Latest / Customer Journey with Fexingo: Touchpoints, Mapping, and Multi-Channel Marketing / The Empty Landing Page Touchpoint Nobody Maps
Transcript
- Lucas: So, Luna, I want to start with something that's been bugging me about journey maps lately. We spend all this time mapping the awareness stage, the consideration stage, the decision stage — but there's one touchpoint that almost every map I see just... skips over. Luna: Which one is that? Lucas: The post-click landing page. You know, the page someone lands on after they click your ad or your email CTA. The one that's supposed to turn that click into a conversion. And yet, most journey maps treat it as a black box — like it's just a formality between the ad and the thank-you page. Luna: It's funny you mention that. I was just looking at a report from a while back — I think it was from WordStream — that said the average landing page conversion rate across industries is somewhere around two-point-three-five percent. So most people who click are not converting. And if the journey map is blind to that page, you're missing the exact place where you're losing them. Lucas: Exactly. And I think the reason it gets overlooked is that it feels like a technical detail — you know, something for the web team to handle, not a strategic touchpoint. But really, it's the hinge point of the whole journey. Everything before it builds intent, and everything after it depends on that page actually doing its job. Luna: And when you're mapping a journey, you usually start with the customer's goals and pain points. But the landing page is where you have to show you understand those in a matter of seconds. So if it's not on the map, you're flying blind. Lucas: Right. So today, let's drill into this touchpoint. We'll look at why it's so often neglected, what a well-designed post-click page actually does, and I'll give you a simple three-question audit you can run on your own pages before you launch them. Luna: I like that. Let's start with why it's neglected — because it's not like people don't care about conversions, right? Lucas: Yeah, I think it's a few things. First, there's a split-brain problem in most organizations. The ad creative is owned by the growth team, and it gets all the attention. The landing page is often owned by the web team or whoever's available, and it's an afterthought. Nobody sits down and says, 'Let's design this page as carefully as we designed the ad.' Luna: And the ad gets all the budget too, right? You've got media spend, creative testing, audience targeting — and then the landing page is just... there. Like a default template. Lucas: Exactly. And the second reason is that journey maps are usually drawn at a high level. You have the touchpoint, but not the micro-level details. But the landing page is where the customer's expectation meets reality. If your ad promised something specific, the page has to deliver on that promise instantly. If there's a gap, they bounce. Luna: So what does a good post-click landing page actually do that a generic one doesn't? Lucas: Well, let's take a concrete example. There's a SaaS company — I think it's a project management tool — that was running a campaign for a free trial. The ad said, 'Start your free trial, no credit card required.' But the landing page had a long form asking for company size and a work email, and the button said 'Submit.' Not 'Start Free Trial.' That mismatch cost them a ton of conversions. Luna: Oh, that's a classic. The ad builds a certain expectation, and the page doesn't follow through. So the first thing is message match — making sure the headline and the CTA mirror what the ad promised. Lucas: Exactly. That's the first question in my audit: Does the page complete the promise of the ad? If the ad says 'Get your free guide,' the page should say 'Get your free guide' — not 'Download our ebook' or something vague. And the CTA button should say the same thing. That's the simplest, most immediate fix you can make. Luna: And that also helps with ad platforms, because they're scoring your landing page experience. A mismatch can hurt your quality score and make your ads more expensive. Lucas: Right, so it's not just about conversions on that page — it's about the efficiency of your whole funnel. But the second thing a good landing page does is focus. It's a single-page journey. You don't have navigation links, you don't have a menu, you don't have a foot-long footer with company history. Every element should serve one goal. Luna: And that's harder than it sounds, because the temptation is to cram in everything you know. But the best landing pages I've seen are almost minimalist. Lucas: Yeah, and there's some psychology behind that. It's about cognitive load — the more choices and distractions you present, the less likely someone is to take the desired action. A focused page reduces the number of decisions to exactly one: fill out the form or click that button. Luna: So the second question is about focus: Does the page eliminate everything that's not necessary for conversion? Lucas: Exactly. And that includes things like external links, social sharing buttons, and even multiple CTAs. If there's a 'Learn more' link taking someone to a blog post, that's a leak. They're not going to come back. Luna: But what about trust? Because a minimalist page can feel bare, especially if you're asking for personal information. How do you build confidence without cluttering? Lucas: That's the third question — and this is the one that often gets missed: Does the page provide enough trust signals? I'm talking about customer logos, testimonials, privacy badges, or even just a line that says 'No credit card required' if that's relevant. These are the elements that answer the unspoken question, 'Is this safe?' Luna: And it's not just about security. It's about credibility. If you're a new brand, nobody's heard of you, a testimonial from a real-sounding person can make a huge difference. Lucas: Totally. I remember a study — I think it was from Econsultancy — that said adding a testimonial or a trust badge can lift conversion rates by double digits in some cases. It's not just a nice to have; it's a real lever. Luna: So the three questions are: Does it complete the promise? Does it focus? Does it build trust? That's a solid checklist. But how do you actually put this into practice? Lucas: Well, before you even build a new page, you can run a simple audit. Write down the answers to those three questions for your current page. If you can't answer with a clear 'yes' on all three, that's your to-do list. And the order matters: message match first, then focus, then trust. Because if the promise isn't complete, nothing else matters. Luna: And if you're mapping the journey, you should literally draw the landing page as a step — with micro-actions inside it, like 'reads headline,' 'clicks CTA,' 'fills form.' That would force you to think about what's on that page. Lucas: That's a great idea, actually. You could even annotate it with the questions: 'Does this page complete the promise?' 'Does it focus?' 'Does it build trust?' That would make the touchpoint visible in the map, and it would surface the gaps you never noticed. Luna: And speaking of noticing things — you know, it's funny, we talk about this stuff every day on the show, and sometimes I think about how the show itself is a kind of journey. From the first time someone discovers us, to deciding to listen, to becoming a regular. Lucas: Yeah, and honestly, one of the biggest touchpoints for us is the buy me a coffee page. If people find value in these conversations, a couple of dollars a month is genuinely what keeps the show ad-free and independent. It's a small gesture, but it makes a real difference to whether we can keep doing this. Luna: Yeah, I've seen it make a difference. It's not about grand gestures — it's about the accumulation of small ones. And if someone's gotten something useful from an episode, a few dollars feels like a fair exchange. Lucas: Exactly. Buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure, just knowing it helps. But let's get back to the landing page — because I want to talk about one more thing that often gets overlooked. Luna: What's that? Lucas: The thank-you page. Because the journey doesn't end at the conversion. What happens after someone fills out the form? Do you send them to a blank 'Thanks' page, or do you use that moment to continue the conversation? Luna: Oh, that's a good point. The thank-you page is another touchpoint that's usually just a dead end. But it's actually a perfect place to set expectations for what happens next, or to offer another relevant resource. Lucas: Right. So when you're mapping, don't stop at the form. Map the thank-you page too. What's the next step you want them to take? Do you want them to book a call? Watch a demo video? Or just give them a clear timeline for when they'll hear from you? That can reduce post-conversion anxiety and improve their overall experience. Luna: And that's a great way to turn a one-time conversion into the start of a relationship. If you treat the thank-you page as a bridge to the next step, you're already thinking about retention. Lucas: Exactly. So, to wrap it up: the post-click landing page is a touchpoint that deserves a place on your journey map. Run it through the three-question audit — message match, focus, trust. And don't forget the thank-you page. Because a journey map that stops at conversion is only telling half the story. Luna: And I'd add that this doesn't have to be a big project. Just take one page you're already running and ask those three questions today. The answers might surprise you. Lucas: That's a good note to end on. Thanks for joining us, and we'll see you next time.