Clients are always asking me how to get more out of their website landing pages, both in terms of SEO and sales. In both cases, it’s important to think about relevance, reach and responsiveness.

To be Relevant:

Make sure your page has a clear focus that answers searchers’ queries.

Every landing page should be tightly focused on a specific offering or service. Pick a business feature you can comfortably cover in the 400-word range to hold visitors interest, which should naturally revolve around some of the keywords you want to rank for.

Start with a list of the what makes your brand service or product the best value for prospect – where can you add a customer quote or testimonial? This value-add content can set your brand apart.

Once you know your main selling points, do some SERP analysis. The landing pages that come up for searches you’d expect to drive people to your page give you insights on in-demand information that Google identifies as best answering user queries. They can also highlight information gaps your page can fill.

Next think about Reach:

Optimize your page so you get in front of the right audiences.

Keywords should naturally come up in the copy, and do a spot check after the page is written to ensure there’s a head term or appropriate satellite phrase at least every 200 words.

You’ll also want a metadescription that’s fewer than 150 characters and features the keywords related to the page.

For added SEO, make sure you have organic and varied links. For every three internal links on the page, be sure you’ve got at least one external link – this can also be a great way to ensure you bring in a third-party source that adds credibility to your page’s claims in reader minds.

Ultimately, the page has to be Responsive:

Consider next steps for all potential readers with different types of CTAs.

Don’t overload site visitors, but give readers options, whether they’ll be inclined to:

  • “Get a demo” or “Buy Now” at the decision phase
  • Enter their emails for newsletters and continued contact at the research phase
  • Or simply click to “learn more” or read related content at the awareness phase

Test and measure different language and links to see the impact on your audiences, and optimize your landing pages ongoing for the best ROI.

Jim Kensicki is the Senior Director of Content Marketing at Brafton. He leads a team of Content Marketing Strategists in our Boston and San Francisco offices, working with them to deliver superior service and search consultancy to clients. Prior to joining Brafton, Jim led the sales division of a successful tech startup. He has over a decade of experience creating and executing successful online marketing strategies for major brands. When he's not Brafton-ing, you'll find Jim traveling the globe and/or cooking elaborate meals to varying levels of success.