Best Practices For Optimizing Your Landing Pages For SEO

Many people focus on marketing their websites through content. And this is good because the content is king. Nevertheless, there are other essential elements as well. For example, people often overlook landing pages. That is a big mistake because well-optimized landing pages increase your organic traffic and conversion rate. Plus, they also help your website rank higher in search engine results. SEO is great because it enables you to optimize your landing pages. You only need to learn some of the basics. Of course, if you don’t have the time to do it, you can always hire an SEO expert. But if you want to do it yourself, here are some best practices for optimizing your landing pages for SEO.
No. 1 One of the best practices for optimizing your landing pages for SEO is doing keyword research
The first thing you should do when optimizing your landing pages is to identify the right keywords. Take a pen and a piece of paper and do a bit of brainstorming. Which are the first words that come to mind when describing the content of your landing page? Write everything down so you won’t forget.
Once you finish this step, it’s time to do some keyword research. Take a look at the keywords used by your competitors. Then, use some online keyword research tools to identify new keywords and see how often people search for them. Once you have your list, order the words by relevance. Use the first as the main keyword for your landing page and the following five as additional keywords.

No. 2 Don’t overlook the URLs
People often forget about URLs or don’t consider them essential. But this is a big mistake. URLs inform search engines and users about the content of your landing pages. Moreover, they also provide information on how the landing pages fit into your website. Thus, they need to be short (maximum 65 characters) and clear and should contain the main keyword. It would be best if you also avoided special symbols because they are harder to read.
No. 3 Choose the title carefully
One of the best practices for optimizing your landing pages for SEO is choosing a great title. That is what will attract users and inform search engines of the content. An SEO-friendly title should include your main keyword, preferably in the left part of the title. Moreover, you should keep titles short because search engines usually show only 60 characters. And don’t forget to make it catchy to pique your readers’ interest.
No. 4 Write high-quality content
No matter how much you optimize other elements of your landing pages, the content is still essential. On the one hand, it helps your pages land high in search engine results. On the other hand, it increases your conversion rate and reduces your bounce rate. For SEO-friendly content, you should use lots of keywords. But you should also make sure that the text flows naturally and is easy to understand for the readers. You should divide the text using subheadings, bullet points, and ample spaces between sections. If your goal is to determine users to buy what you’re selling, focus on the benefits. Help them see how your product or service can make their lives better.

No. 5 The content length can vary
People often get fixated on numbers. While it’s true that search engines prefer longer content, it doesn’t mean you have to write a novel. Users don’t have the time or patience to read very long texts. Plus, there’s no standard length for the landing page content. Just focus on providing valuable and well-researched information. Quality will always prevail over size.
No. 6 Include links
One of the best practices for optimizing your landing pages is to include links. The idea is to keep users on your website as long as possible and guide them toward buying something. Therefore, you should add relevant internal links to your landing pages. Make sure you use appropriate anchor text and, if possible, use the main keyword of the linked page. Furthermore, you should also include external links, where applicable. These help prove that you provide quality information, particularly if they lead to authority websites.
No. 7 Optimize your visual content
Images and videos are very appealing to users. So, make sure you pick good ones. However, search engines don’t understand them. Therefore, if you don’t optimize them appropriately, search engines won’t know how to categorize them. Use short and descriptive file names, descriptions, and alt tags. It would be better if you could include your primary keyword as well.
No. 8 Pay attention to the meta description
The meta description of your landing page plays an essential role in SEO ranking. Plus, together with a catchy title, the meta description is what attracts users to your page. Thus, you should keep it short (150-160 characters) and intriguing. You should also include your main keyword and try to end it with a call to action.
No. 9 Mobile responsiveness is key
Since people are starting to use their smartphones more than their computers, mobile-friendliness is essential. Furthermore, if your landing page is not mobile responsive, Google can exclude it from mobile search results. But no worries, you can solve this by using a responsive design. You should also improve your page’s loading time for better results.

Final thoughts
Landing pages are just as important as any other part of your website. Therefore, you should optimize them accordingly. Otherwise, they won’t rank high in search engine results, and users won’t find them. To do this, you should apply these best practices for optimizing your landing pages for SEO. Moreover, you should look up additional SEO strategies if you want even better results. And if all of this is a bit overwhelming for you, seek expert help. You should never be embarrassed to ask for help. After all, you probably have a lot on your plate without having to learn a new field.
Author bio: Christine R. McDonald has been working as a content writer for convertmore.com for two years. She is interested in helping small businesses optimize their websites for success. In her free time, she enjoys going hiking and camping with her friends and her dog, Leo.