How to Optimize Your Content for Better Traffic (and More Conversions) “Review”
Search engines have become important gatekeepers of attention. People find information, learn about topics they are interested in, and make important decisions just by turning to Search.
Google, the major player in the search engine market, uses automation to discover content from across the web and other sources.
It sees to it that the most relevant content gets discovered.
Considering quality algorithms that seek to reward the best content out there, and the limited attention of website visitors, so what do these tell to content creators and marketers?
Simply, companies must leverage high-converting content from their blogs to newsletters to social media posts to video and podcasts in order to succeed and achieve marketing KPIs.
So to capture visitors and possible leads, you must provide helpful, useful information on your website. You strategically produce content that will help your qualified visitors in their buyer’s journey.
Andy Crestodina, Chief Marketing Officer and Co-Founder, Orbit Media Studios, Inc. and instructor in CXL Institute puts it succinctly:
“it’s the links and authority that the blog content and the art of marketing content attracts, and that passes some of that authority to the deeper interior pages including the service pages that help those service pages rank themselves.
The ones who are then very likely to convert are the ones who are more likely to convert thereby going to the about page, the contact page, and the thank you page ultimately becoming the lead. Your website is a bridge from google.com to your thank you page.”
Content Strategy by Andy Crestodina
Step 1: Put yourself on a mission
Align your content marketing with your mission statement.
Let’s take a look at Speero.
Speero is a consulting agency focused on customer experience and experimentation to drive long-term growth.
CX Resources
Speero publishes informational content for visitors looking to understand their customers.
Speero shares original research report to provide useful data and insights on customer retention and eCommerce Analytics.
They partner with other agencies like Omniconvert to be able to publish quality content.
In the sample image, Speero provides visitors with original content, the Real-time eCommerce Benchmark report, which they can download or access for free.
Call to Action button.
Speero establishes its knowledge and authority in website optimization and experimentation with their bi-weekly commentary which they sent to their email subscribers.
Social Media Posts
Speero is consistent with their messaging. Look at these tweets in their social media — talking about website experimentation and optimization:
Step 2: Collaborators and influencers
Make a list of people with whom you’d like to collaborate.
Step 3: Locations
Make a list of blogs and publications your audience visits
Step 4: The Mousetrap
Make sure that you optimize your service page for search (keyphrase focused), for conversions (answers top questions, includes testimonials)
Step 5: Create different formats collaborate with influencers and LINK EVERYTHING!
Great content strategists know their audience, write their content mission and align everything with proper topics, formats, people, and places.
Have a mission-driven, research anchored, influencer-powered, PR-focused content strategy framework.
Digital Best Practices
Internal links are the underrated workhorse of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and User Experience (UX). These are links on the page, in the content.
3 Good Reasons to Build an Internal Linking
Internal linking is important for at least three reasons. They strengthen three parts of your funnel.
- They pass authority from one page to another (search optimization)
- They guide visitors to high-value, relevant content (usability / UX)
- They prompt visitors to act, as calls-to-action (conversion optimization)
Internal Link #1: Links That Affect Search Engine Rankings (SEO)
Here’s how to get the most SEO value from internal links:
- Some of your pages have more authority than others, for example, your home page. Links from these pages to other pages will pass more authority and SEO value.
- Some of your pages will benefit from a bit more authority than other pages. These are pages that may be ranking, but not that high. Links to these pages might help your rankings more.
Internal Link #2: Links That Drive Traffic to High Converting Pages
Some pages attract a lot of visitors. Usually, this is because they already rank high or they get shared a lot.
Linking your traffic champions to your conversion champions can have a dramatic impact on your marketing.
Internal Link #3: Links That Prompt Visitors to Act
Your goal as a digital marketer is to attract visitors, present them with compelling benefits, support these claims based on evidence and nudge them to take action.
Calls to Action are internal links. They prompt visitors to act.
Look at the bottom of any of your marketing pages. What is the last line of text? Does it suggest the visitor take action? Does it offer help? Does it start a conversation? Or does the page just abruptly end?
What to do about the many search engine results page (SERP) features and falling click-through rates (CTRs)?
Ahrefs advices on these tips and techniques:
- Target phrases with fewer SERP features. These are often long-tail keyword phrases with lower commercial intent.
- Optimize for Google’s featured snippets. Here’s a guide.
- Use Semantic SEO. Here’s a guide.
- Grow your email list. The better your list, the less you rely on digital giants.
- Write for other websites. It won’t increase your traffic, but guest posting on authoritative websites can do wonders for the visibility of your content.
- Double down on keyphrase-focused content. There are still millions of great keyphrase opportunities. You can target any of them with just a day of research and writing.
Measure and Optimize
With data analytics, every tweet, post, visit, and visitor can be measured. Beyond measurement, our goal is to improve, make better decisions, and get smarter.
There are two forms of optimization: one for traffic, the other for conversion rates.
Here are some questions we can answer:
- Which of our content performs best in which channel?
- Which pages are inspiring visitors to subscribe?
- Which types of visitors are most likely to take action?
Always seek to find which topics, keywords, influencers, partner websites, formats, and channels work best. Well-thought-out content will give you a steady stream of leads for your business.
Check out Andy in CXL Institute, as he gives a chockful of information and expert advice on Content Strategy and SEO for Lead Generations.