Conversion SEO: 4 Tips to Get Your Cash Register Kachinging

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You’ve done the work and you’ve done it well, and now your site proudly sits at the top of Google for all your keywords. Yet your click-thru rate is low and your bounce rate high. What went wrong?

• Create a compelling tile tag
• Use your meta description as an elevator pitch
• Make good on your meta-bait
• Reel them in with a strong CTA
• FAQ: How can I optimize my website for better conversion rates using SEO?

Could it be that you were more focused on rank than you were on customers?

This is not uncommon. Too often we blind ourselves into thinking that all we need to do is get to that #1 spot and everything else will take care of itself.

Well, I hate to disappoint you, but if you build a website without special attention to converting visitors into customers, you might as well stand by and watch your online business wither and die in the scorching heat of competition that exists just a click away.

So what can you do? How do you parlay your golden SEO into real gold?

Here are 4 easy tips that are sure to get your cash register kachinging.

1. Craft a compelling title tag “calling card” with an offer or value proposition.

First, get customers to “walk in the door” with dynamite title and description meta tags that invite clicks. (Meta tags, in case you don’t know, are snippets of information from your page that are rendered on Google when you do a search.) You can customize meta tags such as your title tag and meta description. We highly recommend that you do so.

If you’ve done your SEO well, you already know that Google rewards you handsomely for keyword-rich title tags. So keep them rich, but keyword-rich doesn’t necessarily mean they are inviting or even  compelling. They just might be ho hum, or worse, repulsive. How do yours stack up?

Let’s see. Take a moment now to perform a search in Google for your keywords.

Look over the title tags on the ten listings on that first page.

Are there any there that draw you in? Any that turn you away? Does yours stand out or does it blend into oblivion? While it’s true that the number one position gets most of the clicks by virtue of its location, a well-crafted title tag could pull some attention its way. Hopefully that’s you doing the pulling.

Take a look at what I found for “santa cruz chiropractor.”

In that list, are there any that are particularly inviting? If I were to choose, I’d pick that number 1 listing whether or not it was number 1. Why? Because it had an inviting value proposition:

“Chiropractor Monterey New Patient Special Free Consultation”

How can I turn that down? And notice the two most important keywords at the beginning of the title “Chiropractor Monterey,” placed exactly where Google wants to see them when deciding who to put #1.

So when crafting your title tag, begin with your main keywords and your city, and then include an offer or value proposition. But first, run a query on your keywords. Review the competition and make yours stand out in the crowd.

2. Use your meta description as your elevator pitch.

Now look at the description. Here’s where the business owner gets a 2nd chance to get a click.

“Chiropractor Monterey offers Free Chiropractic consultation for Monterey, CA residents and surrounding areas of Carmel, Pebble Beach, Monterey County.”

I have to say I’m not happy that they felt the need to repeat the keywords there. It sounds like “Monterey Chiropractor” is the name of their business, and it’s not. This does not help them to rank at all as Google does not use the description for ranking, and, worse, it makes them sound a little less personal and spammy in contrast to the next one which reads:

“At Brunke Chiropractic, our focus is the health and healing of the total body. Our commitment is to delivering gentle, natural treatments to alleviate the…”

That to me is much more inviting.

It’s hard to say whether or not it will trump the great title of the first one, but it could.

So what can you do with your meta description tag to invite clicks?

I like to say that your meta description is akin to your elevator speech. Instead of 15 seconds, you have about 160 characters to convince people they need you. Spend some time getting this right.

3. Make good on your meta-bait.

After you get them to your site via your compelling meta tags, you now need to deliver on your promise and you only have about 7 seconds to do so. If your visitors don’t see what they came looking for almost immediately, they’ll click away and go back to that second choice listing in Google.

So, for that first place result above, what should their landing page have for them?

Well, what did they promise? In this case, it was a free consultation. And here’s what you’ll see at the very top of the page when you click through.

Did they deliver? They sure did. FREE FREE FREE and NEW PATIENT SPECIAL pop right out.

Your promise or meta-bait might be different, and it may not be an offer at all, but whatever it is, make sure it’s easily seen and jumps out at your visitor. Don’t bury it deep in copy. Put it up at the top where it’s the first thing they see. Highlight it in bold or bright colors. Use graphics to draw attention to it.

Coincidentally, all these tactics you’ll be using to capture the attention of your audience are the very same things Google looks for when it’s looking for relevancy. So, at the same time you’re formatting for your visitors’ attention, you’re also increasing the likelihood Google will rank you for those keywords.

Your goal here is to get your visitors to stay on your site by giving them what they came for. If they bounce away, Google will take note, and if it continues over time, it may begin to think your site is not relevant for those keywords, and then your site will slip in the rankings.

But, more importantly, if you can’t get your visitor to stay on your site, you’ll be losing any chance you had of gaining a customer.

4. Reel them in with a strong call to action.

Finally, after they’ve taken the bait and settled in, you need to reel them in. You do this with a strong call to action. You can see in the screenshot above how Montereychiropractor did with a signup form that was placed prominently at the top of the page. “To redeem, fill out the form or call now,” they say.

Your call to action does not always have to be a sign up form. It can be a CALL NOW message, or CLICK TO DOWNLOAD, or ADD to CART, or any number of other things.

Whatever it is you want them to do, though, make it crystal clear, easy to find, and easy to use.

So there you have it. Four easy steps to SEO payoff and to get your cash register kachinging.

And you can take that to the bank. Ka-ching.

Transform your SEO success into tangible profits by crafting compelling meta tags, delivering on promises, and reeling in customers with strong calls to action. Let’s talk.

FAQ: How can I optimize my website for better conversion rates using SEO?

Optimization of your website using SEO for increased conversion rates is vitally important, and this whitepaper provides essential strategies and insights into achieving those results. Unfortunately, no single solution fits all. Nonetheless, I will guide you with authority and trustworthiness so you gain knowledge that will stand the test of time.

Understanding the Foundation: SEO

Before diving into conversion rate optimization, it’s essential to grasp Search Engine Optimization (SEO). SEO refers to any technique designed to increase a website’s search engine visibility through both on-page and off-page approaches; including keyword optimization, content quality improvement, and backlink building. SEO-enhanced sites tend to get higher search engine results and thus attract relevant organic traffic more likely.

Research and Data-Driven Decisions

Start by conducting extensive research on your target audience to understand their preferences. Google Analytics is an invaluable resource that will allow you to monitor user activity on your website, giving insight into what’s working and not working and enabling you to formulate an optimized conversion optimization strategy.

Content is King

Content that is of high-quality, relevant, and engaging is key to optimizing SEO and conversion rates. Your blog posts, landing page descriptions, and product descriptions should provide valuable information that is informative for your visitors, while at the same time helping your SEO. By engaging visitors and encouraging them to stay longer on your site and take action. This content will drive results.

Page Speed and Mobile Optimization

Page speed and mobile-friendliness are ranking factors that significantly affect SEO and user experience. A slow website can drive visitors away, leading to a high bounce rate. Ensure your website loads quickly and is fully responsive on mobile devices.

A/B Testing and Continuous Improvement

Conversion rate optimization is an ongoing process. Implement A/B testing to evaluate the effectiveness of various elements on your website, such as CTAs, forms, and headlines. Make data-driven decisions to refine your strategy continually.

Optimizing your website for better conversion rates using SEO is an intricate yet rewarding journey. As long as you understand the basic principles of SEO, conduct extensive research, develop quality content, optimize for mobile and speed, and continuously test, you can make significant strides forward with SEO. Doing this will improve your website’s visibility, increase your conversion rate, and ultimately bring greater business success.

Step-by-Step Procedure for Improving Your Conversion Rates

1. Understand SEO Basics: Begin by mastering the essentials of SEO, including keyword research, on-page and off-page optimization techniques, and search engine algorithms.
2. Identify Target Audience: Conduct in-depth research to identify your target audience, their preferences, and pain points.
3. Content Creation: Develop high-quality, informative, and engaging content that addresses the needs of your target audience.
4. Page Speed Optimization: Ensure your website loads quickly and is fully responsive on both desktop and mobile devices.
5. A/B Testing: Implement A/B testing to refine your website elements for improved conversion rates continually.
6. Data Analysis: Regularly analyze data from tools like Google Analytics to make data-driven decisions.
7. Continuous Improvement: Commit to ongoing optimization, adjusting your strategy as needed to enhance conversion rates and SEO performance.

This article was updated on November 21, 2023.

Kathy Long is one of the original "Digital Divas," having jumped on the Internet bandwagon back in its infancy in 1995 when she started her own company, Kat & Mouse. Her current passions are SEO, Local Search and what she calls "SECRO" (Search Engine Conversion Rate Optimization), as well as public speaking and teaching groups of SMB business owners on how to get their websites to ka-ching.

See Kathy's author page for links to connect on social media.