For all the cash that Google makes off Adwords, they certainly aren't putting a lot of it back into educating people on how to create a successful PPC campaign. While some industries are very advanced, I'm shocked how much money people are wasting with a terrible landing page and PPC campaign. Seeing how bad some of the sites out there are, these 9 landing page and PPC campaign tips might come in handy.

1. Mismatched URL and Site Topic to User Inquiry

Many individuals try to create a one-stop shop landing page for a group of leads so they can build links and try to rank one spot naturally. That is fine as long as the topics are narrow enough in focus to where a visitor from either site feels at home. But when you have visitors coming in from related but not identical fields, it is important to consider that you may be losing more PPC conversions than you're gaining in natural search by having a mismatched URL and landing page focus as compared to the terms you're targeting. 

2. Below the Fold Call To Action                                                                                                      

The call to action is the whole point of a landing page, so why hide it well below the fold where you're automatically going to lose 30% of visitors. Check out this page, where you get only a hint that there is a submission form in the very bottom of your screen and you see no clear call to action box.

3. Collecting Unnecessary Data

Every piece of data you collect in your landing page means fewer submissions. While there is certain information you absolutely must have, collecting unnecessary or redundant data is just throwing money away. In this case the landing page is asking for the submitters specific address. When it comes to high-dollar time-sensitive lead that you are going to pursue over the phone, there is absolutely no need to collect the specific address. Sending out a piece of snail mail is useless, and so if you're just trying to figure out which of your subscribers to send the lead to, zip code is plenty. (For that matter you can get rid of the 'State' entry as well).

4. No Testimonial

Testimonials dramatically increase landing page conversions because they indicate to the user that the form is legitimate and completes the promise it makes. It's obvious that a testimonial can be faked, but a casual internet user doesn't think quite so cynically and will regard testimonials as a quality assurance indicator.

5. Too Many Calls to Action

There should be one or a maximum of two calls to action on your anpage. While you might be inclined to think that offering users the opportunity to sign up for your newspaper, give you a call, send you a fax, sign up for your RSS feed are all good things, they create confusion and a paradox of choice for the visitor. Here is a great example of a landing page which asks the user to simply make too many decisions.

6. PPC Not Directed to Landing Page

This is about the dumbest mistake possible, yet I see it all the time. You're bleeding money through a PPC campaign, you've created a landing page, but your campaign doesn't drop the user directly on the page. Instead people often have their highly converting page one or even two clicks away. If you're investing money to convert via a landing page, don't make the visitor work to find it.

7. Call to Action Not Distinguished or Obvious

Think of your entire landing page and PPC campaign as an elaborate plan to get people to complete one single action. Now that you're in the right mentality, how dumb is it to leave the call to action button a muted color or otherwise not distinguished. Instead, use an arrow or incorporate a different design element that immediately draws the readers eye to the call to action.

8. Using Flash, Video, or Other 'plug-in required' design elements

People clicking on a PPC campaign link typically aren't the most sophisticated internet users. So running a landing page which requires a plug-in is a surefire way to dramatically cut your conversions. Rule of thumb: If your grandma connecting through a dial-up on her Pentium I 586 can't quickly see and complete your call to action, its too complex.

9. Being too cheap with your PPC campaign to target top terms

Nobody is saying that you need to spend $12.00 a click like some of those mesothelioma attorneys are doing, or even $0.25 cents a click to capture long tail industry terms like texas trucking accident. But often people want to limp into a PPC campaign with only a few hundred dollars and end up bidding ridiculously cheap keywords that do them no good. Spending a few extra cents per visitor is often the best way to ensure a decent return from your campaign.

No matter your goal, a decent landing page and PPC campaign is an essential component of internet success.