Step-by-Step Guide to Building Landing Pages with Dynamics 365 Marketing
You want to make landing pages and forms. These help you get leads and support your marketing campaigns. Dynamics 365 Marketing has strong tools for this. The interface can seem harder to use than some other platforms.
If you follow steps one by one, you can make pages that work with your campaigns. You can also meet compliance rules. Do each step to get the best results from your marketing.
Key Takeaways
Turn on outbound marketing and get the needed permissions first before you make landing pages and forms in Dynamics 365 Marketing.
Pick templates that match your campaign goals. Change the layouts easily with drag-and-drop tools. You do not need to know how to code.
Use content blocks and personalization to keep your pages the same style. Make them look like your brand. This helps keep visitors interested.
Pick the right form type. Add the needed fields carefully. Put forms on your pages to get leads and manage contacts well.
Always test, publish, and watch your landing pages and forms. This helps you make them better and follow privacy rules.
Getting Started
Enable Outbound Marketing
Before you build landing pages, you need to make sure outbound marketing is active in your system. Outbound marketing lets you create and manage landing pages, forms, and campaigns. You must have the right permissions to turn on this feature. Usually, you need to be an admin or have marketing manager rights.
Tip: If you do not see outbound marketing options, ask your system admin to check your user role.
To enable outbound marketing:
Go to the main menu in Dynamics 365 Marketing.
Click on Settings.
Select Feature Switches or Advanced Settings.
Find the outbound marketing option and turn it on.
Save your changes.
You may need to refresh your browser or log out and back in to see new features.
Access Modules
After you enable outbound marketing, you can start working with the right modules. These modules help you create landing pages, forms, and manage leads.
To access the modules:
Open Dynamics 365 Marketing.
Look for the navigation pane on the left side.
Click on Outbound Marketing.
Choose Internet Marketing to find landing pages and forms.
Note: If you cannot find these modules, check your permissions or ask your admin for help.
You are now ready to move on to building your first landing page. Make sure you have the right access before you continue.
Landing Pages in Dynamics 365 Marketing
Choose a Template
First, you pick a template that matches your goal. Dynamics 365 Marketing gives you many templates for different needs. Each template helps you save time and keeps things neat. Here is a table with some common templates and what they do:
Tip: Pick a template that matches your campaign. For example, use the "Event portal" template for event sign-ups. Use the "Customer self-service" template for support.
The right template helps you build your page faster and meet your needs.
Customize Layout
After you pick a template, you can change the layout with the drag-and-drop editor. This tool is easy to use and does not need code. You drag things like text, pictures, and buttons onto your page. You can move, copy, or delete these items with a click.
The editor has a tab to change fonts, colors, and backgrounds.
A toolbar pops up so you can format text or change the layout fast.
You can use the HTML tab if you want to add your own code.
The drag-and-drop editor makes your work faster. You do not need to know how to code. You can focus on your message and design. You can also save and reuse templates to keep your branding the same.
Personalization is important too. You can use CRM data to show different things to different people. For example, you can show special offers to returning customers. You can also show event details based on where someone lives. Personalization helps people stay on your page longer and makes more people sign up.
Use Content Blocks
Content blocks help your landing pages look the same and match your brand. These are pieces like buttons, text, or banners you can use again. You can put the same content block on many pages. If you change the block, all pages with it will update.
Content blocks save time. You do not have to make the same thing for every page.
They help your team follow brand rules. Every page will look the same.
You can use content blocks for headers, footers, or call-to-action buttons.
Using content blocks lets you focus on your message, not design. Your team can work faster and keep your brand strong.
Dynamic content blocks let you show different messages to different groups. For example, you can show a new welcome message to new visitors. You can show something else to returning customers. This keeps your content interesting and useful.
By using templates, the drag-and-drop editor, and content blocks in Dynamics 365 Marketing, you can make landing pages that look good and help your campaigns.
Create and Embed Forms
Forms in Dynamics 365 Marketing
You can use forms in Dynamics 365 Marketing to collect information from your website visitors. Forms help you capture leads, update contact details, and let people manage their subscriptions. Each form type has a different purpose. The table below shows the main types of forms and what they do:
Tip: Choose the form type that matches your campaign goal. For example, use a landing page form to collect new leads or a subscription form to let users manage their preferences.
Select Form Type
Start by picking the right form type for your needs. If you want to gather new leads, select a landing page form. If you want users to update their details or manage subscriptions, use a subscription form. For sharing, pick the forward to a friend form.
When you select a form type, you can use templates to keep your branding consistent. Templates help you save time and make sure every form looks professional. Work with your branding team to design templates that match your company’s style. Leave some areas open so you can customize each form for different campaigns.
Note: Keep templates in draft mode until you are ready to use them. This lets you refine your forms without making them live.
Add Fields
After you choose your form type, add the fields you need. Use the drag-and-drop editor in Dynamics 365 Marketing to place fields like name, email, or phone number. You can also add images, dividers, and colors to make your form look better.
Follow these best practices for high-converting forms:
Use templates that match your brand.
Work with your branding team to keep a consistent look.
Leave editable areas for campaign-specific changes.
Standardize form structure for efficiency.
Keep templates in draft mode for easy updates.
Each field must map clearly to a contact or lead field in Dynamics 365 Marketing. Do not map more than one form field to the same database field. This helps you avoid problems like empty dropdown lists. If you see duplicate mappings, remove them and update your form.
Tip: Always test your form to make sure each field saves data correctly.
Embed Form
Once your form is ready, you need to embed it into your landing page or website. Follow these steps:
Design your form in Dynamics 365 Marketing by adding all needed fields.
Save your form and set it live.
Go to the 'Form Hosting' tab and create a new form page.
Authenticate your domain if you want to use prefill features.
Get the embed code by selecting the form page and copying the script or iframe code.
Choose how you want to embed the form:
Script: Integrates with your website’s style and tracks clicks.
Iframe: Keeps styles separate but does not track clicks.
Paste the code into your landing page or external website.
You can also customize confirmation messages, error messages, and redirect URLs to improve the user experience after someone submits the form.
After embedding, monitor submissions and insights in Dynamics 365 Marketing. This helps you track performance and fix any issues.
Integration with Customer Journeys and Marketing Emails
Forms in Dynamics 365 Marketing work closely with customer journeys and marketing emails. Here is how the integration helps you nurture leads:
You can create segments and send marketing emails with links to landing pages that have your forms.
When someone submits a form, the customer journey can send follow-up emails automatically.
The system can create new leads from form submissions.
Leads move through campaigns, events, and surveys for more engagement.
Lead scoring tracks actions like email opens and event sign-ups. When a lead is ready, the system sends it to sales.
Sales and marketing teams can see lead status and work together using shared dashboards.
This integration automates your marketing, helps you qualify leads, and makes sure sales teams get the best prospects at the right time.
Compliance and Optimization
Consent Settings
You need to set up consent settings to follow privacy laws. These laws include GDPR, CAN-SPAM, and CASL. Always tell people how you collect and use their data. Add a consent checkbox to your forms. This lets visitors agree to your terms before sending their info.
Let users check, change, or take back their consent anytime. Save each person’s consent for every channel, like email or phone. If someone is a minor, get a parent or guardian’s consent. Always explain why you collect data and how you use it on your landing pages.
Tip: Use privacy tools in the system. These help you find, update, or delete personal data if someone asks.
Validation Rules
Validation rules help keep your data safe and correct. Turn on data checks for all your forms. Use custom rules and logic to check what people enter. You can also use regular expressions for more checks. For example, block emails that are not business emails. You can also make sure people give a phone number.
Give feedback right away if someone types wrong info.
Check that emails are real and use good domains.
Make some fields required, like name or email.
Test your forms with your team to catch mistakes.
Use outside tools or AI to check data quality.
Change your rules as your needs change.
Note: Keep teaching your team and look for new ways to check data.
Conversion Tips
You want more people to fill out your forms. Try these tips to get more conversions:
Use simple templates with your brand for a clean look.
Personalize forms with customer data to make them feel special.
Take away extra menus or links that distract people.
Make your page load fast by using fewer images and animations.
Make your logo clickable so people trust your page.
Test different designs and words with A/B testing.
Watch real-time analytics to see what works best.
Use the drag-and-drop editor in Dynamics 365 Marketing. This helps you build and test pages fast. You can see what works and make your results better.
Publish and Analyze
Preview and Test
Before you publish your landing page, you should always preview and test it. This helps you find and fix problems early. Follow these steps:
Give your landing page a clear name so you can find it later.
Set the page type to "Landing page".
Choose a partial URL for your page.
Use the page designer to add text, images, and layout.
Link your form to the page.
Save your work.
Use the "Check for Errors" tool. Fix any issues it finds.
Select "Go Live" to publish.
Go to the Summary tab and copy the full page URL.
Open the URL in your browser to preview the page.
Submit test information to make sure everything works.
Check the Insights tab to see if your test submission appears.
Note: Add a cookie consent banner if your region requires it. The platform does not include this by default, so you may need to add your own code.
Publish Page
When you finish testing, you can publish your landing page. Select "Go Live" to make your page public. If you see any errors, fix them before publishing. Sometimes, you may notice issues like form validation not working on some devices or style problems with content blocks. Refresh the form capture page after making changes to see updates. Use inline CSS with !important to fix style overrides.
If you use non-Latin characters, check that they display correctly. Some browsers may show codes instead of letters.
Track Submissions
After publishing, you need to track how people use your landing page. Go to the Insights tab to see:
How many people visit your page
How many submit the form
How long visitors stay on the page
Bounce rate, or how many leave without interacting
These numbers help you see if your page works well. You can also use Power BI to create real-time reports and dashboards.
Export Data
You can export form submissions and page data for deeper analysis. Use the export feature to download data and share it with your team. Look for trends in user engagement and conversion rates. This helps you improve your next campaign.
Try A/B testing to compare two versions of your landing page. The system can help you find which version works best by tracking clicks and submissions. Run tests long enough to get clear results.
You can make good landing pages and forms in Dynamics 365 Marketing if you follow easy steps. Use the drag-and-drop tools to build your own pages, add forms, and see how people use them.
Pick one main thing you want visitors to do and keep your page simple.
Try out your pages and look at the numbers to make them better over time.
Keep learning about new features and tips so your marketing stays strong and follows the rules.
FAQ
How do you update a landing page after publishing it?
You can open your landing page in Dynamics 365 Marketing. Click "Edit," make your changes, and save. Select "Go Live" again to update the published page. Always test your changes before sharing the new link.
Can you use your own domain for landing pages?
Yes, you can use your own domain. Go to Settings, then Domains. Add and verify your domain. This helps your landing pages look more professional and builds trust with visitors.
What happens if someone submits a form twice?
Dynamics 365 Marketing checks for duplicate contacts. If the same person submits a form again, the system updates their existing record. You will not get duplicate leads. This keeps your data clean.
How do you track conversions from landing pages?
Use the Insights tab to see visits, submissions, and conversion rates. You can also connect Power BI for deeper analysis. Tracking helps you see what works and improve your campaigns.
Can you add custom scripts or tracking pixels?
You can add custom scripts or tracking pixels in the page settings. Paste your code in the designated area. This lets you use tools like Google Analytics or Facebook Pixel for extra tracking.