The 5 rules of Landing Page Theory

1. Landing Page Equilibrium (L) = The point at which a landing page achieves balance and is thus optimized against other systems
2. The right combination of variables (V) and constants (C) will equal (L) V +C = L
3. L can only be proven through testing various combinations of (V) and (C) using the scientific method
4. All choices should be made in consideration for the user
5. All if this is only theory: there are no rules if you convert

What is a CONSTANT?

1. A clear and concise goal
2. Your audience
3. Your entry points

What is a VARIABLE?

1. Clear call to action
2. Appropriate forms
3. Consistent imagery
4. Solid brand message
5. Good user experience
6. Copy in “F” shape pattern
7. Stickiness: Do I want to click out?
8. Testimonial
9. Product shot
10. There are a ton more…

After explaining my new Theory I took a look at some case studies to provide some concrete examples. I identified the constants and then we worked as a group to identify the variable and decide if they indeed equaled L. The below is a Pin Code campaign we did with Breitling Watches. What are some of the variables?

Do you have any landing page examples that we could examine in this context? A special thank you to Stephanie Miller and the DMC for including me in the panel.

The fact that communication, thoughts and opinions can be transferred in real time is an amazing and immense benefit to this world and I’m a huge advocate for how social media allows more and more people to get involved in global events.  However, in my opinion, nothing can truly replace the “traditional” actions that need to take place in order for some real and powerful changes to be made.   Social media is not a substitute for these actions, it can and should only serve as an aid.  I feel that the last few lines in this article written by Ben Parr in Mashable states it best:

“We have to be realistic, though: new media isn’t going to stop censorship, overthrow oppressive regimes, or heal the people of Haiti alone. Social media has transformed communication, media, and the transmission of information, but it still takes people on the ground to pull people out of the rubble or to fight for freedom.

Just as Paul Revere embarked on his midnight ride to warn that the British were coming, social media acts as both the first warning and the rallying cry for mobilization. In the end though, social media is just a collection of tools. It’s up to us, the people, to make the real impact on our world.”

In the Email Insider today Morgan Stewart talks about engagement in an enlighting way. He states…

“That is where the idea of building our own audiences comes in — and email marketers have a leg up on other marketers in this capacity. We know how to create programs that deliver the right message to the right person at the right time. We know that getting people to sign up with us means that we need to convey the value subscribers will receive in exchange for their personal information. Now we need to figure out how to transform this knowledge into creating audiences that are truly engaged. Not engaged meaning they are opening and clicking our email newsletters, but engaged meaning they are contributing to our platforms.”

In other words….now that we have you, let me show you some cool sh*t to do.  But how? He sites his client Scott’s Miracle-Gro. After a 10 year email marketing program they send “seasonally relevant content tailored to subscribers based on where they live, the type of grass they have, and their level of expertise.” Sweet. Makes total sense. Grass grows differently in FL than in does in WA. Hit me with what I need right…right. But how do we go deeper? I will let him explain:

“About a year ago, company strategists launched a community-focused Web site.  By providing a site dedicated to solving lawn care issues through blogs, online communities, forums, and photo galleries,  they created a logical next step for newsletter subscribers. Enthusiasts now have a place to show off their gardening skills.
Also interesting to note is that the company saw a few of its newsletter subscribers opt-out of the regular program, but this has not been a concern. After all, those former newsletter subscribers are now online community members. They are still interacting with the brand. The difference is that these consumers are now more engaged with the brand as they receive email updates related to the online community itself. Even in these instances, Scott’s isn’t necessarily sending less email, just different email.”

Love it Scott. Great job. When I hear that my minds says….”yes that’s what I mean when I say relevant and engaging”.  But I need another. The Scott example is good but this one is better.  I will let you experience it how I did….Organically. I was forwarded this video by “The General” otherwise known as Mary Schwichtenberg, MBA local eROI kick ass Account Manager.

Of course I clicked through to learn about it and I was shown this:

Wow BBC…rock rock till the break of rock.  User generated content 2.0. Here they say…take our creative, take our clips, take our IP. Rip it up. Cut it up and create. How respectable and on the money is this contest? I have a love for video in general as you can see from my posts so this was super relevant. Unfortunately I can’t enter…I shot this to fellow blogger Dean Hunt in the UK. Maybe he will enter. So to end this exercise….say evangelist 10 times and tell me it doesn’t sound Russian.

TAKE THE SURVEY >>>

I try to do sweet vids every once in a while and I can tell you that if you don’t have a Flip you need one so please help and take the survey.

We launched a new survey today in partnership with E-Marketing and Commerce – 2009 Trends in Online Marketing. We are setting out to get some data on how online marketers used their online marketing resources (budget and time) in 2009, how they value various online mediums and what they will continue to focus on in 2010.

The results of the survey will give us valuable insight into how various Online Marketing mediums were used in 2009 and uncover what marketers can do differently (or keep doing!) in 2010. Enter your email on the final question and you will be entered to win a Flip Ultra^TM camcorder or one of several retail gift cards.

TAKE THE SURVEY >>>

Of course 2009 is the year of the savvy consumer (like me!) and many turned to Facebook to check out the latest deals from their favorite retailers and shopping sites.  Likewise, many brands took full advantage of the consumers’ surge to Facebook by providing many reasons and ways to “become a Fan”.   In honor of the season to shop, All Facebook has compiled a list of the 5 brands that can boast fastest growing Fan membership over the past few days.  All of these pages have impressively gained anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 Fans in only a few days!:

1) Verizon

2) Foot Locker

3) Natural Clothing has been growing like crazy right before my eyes.  The steetwear line has a cool blog and thousands of fans seem to have branched over to their Facebook page.  The fan base increased impressively from 5,800 to over 48,000 in the past few days.

4) Newegg.com has become increasingly popular on Facebook for some time now.  In the past few days, their Fan Page has added around 70,000 new fans – maybe due to their long list of Cyber Monday deals?

5) Kohl’s

For me, the shopping season doesn’t just consist of one weekend.  I have a whole slew of gifts left to buy, but it’s pretty cold out there so I openly invite retailers to come up with more clever ways to engage consumers online.  The more shopping I can plan and do from the comfort of my apartment the better!