According to Brick Marketing, conversions are the end goal of any campaign. The conversion rate is calculated by taking the amount of site visitors and dividing it by the number of visitors that completed the desired action. The conversion rate is the number one tool used to measure a campaign’s success. For an average website, the conversion rate is 2.35%. However, the top 25% websites convert at 5.31%. How do you improve your conversion rate using SEO? Keep reading to learn about 10 ways to boost conversions using best SEO practices.

Be Consistent

Wherever your prospective clients view your business online, it needs to be consistent. This consistency is also known as the “scent.” This “scent” is what reassures visitors that they are where they’re supposed to be. If a visitor doesn’t recognize the landing page or think it’s legit, the bounce rate will increase. You can optimize your site for consistency/” scent” by:

•         Matching title tag and H1 heading
•         Have a clear site structure
•         Adjust page layout to match keywords
•         Research search ad dynamics for category pages

Incorporate A/B Testing

A/B testing is when two versions of a website or landing page are compared to see which one delivers a higher conversion rate. This clarifies optimization questions you may have by creating a focus group with your target market. To ensure your A/B testing doesn’t alter your ranking, make sure these pages are crawlable by Google bots and be sure to add a link that leads back to your original website page. You’ll be able to test which SEO page delivers the best conversion rates and implement it to your business strategy.

Focus on User Experience

To focus on user experience, you must first focus on your user or visitor. You must know what their wants and needs are and how to get them through the cycle to convert. When companies use SEO appropriately, they provide a better service to consumers and prospective customers. Search engines have evolved in recent years to deliver what the searcher is looking for and want. So, when a company’s webpage is optimized, search engines rank and offer the searcher your website if it aligns with their wants. If your webpage is not optimized, search engines don’t know what you offer. If you see an increase in the bounce rate, this could mean a few things; such as:

•         Slow page loading times
•         Unrelated information for visitors
•         Too many ads
•         Information not easy to find

Search engines don’t tell you why visitors bounce from your website, but it’s up to you to find out why and come up with a solution — otherwise, your conversion rates will be negatively affected. Be sure to incorporate keywords that both, align with what you have to offer and what visitors are looking for. If you need assistance with SEO, you can research SEO online marketing agencies to provide that service. An example of an agency is SEO Singapore, who specializes in generating leads and conversions.

Increase Click Rate

Think of your competitors. Now think of all the competitors online when consumers search. Why should visitors click on your site over a competitor? It needs to be clear to the visitor why they should pick you, since there are so many options available to them. This is where optimization enters. Obviously, if you rank higher on search engines, your website is more likely to be clicked on, since users don’t click on the second page. But what if you don’t rank high? That’s ok. You can still get visitors to click on your site over higher ranking companies. You need to make sure you capture your audience’s attention through content strong enough to convince them to click on your website. One example of increasing click rates to increase conversion rates is to use reviews. A recent study found that click rates increased 35% when review stars were available to searchers — this shows them that your product or service is reliable. Another example is to use high-quality, relevant content. Boring content makes searchers skip right over your site without a second glance.

Use Title Tags

A title tag is the clickable link found in search results. To use title tags correctly, you need to use relevant keywords. If the title tag is written in poor grammar or is not relevant to anything, your conversion rates will be weak. This might be the first thing a new prospective customer sees about your company, so you need to make it count. Here, you should also use enticing language and related keywords to get searchers’ attention. Title tags are approximately 70 characters, so you need to make each one assist you in gaining a conversion.

Integrate Content Optimization

Have you heard the statement “content is king”? It’s very important to get your message through your visitors. Each page of content should be focused on a specific need to your target audience. Utilize links to direct visitors to additional information, as needed. The content must be clear and to the point so that the visitors understand it easily. Page content can include images, links, text and videos — balance is key. Don’t overwhelm or clutter your pages. When your information is optimized, your searchers will find it easier and their wants will be addressed.

Implement Call-to-Actions (CTAs)

If you don’t utilize CTAs, you may be missing conversion opportunities. Maybe you have great content, links and consistency, but you don’t have a next step for your visitors to perform. CTAs move customers through the lifecycle of completing a purchase. Examples of CTAs are:

•         Shop Limited Time Sale Now
•         Sign-Up for 10 Day Free Trial
•         Join Our Email List
•         Request a Demo
•         Donate Now
•         Call Us Now

Your CTA needs to align with what you offer and what visitors are looking for — less is more. Don’t overwhelm your visitors or harass them with CTAs, as that may have a negative effect.  

Write Strong Meta Descriptions

Meta descriptions are the text found below tag titles. This is also the text that is displayed when shared across social media platforms and other websites. This alone shows how important it is to have a strong Meta description. Although Meta descriptions are directly related to search engine rankings, it is related to increasing click rates. Click rates are directly related to ranking. Meta descriptions tell searchers that this link has the solution to their problem. This is your opportunity to “sell” what you have to offer in a limited space. Need help writing Meta descriptions? There are many sites that help you formulate strong Meta descriptions.

Utilize Backlinks

Backlinks are links that link back to a different website or page. This is a great way to build relationships with other companies and the public. For example, if you sell windows and there is a window installing company that maintains a large blog, it would be great for you to guest blog for them. This allows your content and business to increase customer reach. Then you add a link in your blog that takes readers straight to your website for more information. Every link that you use needs to be optimized. Links that are not optimized may deter customers.

Optimize Images

Every site should incorporate images on their pages. If a site is only full of text, it is cluttered and overwhelming for visitors. But adding images without optimizing them can slow load times and lower ranking. To optimize images, consider the following:

•         Label your images with descriptive keywords
•         Reduce file sizes
•         Optimize thumbnails
•         Be Careful of decorative images
•         Choose the right file type

 

These are 10 ways to boost conversions using best SEO practices. It’s important to always align your business with your target audience’s needs and wants. When you know this, you can deliver better solutions, increasing conversions.

Author Bio:

Sohail Rupani is a Senior SEO Strategist and Blogger for PNC Digital, Link Building HQ and Appiskey. He is passionate about technology and loves to analyze the tech industry in his spare time and stay in touch with the latest happenings. He also writes technical articles about SEO and digital marketing. Follow @sohailrupani for more updates.