
When we talk landing pages, most online marketers think
pay-per-click, where the input of a destination URL into Google's or
Bing's paid search offerings allow marketers to drive keyword-targeted
traffic to (hopefully) optimized pages.
My previous article extolling the
death of keywords talked about developing intent-based topics and building content that connects with those topics – intent to content.
We can now apply that mantra in a "first engagement" scenario, after a user clicks a search result, to ensure SEO landing pages:
- Connect with intent: Offering a user what they expect.
- Resolve (initial) user query: Answering their initial query.
- Engage the user: Sending user signals to search engines.
- Drive further user engagement (if necessary): Additional signals to both users and search engines.
A searcher intent to site content engagement scenario I call "
CRED".
In these scenarios where signed in users, search query modification,
Chrome browsers, "cookied" users and toolbar data provide massive
datasets of engagement signals to search engines on how users interact
on sites, we need to drive optimal engagement scenarios.
Here's a checklist of 10 "killer" tips to ensure you're able to add a
bit of CRED to your SEO campaigns, as well as demonstrate campaign
success!
Connecting
1. Are the primary headlines aligned with intent?
The first thing users notice is content structure, headlines,
headers, bolded elements, graphics etc. Your 2 seconds of opportunity to
grab attention begins with a mental assessment that needs to
immediately connect with the original search query and inspire
additional engagement is via clear communication of what the page is
about.
Content should be created with specific intent in mind, with
headlines, and/or graphic headers that are obvious, short, surrounded by
adequate white space. And the content must be specific enough to
inspire a user's attention.
2. Are you matching content type with query intent?
If the target query includes "how to", "best", "top 10",
"compare" or other intent refining modifiers, or if the query demands a
certain level of text content, are you obviously offering something
that visually connects, confirms relevance, displays lists, video or
images?
Users won't have time to read, but they will make a quick decision on
whether the format they review matches an expectation. For example, a
query on top 10 bars should have a list with numbers displayed – or one
entry with numbers. Or a query on the history of search should probably
have an index and look robust – not just a 200 word paragraph.
Users have short attention spans, and most have a preconceived expectation of what they
should find, not matching that initial expectation can equate to a quick "back click.".
Query for "best health insurance plans for single men". Ask Men offers a clear header and an image that immediately screams "authority"
Resolving
3. Can users perform a quick scan above the fold to answer who, what, and why?
As noted above, users don't actually
read on a first pass, they make a decision based on visual cues and click expectations (what they expect after they click).
Some websites fail in obviously reinforcing the click expectation,
missing an opportunity for engagement, underscoring brand recognition,
and providing obvious reasons of time-worthy value.
Click through to your site and ask the following:
- Is your brand obvious?
- Is it obvious what you do?
- Is it obvious why they should stick around?
Especially important with homepages, but equally important on other
SEO landing pages, is ensuring your brand is obvious. Make sure what you
do, or how you plan to address the user's intent, isn't buried. Give
users obvious information and/or justification to stick around and/or
click around is key to moving people to engage further.
Query for "flat head screw driver". Home
Depot offers clear branding, white space to highlight product, and
additional information that is clearly visible and offers visual cues
that the tabs are clickable.
Remember: for instant user assessment of resolution potential, anything below the fold doesn't exist!
Engaging
As noted with the Home Depot example, key engagement options exist
such as an "add to cart" action button, search for intent refinement or
modification, other options to dig into additional information and links
to similar products that other customers have purchased.
Each of these elements contribute to answering the next question:
4. Is it obvious what they should do next?
For Home Depot, the answer is most probably yes. It's easy to find
the "Add to Cart" button, it's placed in an obvious position and
there's multiple options to view additional information.
The product page offers multiple ways to engage, with a zoom button
(subjectively probably not big enough), and plenty of other user-centric
options such as writing reviews, checking inventory, etc.
Occasionally there can be
too many options that can confuse
users. In the Home Depot example there appears to be duplicated "check
inventory" buttons/links, but these may have been tested and justified.
5. Are there on-page modification options? (based on query modification)

Home Depot offer a good example of obvious search functionality,
related products, and other options that can help modify the user's
search query
onsite rather than have them click back to the search results to modify.
These kind of onsite modifications do not always need to be driven by site search.
Breadcrumbs, side navigation, filters, related prods, color/size
selection are all feasible options to mitigate click backs and improve
onsite engagement signals.
Driving
6. Are 'next clicks' consistent?
Part of great site engagement is a consistent user experience for
similar queries. By monitoring user interaction on a per query basis,
website owners can identify consistencies or deficiencies in matches of
search intent to site content.
Duane Forrester of Bing said in January 2013:
"In the long run, the brand names secure rankings through depth of content, trust in brand, and user interaction (searchers clicking a SERP result and staying on their site because the site is trusted and answers the searchers question)"
Providing key "next clicks" – obvious steps from landing pages to
conversion or core information – is a better user experience = better
potential rankability.
7. Can they share what they've found?
Probably the most obvious of tips, it the provision of social sharing
and social connection buttons. If landing pages provide the value users
expect, will they be inspired to share, and if they are, can they?
Sharing of a page is different than a click through to your social
property (i.e., Facebook page or Twitter stream), and should be a key
component on most landing pages, with the caveat of audience vs. social
platform.
For pages with images, is there an option to share on Pinterest,
Facebook, and Twitter? For business text content, is LinkedIn an option?
Social signals are imperative in closing the loop on user intent
satisfaction, demonstrating to both users and search engines an
endorsement of your content.
8. Ultimately, can users find the banana?
Seth Godin published a book a few years ago called "The Big Red Fez"
– rather than repeat all the key concepts, I can state simply is it's
all about bananas – users finding what they need from obvious choices.
There's an
excellent synopsis here.
I love Helen's Cycles, great stores
and service. But visit their website and you're presented with way too
many choices (red) and a certain level of confusion (green). The
green element talks about Helmets, Cycling Essentials and Clothing"¦
but offers no way to click or a link to relevant content.
Give your users clear navigation to improve consistent engagement and "banana-discovery."
Measurement
The final two tips cover justification through measurement of metrics that matter.
9. Have you segmented traffic by topics?
Google Analytics offers segmentation by query topics through
Analytics filters (beyond the scope of this article but more information
can be found
here) or by exporting data and consolidating offline in Excel.
Custom segments allow you to monitor performance across keyword query
topics, understand topic traffic and conversion trends, and leverage
this data to identify the key landing pages for each topic.
10. Are you tracking first click queries for optimized pages?
Although in an ideal scenario the page you optimize will attract the
keyword queries you'd expect, custom segments by topic also offer up
insights into competing pages (entry pages in your site that compete
against each other), highlighting opportunities to consolidate similar
pages, mitigating potential thin content issues and improving topic
relevance on merged pages.
Utilize custom segments, organic traffic keyword query reports,
together with landing page association to provide insights into
potentially competing pages.
Music genre site, with custom "rock
music' topic filter applied, highlights the anomaly of "type of rock
music" query being mapped to an Anime genre page. Worth investigating
why?
Reference:-http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2261323/10-Killer-SEO-Landing-Page-Tips