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It doesn’t matter the industry or the size: Every business needs a strong online presence to stay competitive in today’s marketplace. To accomplish this, you’ll need to master landing page SEO.
Landing page SEO is essential for turning clicks into conversions, unlike broader SEO, which focuses on improving overall site visibility. Landing page SEO zeroes in on optimizing a single page to rank higher for targeted keywords and guide visitors toward a specific action.
In this article, we’ll explore effective SEO and landing pages strategies, from keyword targeting and on-page elements to improving load speed and mobile usability.
Landing Page SEO: What Sets It Apart From Other SEO Types
SEO landing pages are sections of your website that serve a very specific purpose: They are a place for your potential customers to “land” as they search online for the solution to their needs. This is a web page designed to directly answer their query, which is foundational to all other SEO best practices.
For example, a company that sells facial lotions likely has a web page listing all the different formulas. Then, each lotion will have its own page addressing its features for its target user persona. These detailed pages would be considered landing pages, and they work best when you strategically integrate landing page optimization best practices.
Essential On-Page SEO Elements for Landing Pages
Crafting SEO-Friendly Headlines and Meta Tags
As you conduct landing page SEO optimization, don’t neglect the meta description and title tags.
A meta description, usually around 155 characters in length, is a short phrase that summarizes the content of a web page on the search engine results page. You write this content to improve the user experience, and should always include your primary keyword in this description.
A title tag is created on the backend of a website and is simply a title for the page that's displayed on the browser title bar. Strategic keywords here also improve the ranking factor and make your site look more polished and professional.
Optimizing Image Alt Text and Multimedia for Search
When creating landing pages for SEO, include images — but do so wisely, since stock photos come in a wide range of quality.
There are many places online where you can source quality images. Many images are protected, so it’s best to include images in your budget. The best images are unique to your business, so hire a professional photographer for strategic shots if possible.
Then, when you add an image to your landing page, fill out all the information on the backend. Images can have titles (these appear if there’s a problem loading the image) and captions (called alt text). Consider these opportunities to include keywords and helpful information that search engines notice and that increases website accessibility.
Using Internal Links To Boost Page Authority
Another powerful way to enhance the SEO for landing pages is to provide additional research in the form of backlinks. A backlink is when one web page links to another, but the trick is to link the anchor text rather than just paste in a URL.
For example, instead of spelling out www.ads.google.com/home/tools/keyword-planner, use anchor text such as Google’s Keyword Planner.
Once a potential customer finds your landing page organically, you can keep them on your website by providing backlinks within your site. These types of backlinks are known as internal links. However, there is a fine line between providing high-quality information from other blogs on your site and engaging in too much self-promotion. As always, consider the user experience first.
Aligning Landing Page Content With User Search Intent
You can align landing page content with user search intent by strategically using target keywords. These keywords are the words or phrases that potential customers type into Google. Once they hit the “search” button, the algorithm will then scan the internet for those words to create a list of results.
Use keyword research tools, such as Google Keyword Planner, Semrush, or Answer the Public, to help you pick the right keywords. Analyze your competitors’ websites to see what keywords they're using and try to beat their ranking.
Short- and Long-Tail Keywords
There are two types of keywords: short-tail and long-tail. If you want a new camera, you may search “best digital camera” and be directed to landing pages selling this specific product. That is a short-tail keyword, and it can be your primary keyword.
Alternatively, you may ask, “What is the best digital camera for travelers?” Another related search could be “small digital cameras for beginners.” Those are examples of long-tail keywords. It can be easier to rank higher with these, but fewer people will search using these longer phrases. You’ll want to include both when optimizing content for SEO.
Keyword Variations
Creating a list of keywords requires creativity because not everyone searches the same way. For the best landing page optimization, you’ll want to phrase your keywords differently and integrate all of them. Just be sure to weave in every keyword naturally.
Page Speed and Mobile Optimization for Better Rankings and UX
Beyond being well-written with appealing images, a landing page must also function well. Google algorithms frown upon websites that don’t work as designed. In general, these backend problems fall into two categories.
Page Load Time
If a page requires patience to view, it won’t rank well on a search engine results page.
For the best conversion rate, aim for your landing page to load somewhere between zero and two seconds. If you discover it takes a while to load a page, you may need to reevaluate the company hosting your domain.
Often, slow page load time is a result of flashy graphics, animation, videos, and other dynamic elements. Keep the design simple for better success.
Mobile Friendly
According to Statista, over 60% of all website traffic comes from people using their mobile devices. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, Google will naturally pass it over for one that is.
Most modern web-building templates and professional developers will do this work automatically, but not always. Check that your new landing page lays out clearly and functions smoothly on a smartphone or tablet to avoid dropping lower in the search results.
Crafting Effective Calls to Action That Convert
One of the most important aspects of writing landing page content is crafting excellent calls to action (CTAs). The CTA is the cornerstone of landing page lead generation, and you can have multiple CTAs throughout your content.
A strong CTA should be concise and compelling, leaving no doubt about what the visitor should do next — whether it’s “Download Your Free Guide” or “Start Your Free Trial.” Use action-oriented language that creates urgency, and always include a keyword in your CTA.
Avoiding Common Landing Page SEO Mistakes
Algorithms are sensitive to keyword stuffing and confusing navigation, and these mistakes hurt SEO and conversions.
- Keyword stuffing: Google knows when a primary keyword is added solely in an attempt to improve the ranking factor, and that tactic backfires. That’s why many small businesses work with professional writers who know how to use keywords for better SEO.
- Confusing navigation: If your website is a maze with poor navigation, then it doesn’t matter how great your landing pages are. Your website should be easy to navigate. The home page should clearly lead to the product's main sections and sub-sections, and so forth.
Next Steps To Improve Landing Page SEO Results
To start the process of adding new landing pages to your website, begin by scheduling a time with the leaders of your company to brainstorm goals. Sometimes, the most challenging part of this effort is finding the time. When you're crafting your strategic plan, realistically delegate the work.
You may discover that you can move forward faster if you work with a professional writing team. Compose.ly writers have extensive experience with SEO for landing pages. Learn more about SEO copywriting and Compose.ly’s professional copywriting services today.
