Landing pages is a term that gets thrown around a lot. If you’re getting started online as an affiliate marketer, I’m willing to bet that you probably aren’t quite sure about what a landing page is or what it needs to be. I thought that a quick information article would suit the task of answering the question just fine.

First things first, your landing page is nothing more than a page that is designed to promote an affiliate offer. It doesn’t need to have in-depth analysis, keyword rich content, or a community behind it. Just a page with something that promotes the offer. There are a few ways to promote the offer:

1. Graphics - Making your landing page look good is one of the secrets of online affiliate marketing. Remember, flashy graphics and elaborate designs are only good for so much, however, so don’t place your focus on the graphics.
2. Copy - This is what will make or break the deal. Make sure that you have quality copy that has been written to take a visitor and get them to commit to whatever action that you want, be it an e-mail address submit or a full blown purchase.
3. Clever marketing strategies - Surveys, predictions, etc. are all great ways to get someone to passively submit to your desired action. Why not try it?

Google will nail you with PPC costs (via their quality score) if you don’t have some kind of copy, so make sure that your landing page has the presentation of the offer up top with some copy underneath it. Obtaining a decent quality score will keep your costs down (and hopefully keep your profits high).

Whatever you do make sure that you do not invest a ton of money in your first landing page. It should be relatively attractive, but by no means does it need a designer to come along and finesse it for you. The goal here is become profitable: how are you going to do that being in the red before you even launch the landing page? Once you have more experience are are more familiar with online affiliate marketing and internet marketing in general, then pay a designer to design some nice pages for you.

To recap:

• Make it look good - Make sure that the layout is eye pleasing and that everything is easy to read.
• Make it appealing - You have six seconds to keep someones attention. Who said that powerful headlines were dead anyway?
• Present the offer - Be it a ZIP submit, e-mail submit, or a purchase, present the offer.
• Make it advertising relevant - This is crucial! If you are doing PPC advertising and your ad says “Come complete my survey for a change to win an iPod”, make sure that the landing page is a SURVEY!