CHAPTER ONE one Be better at lead generation. B2B marketers are facing an ever-increasing demand how marketing automation features like landing pages, for more high-quality leads. In fact, according to B2B forms, and progressive profiling can help marketers boost Technology Marketing Community, marketers’ lead the effectiveness of their lead generation programs. generation budgets have increased 50% since 2013, demonstrating the growing number of resources that CReATInG effeCTIve LAnDInG PAGeS marketers are investing in lead generation initiatives. Landing pages are a key ingredient in lead generation, In the B2C world, lead generation typically starts and but building the perfect landing page isn’t always easy. It ends in the same place: the purchase. On the other requires a great deal of testing and analyzing — combined hand, B2B marketers with long, complex sales cycles with eye-catching visuals and persuasive copy — to build look at conversion as getting a visitor to fill out a a landing page that will not only decrease bounce rates, form in exchange for something of value, such as a but will also increase conversions and the amount of time white paper, a product demo, or a free consultation. visitors spend interacting with you. The purchase may be months — or even years — away. Landing pages with hosted forms are often the Historically, landing pages were primarily used for basic de facto method for these conversions, which is why data collection, but today their usage has evolved. now, optimization is so crucial to the sales and marketing landing pages can be used as launch pads to drive process. visitors deeper into your site, directing them to more valuable content. With tools like marketing automation at According to a 2015 study by Regalix, 84% of your disposal, you can create landing pages, forms, copy, marketing executives indicate that lead generation is and calls-to-action that are optimized for that purpose: the number one benefit of a marketing automation to keep your visitors engaged on your site, even after tool. The first chapter of our guide takes a look at they’ve already converted. 4 / Pardot