When it comes to digital marketing, your ads are only as good as their ability to convert, which means strong landing pages are key. When a potential customer clicks on an ad, the landing page they arrive at has the power to make or break the conversion. Even outside of paid advertising, the same applies to organic search. The more optimized your landing page is — both from a keyword and user experience perspective — the better.
Blogs vs. Landing Pages for an SEO-Ready Website
Before we dive into landing page SEO best practices, we first need to discuss the difference between a blog and a landing page. A blog is typically several articles written on specific topics and collected on one webpage, while a landing page is a standalone webpage that is built specifically to be the collection point for an advertising campaign.
The landing page is where the visitor "lands" after clicking on a digital ad, email link, or social media link. Whereas blogs are often used to gain knowledge or help visitors make an informed buying decision, landing pages are intended to drive conversions via specific calls to action (CTAs).
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Necessities for Landing Page Optimization
For a landing page to be effective, a strong blueprint is a crucial first step. The most important thing is to help the visitor reach their goals on the page by learning how to optimize a landing page for search. For example, if a customer clicked on a link in your email promising a free guide, that guide needs to be easily accessible on your landing page. If a Google ad promised more information on your pricing or services, that information needs to be front and center on your landing page, too. Once they've accomplished their goals on the page, they'll be more likely to interact with your content and convert into potential customers.
After establishing the basics, it's important to create a short, keyword-optimized title. Make sure you understand the different levels of headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) when creating your page. Think of your page as an outline: H1s communicate the main idea, H2s indicate key points throughout, and H3s are subpoints beneath H2s. A clear structure will help guide the visitor through your page, which will, in turn, boost your standings from an SEO standpoint.
You can further build your landing page in a way that encourages visitors to stay on your site. In one case, promising customers they wouldn't be spammed with email helped INBOUND speaker Marcus Sheridan improve his conversion rate by 80%. Another study found that 30% of landing pages have too much text, which can overwhelm potential customers. By building your landing page from the user's point of view, you can compel them to stay on the page and follow through on your CTA.
Each landing page should have only one primary CTA. For instance, if your landing page contains a sign-up form for an email list, a link to schedule a call with a salesperson, and a downloadable resource, it can feel like information overload. Customers are more likely to complete a CTA if it is clearly defined. Match the CTA on the landing page to where the visitor is in the sales funnel. Use resources such as blogs and whitepapers to get new visitors to your site and introduce them to your brand. Once prospects are deeper in the funnel, you can incorporate CTAs to encourage them to call your company or schedule an appointment. Each landing page should be tailored to appropriately meet potential customers' needs.
How a Search Engine Marketing Agency Can Help You Build Successful Landing Pages
Landing page SEO is a lot to handle alone. Weeks or months of self-learning are required to build a webpage, optimize the structure, generate content, and produce conversions. While some companies can handle these tasks in-house, most rely on an external partner with knowledge and experience to help guide them through the process.
That's where an established SEO agency like CMG Local Solutions can help. First, we leverage machine learning and data science to understand your conversion and business goals. Then, we use the latest data and insights to create your SEO-ready website. We can assist even further by optimizing search engine marketing and your online reputation management strategy.
If you're interested in leveling up your landing page strategy, reach out for a free consultation. We'd love to tell you more about how we can help you reach and convert your target audience!
