make Google fall in love with your landing page, which should lead to an above-average landing experience, the metric all advertisers strive for.
What is a Landing Page?
According to Unbounce, a landing page is a standalone web page created specifically for a marketing or advertising campaign. It’s where a visitor “lands” after clicking a link on your advertisement.
A landing page technically doesn’t have to be standalone. You can send the user to a specific page on your site. The destination URL on Google Ads is being analyzed as your landing page.
What is Quality Score?
According to Google, Quality Score is a diagnostic tool that shows how well your ad quality compares to other advertisers. This score is measured on a scale from 1-10. A higher Quality Score means that your ad copy, keywords, headlines, and landing page are more relevant and useful to someone searching for your keyword than other advertisers.
Within this blog, we’re focusing on the landing page component of quality score within Google Ads.
What is the Quality Score of a Landing Page?
Google provides an overall landing page experience. You can score below average, average, or above average.
- If you score above average, Google loves your landing page. There is a strong correlation between the keywords, ad copy, and user experience on your lander.
- If you score average, some good things are happening on your landing page, but there’s room to improve.
- Below average means it’s time to go back to the drawing board. There’s an issue with how your ad account is structured, or the landing page itself needs reassessment.
Where to Find the Landing Page Experience Quality Score
- Find your respective search campaign.
- Click on the keywords/search keywords.
- Click “Modify Columns”
- Select “Quality Score” and “Landing Page Exp” + Quality Score
- Save the customized column
- Scroll to the right when analyzing your keywords, and you’ll find the landing page experience.
Quality Score Example from our In-House eCommerce Brand
- The example above shows an above-average landing page experience for the Alphalash/Alphaeon lander.
- You will notice that the quality score for each keyword is above 8/10 across the board.
- We achieved an above-average landing page experience since our keywords, ad copy, and landing page experience provided the user with a good experience.
- Below is a screenshot of the landing page and corresponding ad copy to visualize the experience from the keywords to the advertisement to the lander.
Landing Page/Destination URL
Ad Copy
How to Improve Landing Page Experience For Above-Average Quality Score
- Destination URL
- Pick the most relevant destination URL for potential customers to visit based on the services or products you’re promoting. This can be a standalone landing page or a specific page on your site.
- Keyword Matching
- Google wants to see if the keywords on your landing page match the keywords within your Ad Copy and the keywords you bid on. A best practice is to review your landing page and ensure your headlines align with keywords.
- Quick Page Load Speed Time
- According to Google, a 1-second delay in mobile can impact mobile conversions by up to 20 percent. Ensure your landing page loads quickly, as this can greatly negatively impact overall performance if it’s too slow.
- Low Bounce Rate
- According to Search Engine Land, bounce rate was the strongest predictor for Quality Score. Google doesn’t want to see people bounce quickly from your site. Google likes it when people click around, learn more about your business, and ultimately take action.
- Good User Experience
- Provide the person clicking on the ad with the exact information they want on the landing page. When someone is looking for Alphaeon/Alphalash, they want to learn more about the product with the end goal of purchasing. On the landing page, we include pricing, reviews, product information, shipping, and return details (to name a few). We provided the user exactly what they sought, so Google rewarded us with an above-average landing page. We also ensured the landing page was compatible across all devices, including mobile.
- Make it Easy to Convert.
- When people visit your landing page, make it easy for them to convert. Have a prominent contact form, phone number, checkout, etc. Google loves it when conversions come through. Consider running a promotion or special deal to help increase the conversion rate.
Landing Page Inspiration
If you want more inspiration on creating a killer landing page, below are great visual resources to get your creative juices flowing.
- 20 Great Landing Page Examples You’ll Want to Copy
- 15 Landing Page Examples PROVEN to Convert
- 110 Landing Page Examples That You Can’t Afford to Miss
In Closing
- Landing pages play a big role in Google’s quality score rating
- When you have an above-average landing page, it improves your PPC performance
- Landing pages often get overlooked when analyzing PPC performance
- Spend the time to enhance your landing page as you’ll reap the ROI
If you need help building a landing page or want support for Google Ads, contact The Media Captain!
