• CDF Networks , Friday, May 16, 2008 2:30 PM

Chad Frederiksen takes "mortgages," a highly-competitive search term, and checks to see what the landing pages look like for some of the top-ranked ads. In the ensuing face-off, Frederiksen gives the landing page for GMAC an A+. "This page is very focused, it shows the current rate in large numbers, a big red 'get started' button, a quick testimonial quote, even a smiling happy family with a dog," he says.

On the other hand, the landing page for Home Finance of America gets a D. "This page is cluttered, unfocused and leaves no clear call to action," Frederiksen says. "There are a million links on the page to all the various lending programs, leaving the customer confused as what to do next."

Of course, Frederiksen's opinions are subjective, and the reader response illustrates how determining who your target is and what they'd be looking for is key to crafting a winning landing page. Readers also pose questions about whether including a phone number on the page decreases its conversions (and possibly its Quality Score).

Read the whole story at CDF Networks »