How to Use SEO with Conversion Rate Optimization

A high-quality B2B website has only one real job: to create conversions.

For some companies, that includes processing orders made from the site. For other companies, it might mean nurturing the lead to the point that they’re ready to talk to a salesperson.

Whatever the case, it’s only possible to accomplish this one real job when SEO and conversion rate optimization (CRO) are used together.

Why SEO and Conversion Rate Optimization Are Inseparable

If you only take one point from this article it should be that SEO and conversion rate optimization are two sides of the same coins. Treating them separately almost guarantees that neither will be nearly as effective.

Companies that focus solely on SEO may – may – generate a lot of traffic for their websites, but if they haven’t also invested in CRO, all that work won’t account for much. In fact, it will simply represent a waste of money.

On the other hand, a business could make every effort to improve their conversions, but if they don’t have any traffic coming to their site, they can’t possibly convert anyone. At best, they’ll have to spend money on lead-generation tactics that result in a higher cost-per-lead (CPL).

This is why the most successful companies address SEO and CRO together.

1. Utilizing Intent Data When Picking Keywords and Topics

For many B2B marketers, keyword research consists of little more than using a platform to generate search inquiries relevant to their market and then choosing the ones that have the best combination of traffic and competitiveness.

The problem with this approach is that many keywords look relevant until you actually search for them. Branded keywords are the perfect example. Out of context, they often have massive amounts of traffic with practically no competition. It’s only when you Google them that you’ll find they’re actually a company’s name or a service they offer. No amount of ranking for it is going to result in greater conversions.

That’s why this extra step is so important for both SEO and conversion rate optimization. You need to understand why people are searching for certain keywords. Provided a keyword is relevant to your company, you can then choose topics that will earn clicks.

There’s also the matter of intent data. This has largely been seen as a CRO tool: what are the leads’ intentions when they search for these topics? Companies like Bombora have even managed to package this information in a way that makes it extremely accessible.

It’s also great for keyword and topic research. Again, the better you understand the motives behind a search, the better your rankings and conversions will be.

2. Working for the Fastest Possible Load Time

All the way back in 2010, Google made it official: load time affects rankings. So, if you want more traffic, one of the easiest steps you can take is speeding up your site. Nothing else has to change to attract more visitors.

However, speeding up your site is also a matter of greater sales. A faster site by just a single second could easily increase conversions by 7%.

It’s one of the easiest, most affordable ways to improve SEO and conversion rate optimization and another example of how closely the two are intertwined.

3. Building Authority on Other Sites

One of our predictions for 2019 was that building authority would become essential for improving conversions. The argument was that buyers are more likely to purchase from individuals or companies they perceive to be authorities in their field. That authority also leads to shorter buying cycles. There isn’t the same need for numerous touchpoints when a lead “knows” a B2B company is reliable.

However, there’s also an SEO-related benefit of building authority.

First, one of the most common methods of doing so is by scoring guest posts on industry websites. These are websites your market is already regularly visiting. When they do, and they see your article, they’ll associate a certain amount of legitimacy with your name and company. As you continue guest posting, this perception of authority will keep increasing.

Second, those guest posts will earn your site valuable backlinks, one of Google’s favorite ways of identifying sites they should rank higher. The combined effect is more traffic and visitors who are ready to purchase from such a respected authority.

Using SEO + Conversion Rate Optimization + Hushly = Greater Conversions

Now that you know the close relationship between SEO and conversion rate optimization, you should be ready to improve both.

For even more conversions, we’d love to help. Contact us today and we’ll show you how we’ve helped B2B companies increase conversions by more than 50%.