The ultimate landing page

[Seb7]

I'm looking for tips to make the best landing page. These are the obvious ones which Google recommends:

1) Keyword relevance
2) Page Quality
3) Easy navigation
4) Page loading time
5) No to duplicate content, doorways, mirrors, cloaks etc..

But what else is important that Google isn’t telling us about? What are the other positive or negative influences is there on a landing page score?

I've read that curtain linked pages will help your score, like..
- privacy policy
- terms and conditions
- about us
- sitemap
- contact us

How much of this is true? and do they have to be directly linked to the landing page?

[outland88]

Not said in jest bid price is probably one of the biggest factors. Once the “big boys” sweep your area and outbid you to establish their presence you’ll have little recourse but to increase your bids. Quality scores and your business will likely decrease when this happens.

As for the below I have seen little relationship. They're excellent to have but seemingly have little impact.

- privacy policy
- terms and conditions
- about us
- sitemap
- contact us

[netmeg]

Are you trying to make the ultimate landing page for Google, or for your customers? Not always the same thing.

[smallcompany]

Affiliate or selling your stuff? That's the most important starting point when determining the approach which differs between the two.

Are you trying to make the ultimate landing page for Google, or for your customers?

Some that made it for users got smacked quite hard. Tough call... until some transparency kicks in.

[pavlovapete]

not sure if you've included:

Headline
Persuasive copy writing

“On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar.”
David Ogilvy

[Seb7]

for Google, or for your customers?

Interesting question. I'm trying to find the absolute best page that Google would be most happy about in hope they would return me a 10/10 for doing so!

Its so that I can tweak my own (personal website) landing pages as to improve my adword scores. I want to know if I have actually done the most I can do.

[smallcompany]

that Google would be most happy about

That's what I have been arguing with Google about - pushing people to make pages for G instead of for visitors.

[netfleet]

I heard that Landing Page QS is basically either a Yes or a No? And if you get a Yes, it's all down to the other types of QS?

In terms of landing pages for visitors, make sure you include an image relating to the search terms/intention.

[Seb7]

netflee, keywords on image - thanks for that. (Though my campaign seems to completely conflict with this.)

..

I was under the assumption that the better the landing page score, better the price would be, however I just noticed this is not the case.

I have a keyword eligible from 3p for a page scoring 10/10, and the same keyword is also eligible from 2p on a different page (different ad group) which is only scoring 5/10. what gives? this normal?

[FlSem]

QS has a lot more do to with CTR history then landing page quality. Google wants users to click on your ads more often so they make more money.

The perfect landing page is one that converts the most sales for the least amount of money. Pleasing Google should be an after-thought.

Proof? I took the landing page optimization online seminar with Google. They brought in the creator of sitetuners.com. You know you are good when you have Google as a client. Anyway, they optimized their site to focus visitors on what they wanted them to do. The then added some relevant text at the very bottom of the page to please Google. Yes, pleasing Google was an afterthought. There you have it.

Google employees do not represent your customers. They should be your first priority, not Google. Play by the big G's TOS and your site will be fine.

BTW, when we had a problem with our landing page, Google had the nerve to make style suggestions about our site. No offense, but who cares what they think. I use adwords to sell products, not win Addy awards.

[artek]

Seb7, I do not think you can hold to 10/10 quality score by making it the best landing page.

For me CTR is a key.
If customers click on your ads a lot and covert high you got it made.
I noticed that if CTR goes up, page quality score seems to go up too.
I also noticed that the landing page quality score will go down quickly if CTR is low.

Do not waste too much time on the quality score, you can improve it as you run good ads.

You want to test, test, test your ads for best CTR and landing page for the best conversion so you would be profitable not broke.

The page quality score itself is a game that G plays to jack up the bid prices for the first page ad showing.
If you spend good money for bids you may get 10/10 q. score, but you will not get more than 07/10 if you go for minimum bids that depending on keywords are very expensive in reality anyhow.