The rise in voice search capabilities, chatbots, and changes in search behavior have left marketers and sales reps questioning how useful a traditional form and landing page are anymore. Here are a few things to consider about chatbots and conversational marketing: research says that in 2020, 85% of all customer interactions will be handled through chatbots, without a human, and 56% of people would rather message customer service reps than call them. That means your company can’t afford to skip chat features on your website. With that being true, is there still value in creating a landing page – or have conversational tools killed them?

Marketers have a problem

Marketers have a problem when it comes to new communication channels. From weak landing pages to obtrusive, full-screen pop-ups, marketers often screw up the “next new thing” by rushing in and pummeling buyers with shitty content. I bring this up hoping that as we develop conversational marketing tools, like Facebook Messenger and chatbots, we respect what users want: help solving their problems – not more crappy ads! Think carefully through each step of a buyer’s journey and their experience as you decide if a chatbot, pop-up, landing page, or other tool is appropriate. I’ve laid out the best cases for both landing pages and chatbots to help you decide what’s best for communicating with your audience.

The case for landing pages and forms

Although chatbots are all the rage and consumers are showing they want answers now doesn’t mean you should eliminate landing pages – there are still situations where a landing page with more educational information is valuable before a customer is ready to act. Here are a few examples of when landing pages and forms are useful:

• To help build SEO. Yes, SEO. That concept isn’t dead either. Optimize landing pages with well-researched short- and long-tail keywords for search results.
• Landing pages can act as an additional opportunity to align your brand with visitors and teach them something new.
• Event and webinar registration should remain on landing pages with a form, as this is a familiar action for most people. Also, most people want information on the event they’re registering for, and a landing page offers space to give visitors more context on the event.

As you develop and refine landing pages, consider hiding the navigation menu. This keeps visitors focused on the page content rather than distracted with other places to click without completing the form. Each landing page should also have four key elements:

• A descriptive headline
• Compelling content
• A form
• An image or video

The content on landing pages should explain:

• What the offer is
• The benefits of the offer
• Why the visitor needs the offer
• How to get the offer

Forms don’t have to be boring. Get creative and always consider the customer journey.

The case for chats

Chat marketing and chatbots are taking over for a few simple reasons: they encourage visitors to get in touch with companies as they browse, eliminate wait times, free up your sales and marketing teams, and are a proven cost-effective lead generation tool.

Here are a few best case uses for chatbots:

• Feedback surveys
• Simple interactions like newsletter sign-ups
• Customer support
• Use on product pages and pricing pages to answer questions
• Segment prospective customers

Whether you use HubSpot’s free chatbot builder or another chat integration, optimizing chat remains mostly the same across platforms. Use these tips to make your marketing chat the best lead capturing and customer delight tool in your belt:

• Add a Live Chat feature on pages like your pricing page, checkout page, and product pages. (These are typically the pages you can capture visitors further down the marketing funnel, and determining pre-sales objections can help you be proactive.)
• Ensure mobile-friendliness. (Chat features typically come mobile-friendly right out of the gate, so maintaining usability on mobile is a breeze.)
• Utilize interactive chatbot conversations that allow users to self-select their interests or buying stage to help segment leads.
• Use a chat to check in with people who abandon their cart or didn’t complete a form on your landing page.
• Go where your customers want to be by integrating chats to Facebook Messenger or WeChat.
• Use natural-sounding language, especially if you’re using a chatbot with automated questions and answers; it makes visitors feel comfortable and understand what’s going on.
• Link your chatbots with sales and customer service reps so they can jump in and answer further questions.

Even with the many benefits chat marketing brings to your website, don’t use them if there’s no demand for them. Taking visitors to Facebook Messenger just for the sake of having something new isn’t the best solution. Test different options to see what your audience responds to best. And always consider user experience when developing messaging options.

Traditional landing pages and forms still belong in a marketing strategy. As you test new tools for sharing content, generating leads, and delighting your customers, always consider the customer experience. Brainstorm how you can make filling out forms more interesting. HubSpot is a great place to start, as you can create stunning landing pages and have access to useful chat features. New to HubSpot or need help getting your chat marketing tool set up? Contact us or connect with us on Facebook for more information!