If you’re reading this, you probably know just how powerful video marketing can be. A recent study shows that as many as 91% of consumers want to see more online video content from brands. As platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts continue to grow in popularity, marketers have new, exciting opportunities to connect with younger audiences and create highly engaging, personalized content.

Today’s digital-savvy consumers demand interactive, visually-rich content, making video the perfect medium for advertisers to create memorable experiences. But once you’ve captured the audience with a personalized message in your ad, why stop there?

Creating Video Ads isn’t Enough to Get Conversions

When producing your video ads, your main goal is to get your viewer to click. How you do that depends on your target audience, brand, strategy, and more. Lately, video advertising has been dominating the social media scene. Let’s look at an example:

Supercle Day, a cat retailer offering quality meals, care products, and accessories, utilizes video Instagram Story ads to demonstrate the benefits of their cat litter mat. In just a few seconds, the viewer sees the product in action and can take the next step toward purchasing in one easy swipe.

But the purchase journey doesn’t end with a click of “Shop Now.” In fact, it’s only part of the equation. To turn video ad viewers into real customers, you need an optimized post-click experience. No matter your conversion goal, from lead generation to encouraging transactions, a customized landing page experience makes all the difference.

What is a Landing Page?

The term “landing page” refers to any webpage a visitor lands on after clicking on an ad. Many ads lead you to a specific product page, “About Us” or “Contact Us,” but those pages aren’t exactly landing pages.

While those pages provide a browsing experience, valid landing pages focus on one goal: conversion. Unlike regular web pages, landing pages stand-alone and are completely separate from a website’s navigation.

Let’s first look at a video ad that leads to a generic page. This Facebook video ad shows an influencer taking supplements and speaking about the product’s benefits.

While the ad does lead to the specific supplement page, the page is tied to Olly’s main website navigation, and there are many opportunities for a visitor to get distracted and navigate elsewhere. The look of the page is also not very consistent with the look of the ad.

Now, let’s look at one that leads directly to a landing page created specifically for the ad. Wild One’s Tennis Tumble toy is perfect for all-day play, and their video ad features footage of dogs playing with the toy along with a timer counting playtime minutes.

After viewers click “Shop Now,” they’re led to a landing page created specifically for the Tennis Tumble–communicating the toy’s unique features. The color scheme and video from the ad carry over into the landing page, reassuring people they’re in the right place.

Characteristics of an Optimized Landing Page

Ready to start connecting your video ads to landing pages focused on conversion? While pages should match your brand and speak to your audience, optimized landing pages share some specific features that are proven effective.

1. Maintain a consistent message from the ad to the landing page

If there’s one thing marketers know for sure, humans crave consistency. We love to know what to expect, especially when it comes to advertising.

Ensuring a one-to-one match between the ad and landing page experience is essential: It can help improve your quality score, and it lets the user know they are in the right place, that their questions will be answered, and that what piqued their interest in the ad will be addressed on the landing page.

YouTube ad:

Landing page:

Teeth whitening company SNOW created a YouTube ad focused on their 21-day whitening challenge. In the first few seconds, the video ad shows a user boasting her results, before-and-after photos, and a testimonial.

Once someone clicks, they’re directed to a landing page specifically created for that ad. In the hero section (the page part visible above the fold), an action-oriented headline refers to the 21-day challenge, while the image features the same influencer used in the YouTube ad. The visitor knows they’re in the right place and can easily scan the benefits in the copy and then continue on their purchase journey by clicking a bright, bold CTA.

2. Focus on one conversion goal

Streamlining the customer decision-making process is crucial. The core function of landing pages is to keep visitors focused on one outcome—conversion. What is the best way to do that? Eliminate choices that distract visitors from that goal. Including only one call to action (CTA) and removing header and footer navigation will keep people on track and focused on the specific action you’re encouraging them to take on the page.

Meditation, sleep, and relaxation app Calm directs visitors to a particular URL throughout their landing page–encouraging people to sign up for their free trial. CTA buttons are strategically placed, and the button copy is consistent throughout.

3. Add a benefit-driven headline

Your headline is the first thing visitors see when they land on your page, and it will determine whether or not they stick around to learn more. A benefit-driven headline focuses on what your product or service provides to your customers rather than just describing what it is or how it works. By highlighting the benefits, you can directly address the issue your product or service solves and persuade visitors to take action.

Lula, a business banking company in South Africa, speaks directly to business owners on their landing pages. Instead of leading with a feature like “fast funding” or “no hidden fees,” Lula’s headline emphasizes that they can help keep businesses ahead of the curve. After capturing their audience’s attention, Lula effectively utilizes the rest of the hero real estate to communicate their unique value propositions.

4. Showcase a contrasting CTA button

Research has shown that high-contrast CTAs are more effective in attracting clicks than low-contrast CTAs. This is because high-contrast CTAs stand out more and are easier to notice. When a CTA button is in a contrasting color, it draws attention to itself and clarifies that it’s the next step the user should take.

High-contrast CTAs also create a sense of urgency and encourage the user to act quickly. When a CTA button is in a contrasting color, it makes a sense of importance and tells the user they’re missing out if they don’t click it.

Just Right, customizable dog food by Purina has a recognizable, fun-loving brand. Their landing pages feature a lot of hues of blue and white space, and their CTA buttons are eye-catching, on-brand green. The buttons pop throughout the page and contrast nicely with block background colors.

5. Include trust elements

Trust elements are any features that provide credibility and trustworthiness to your website or landing page. These can include customer testimonials, media mentions, industry awards, security badges, your privacy policy, and more. Trust elements tell your audience that your business is legitimate and trustworthy, which can build confidence and increase conversions.

This trust block from Willful, a Canadian online will company, quickly communicates trust using a strong headline and a variety of recognizable logos. Visitors see the company has been featured on a popular TV show and has gained approval from both users and the Better Business Bureau.

Similarly, bamboo bedding and clothing company Cozy Earth has a line of media logos right below their landing page’s hero, showing users everywhere their products have been mentioned.

Give Your Campaigns a Boost

Creating video ads is a fantastic way to engage with your audience and introduce them to your brand. However, you need to connect video ads to relevant landing pages to take your campaigns to the next level. Landing pages are a critical component of any successful campaign and can significantly impact your conversion rates. By creating optimized landing pages that maintain message match, eliminate exit links, include benefit-driven headlines, showcase contrasting CTA buttons, and incorporate trust elements, you can increase your chances of converting prospects into leads and customers.

Don’t settle for ad clicks alone–aim for conversions. By taking the time to create optimized landing pages, you can maximize the impact of your video ads and drive real business results.