For the last 5 years, search engine marketers have been concentrating their efforts on developing search engine optimized landing pages. The trend was focused mainly on PayPerClick and keyword searches that lead to relevant landing pages. When compared to sending all the visitors to a home page, testing of this optimization method showed a significant increase in conversion rates. The same is true with organic landing pages, another growing area of interest.
Back in 2003, we talked about the need for a similar process in organic search engine optimization. We found that when we developed specific landing pages that were relevant to a user search terms, the user seemed satisfied with the results. Consumers were more inclined to browse through and stay on a website longer. As a result, websites saw an increase in conversion rates.
Many people still think that sending people to their home page will give them a better understanding of their business and because of that, people will somehow value their website. The problem is that visitors don't always have the time to spend searching a website, or it isn't clear by the website's home page if it actually has what they're looking for. Home pages normally have an 85 to 99% bounce rate. A bounce rate is when a visitor clicks on a link and then returns to the previous page because they didn't feel the site had what they were looking for. This doesn't necessarily mean the site failed to give them the exact make, model or price, but that, generally the website wasn't relevant to their search. Often, when a user doesn't see what they want or what they searched for immediately, they assume the site they landed on is unrelated. When it comes to letting people know that they've come to the right place, most site owners or designers miss the mark. 'A picture is worth a thousand words', just doesn't apply to websites. A website without any words is a waste and a surefire way of getting people to leave your site before finding out that you have exactly what they were looking for.
*PayPerClick search engines like landing pages that offer users exactly what they're looking for.* Why? *Because it makes a HUGE difference in conversion rates. *Most home pages are too generic and hard to navigate - proven by the extremely high bounce rates. Unlike a portal where all activity begins, with a website most activity begins and ends on your home page, which can make it a potential waste.
In contrast, SEO landing pages are designed to show exactly what the site offers and answer the visitor directly, based on what they searched for. When developing content it's important that the content relates directly to what the website offers. That way, when the visitor lands on the page they get appropriate information about the product or service.
With SEO landing pages you have the ability to provide detailed information about a specific product, including the make and model or you can provide more generic product information. Either way, searchers are more likely to get the information they want without having to navigate through pages and pages of unrelated products or information. The search engines are interested in zooming in on what the searcher is looking for. Product landing pages answer that need directly, while improving the overall search experience.
Why not show your site visitors that you value their time and that you have the product or service they are looking for? Optimizing your website's landing pages really is an all around win-win situation.
Search Engine Optimization Landing Pages - To learn more about this author, visit Chris Genge's Website.
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Chris Genge
(Visit Chris's Website)
Chris Genge is the President of 1st on the
List Promotion Inc, a website promotion
firm that specializes in search engine
optimization and pay per click management.
Chris writes on current and emerging
search engine marketing theories and has
been involved in the SEO industry since
1997. He and his team focus on researching
and implementing the most effective search
engine optimization techniques.
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