If you’ve noticed that your Pay-Per-Click (PPC) marketing campaign isn’t yielding the results you expected, it may be time to evaluate your website – and more specifically, your landing page, which could be sabotaging your best efforts.

Earn the Trust of Your Visitors

We’re not in the 90’s anymore. Users today know how to navigate the internet, and they are becoming pickier with each passing day with who they are willing to share information. If they click on your ad and are taken to a web page that doesn’t pass their sniff test, be prepared to bid them a quick goodbye.

The best way to instill confidence and trust in new users is to show off your credibility. First, make sure your landing page includes trust symbols, such as virus and privacy protection. Next, be sure to include some customer testimonials or credible mentions in the media. You don’t want to get long-winded here, but you do want to portray a safe, professional image.

Don’t Link Visitors to Your Homepage

You may think that your homepage is the strongest and most informational page of your site and that may be true. However, when a visitor has clicked on one of your ads to find a particular blow dryer, sign up for a newsletter or learn more about your services, they expect to find it on the click through.

The last thing you want to do is force them to hunt for what they thought they’d be getting.

Make Sure Your Page Reads Well

There’s no quicker way to turn off a potential customer than by presenting them with garbage. If you’re not a writer, don’t pretend to be one. Instead, hire a qualified copywriter to help you develop content that is easy to read, precise and accurate.

While you’re at it, take pains to make sure you’re sending leads to a page that is clean and easy on the eyes. Don’t be afraid to use color and graphics, but don’t overdo it. And always make sure that your stick with your theme. If you sell insurance, stay away from graphics that may lead visitors into thinking you sell clothes, tools or electronics.

Ensure Your Landing Page is Mobile Friendly

Now more than ever, users are hooked on their mobile devices, and they are using these phones, tablets and other gadgets to do everything. In line with this shift in consumer habit, Google released an update in April that rewards web pages that are mobile friendly with better rankings.

While you may not be trying to rank your landing page in search results, you still don’t want to alienate mobile visitors who may be browsing your page from their tiny device. If such a user clicks on your ad and is sent to a page that is cluttered and unreadable, you can expect a speedy about-face.

The key to any ppc marketing strategy is retention. If your landing page isn’t up to par and keeping visitors engaged, you can say goodbye to sales.