As an advertiser, you spend a lot of time creating and optimizing your landing pages. You research best practices, constantly optimize and A/B test. You want to make sure you have an appealing landing page with the most relevant content.
After all, a landing page is the first interaction your company has with a potential new customer, and first impressions are everything.
But what about thank you pages? They are the always-forgotten, yet equally-important part of your advertising strategy.
What Is a Thank You Page?
A thank you page is a page where users are taken after they complete an action you desire. Some actions include filling out a form, downloading a whitepaper, or completing a purchase. Once they complete that action and click submit, what comes AFTER is a thank you page.
Some sites use a form type that doesn’t actually go to a new page, but just displays a message near or around the form, that eventually goes away.
Don’t do that. It tends to confuse the user and is more complicated to track for paid search and in Google Analytics. Have your developer create a real thank you page that the user gets directed to.
What Goes on a Thank You Page?
It goes without saying that the first thing on your thank you page should be a “Thank you.” But make it more friendly than, “Thanks for your interest. Someone will contact you shortly.”
Why end the conversation there? Use the thank you page as a means to re-engage the user with more content about your business. Try adding some (or all) of the things below to your thank you page and see how it improves your return on investment (ROI).
- Special Offer: Encourage the user to come back with a special offer. It can be a free trial, a coupon or a special gift.
- Testimonials: Wow the user with testimonials. Let them see just how great other customers think you are!
- Social Media: Include links to your Facebook, Twitter, or other social media profiles. Entice the user to follow you by saying “Follow us for special promotions,” or offer compelling information.
- Cross Sell: Use your thank you page to highlight other products or services you offer. For example, if a user filled out a form to get a free quote for window replacement, make sure to mention that you also offer shades and blinds. Or highlight the fact that you also sell parts and accessories. Cross selling is a great way to boost your ROI.
- Newsletter Sign-up: By signing up for your newsletter, customers enter into a long-term relationship with you. Take advantage of that!
I dare you to spend more time on your thank you pages. You have a lot to gain and little to lose.
Editor’s note: This post was originally written May 16, 2015, and was substantially updated Sept. 23. 2019.
