Preventing landing pages from being flagged as phishing sites is critical, as such flags can severely damage a brand's reputation and result in unsatisfactory advertising results. This article provides general recommendations on how to reduce the chance of your landing page being marked as phishing.
Adhering to these recommendations is crucial to safeguard investments, maintain brand reputation, and comply with regulations.
Domain and URL
Use a clear and recognizable domain related to your brand or activity.
A domain that appears random or unrelated to your brand can confuse users and raise suspicions about the site's legitimacy, potentially leading to lower engagement and higher bounce rates.
Avoid long and complicated URLs with numerous subdomains.
Simpler URLs are easier for users to remember and trust. They contribute to a better user experience by clearly indicating the site's purpose and connection to your brand.
Use descriptive and relevant keywords in the URL path.
Random and meaningless strings in the URL path can confuse users and lead to lower visibility and engagement.
Forms
If your page contains forms, ensure that the action attribute points to the same domain as the page itself.
Good:
<form action="https://advertising-landing.com">...</form>
Bad:
<form action="https://otherdomain.com">...</form>
Redirecting to a different domain can raise suspicions about the legitimacy of the site and discourage users from completing the form.
Use forms only when necessary, such as for collecting contact information or subscriptions.
Good:
The landing page does not have any forms for entering text, passwords, emails, etc.
Bad:
A form is placed that collects passwords, allows text input, or includes an unknown input type, such as <input type="unknown">.
Unnecessary forms, especially those asking for sensitive information like passwords, can deter users and raise security concerns.
Links
Preferably link to internal resources on your website.
Good:
Most links on the page lead to the same domain as the landing page.
Bad:
All links on the page lead to different domains that are not the same as the landing page's domain.
External links to different domains can confuse users and potentially lead them away from your content, negatively impacting user experience and conversion rates.
If you need to link to external resources, choose reliable and authoritative websites.
Good:
A link to an external resource with the domain https://www.nytimes.com/
Bad:
A link to an external resource with the domain https://asgdaklg.com/
Whenever possible, use HTTPS for all links.
Using HTTPS for all links ensures secure connections, protecting user data and improving the overall security of your website.
Scripts and Images
Use scripts only when necessary and optimize their quantity.
Ideal:
The landing page loads 1 JavaScript file.
Good:
The landing page loads 1 to 5 JavaScript files.
Bad:
The landing page loads more than 5 JavaScript files.
Fewer scripts reduce the potential for security vulnerabilities and ensure that the page remains responsive and efficient.
Store images on your own server or use reliable CDNs.
Good:
Images are loaded from the same domain as the landing page.
Bad:
Images are loaded from unknown third-party resources.
Loading images from unknown sources can slow down your site and compromise its security, potentially deterring users.
Content
Make the text clear and easy to read.
Good:
FIFA tried to put a corruption crisis behind by changing its rules and claiming its governance overhaul had the endorsement of the Justice Department. U.S. officials say that was never the case.
Bad:
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Phasellus orci nisi, pulvinar eget gravida et, egestas sit amet lorem. Sed auctor urna non turpis consequat, non molestie lectus tempor.
Create high-quality and relevant content that matches the theme of your landing page.
Avoid using suspicious keywords and phrases that may be associated with phishing, including the mention of well-known brands without permission.
Suspicious Keywords List:
Suspicious Keywords List:
adobe, airbnb, alibaba, aliexpress, amazon, arnazon, baidu, bestbuy, blogspot, costco, craigslist, dropbox, expedia, facebook, fedex, flickr, github, glassdoor, gofundme, gofundrne, google, homedepot, hornedepot, icloud, indeed, instagram, instagrarn, intuit, microsoft, rnicrosoft, nbcnews, netflix, norton, nytimes, nytirnes, office365, paypal, pinterest, playstation, quora, reddit, reuters, samsung, sarnsung, spotify, stackexchange, stackoverflow, trello, twitch, twitter, uderny, udemy, wikipedia, wordpress, xfinity, yahoo, youtube, zillow, account, activate, adrnin, coin, crypto, login, logout, password, secure, security, signin, signout, wallet, asahi, hoteles, jharkhand, nifty.
Now you're ready
By following these simple guidelines, you can reduce the risk of your landing page being marked as phishing. Ensuring your page is secure, trustworthy, and user-friendly will help protect your brand's reputation, and improve the effectiveness of your advertising campaigns.