Have you ever come across the term "pre-landing page"? Which segments require this page, and in which it can be avoided? In today's article, we'll discuss whether it is a black tool of arbitrators to promote adult content or an effective legal technique for internet marketers?

What is the pre-lander, and what kind of audience would it be suitable for?


The pre-landing page is one of the most important points of contact with a potential client; most often, it serves to warm up the audience, positioned on the 3rd level of Hunt's awareness ladder. In other words, you're aware of your problem, you're looking for solutions, but you don't yet know for sure what product or service can help.


How does the user get to the pre-lander? There is a system of customer attraction "ad - pre-landing - landing". First, the client clicks on the link in the advertisement. Then he gets to the pre-lander with the description of his problem and solution in the form of a certain product and a link to it; after clicking on this link he goes to the main product landing, where he can leave an application. Usually, the pre-landing page is disguised as a blog article with a personal story following the "pain - more pain - hope - solution" model. There are also other options. We will talk about all the pre-landing formats below.

Pre-landing pages can often be found in topics with a low average check - up to $ 100.

Here is a typical list of such topics:

• health and beauty (most often creams, ointments, dietary supplements);
• products from China;
• home goods (e.g., cleaning products);
• supplements;
• online gaming;
• sex toys;
• online training in different areas (forex, online earnings, weight loss, etc.);
• gambling;
• adult-related topics (18+).

Such products' audience is most often spontaneous; they are ready to make a purchase decision here and now, and they are easily influenced by wow factors, bonuses, time (counters), or quantity limitations.

What kind of advertising are pre-landers used for?

Pre-landing pages are used in teaser ads and banner traffic to increase conversion rate because the better you warm up your lead, the more loyalty he will have, and therefore a higher will be your conversion rate. And in some topics, pre-landing pages also used to pass moderation with banned offers (for example, when selling Chinese replicas).

Thus, the primary purposes of using the pre-landing page are as follows:

• bypassing advertising system bans;
• work with different segments of the target audience (different offers for everyone);
• warming up the audience before visiting the product page;
• cutting off non-target leads;
• boosting the conversion rate of the main selling page.

What is the difference between the main product page (selling landing page) and a pre-landing page? It is quite simple with a regular landing page: it describes the benefits of using a product or service and has the main elements for taking a targeted action - leaving an application: an offer, a call to action, a lead-capture form, a button. There are no such elements on a pre-landing page; it looks like an article with pictures or a video linked to the main landing page. If to explain the differences with metaphors, then a pre-landing page is a consultant who works with customers in the sales area and tells about the benefits of the product. And a selling landing page is a cashier who processes the purchase at the cash register.

Pre-landing page formats

The format we mentioned above is an article with a personal story. It can be a story about a long struggle with being overweight and inventing your own methodology from a nutritionist to fake personal stories and celebrity cases.


Personal stories are most often structured according to the PMPHS model, which means "pain - more pain - hope - solution":

• acquaintance with a character (an ordinary person or a famous person);
  
• the story of the problem;
  
• the terrifying consequences of the problem;
  
• hope (it worked for me, it will work for you);
  
• a solution in the form of a new technique or new product - a link to a product landing page.
  
  

As proof of the story's veracity, the evidence must be provided, for example, "before and after" photos, certificates, and diplomas.

On the pre-landing page, as well as on the classic landing page, you can find elements of social proof:

• reviews and cases;
• rankings;
• expert comments;

Another version of the pre-landing page is an imitation of websites and online publications popular with the product's target audience.


In terms of form, a pre-landing page can be: news, blog article, forum feeds, redirection site page, analysis of the pros and cons of the product, video review, interview.

In which industries are pre-landers not needed?

There is no need for pre-landers if you run contextual advertising campaigns for a "hot" audience (those who are on the 4th-5th level of Hunt's ladder, they know what product they want and are well oriented in offers). Such users do not need to be warmed up additionally, it is enough to offer an easy step. For them, pre-lander will not be a decision-maker but an obstacle on the way to purchase.


Another example where a pre-landing page is not needed is when it concerns complicated and expensive niches, such as franchises and expensive services (building houses, legal services, training). In such industries, a different system of attracting customers is used: lead magnet, mailing list, and selling landing page.

Instead of a conclusion

It is true that a pre-landing page is not the most general-purpose tool and it is not suitable for all niches. Pre-landers can be used to advertise boring topics and advertise approved products and services with a low check to pass moderation and increase conversion rates, warming up the audience.


Finally, here are a few more hacks for working with pre-landers, which will help you get the most out of that tool:

— set up Analytical tools to collect page statistics;

— set up a social media pixel to configure retargeting and remarketing.