Optimizing B2B landing pages for SEO can improve brand recall.

A client recently asked me why he should apply SEO copywriting techniques to a landing page when an email is driving visitors to the landing page instead of search.  Good point.  However, I think anything worth putting on the web is worth optimizing for search—particularly longtail keywords, which tend to have lower clicks, but higher conversions.  That said, I think the first priority when writing landing page content is landing page optimization—write copy that has continuity with the marcom elements that are driving visitors to the landing page.  For example, if you’re using email, then the subject line, call to action and overall message should be echoed on the landing page first and foremost.  Then as a secondary objective and where it makes sense, optimize for search. 
Why?…  message recall.  

B2B SEO Landing Page Example from the Mind of a B2B Copywriter

Let’s say you’re a B2B company specializing in network security applications.   You’re running a campaign targeting the mobile/device market. Though I recall seeing an ad in a trade journal or vaguely recall receiving an email, I can’t remember your specific name, so I turn to search.  I may search for network security for mobile devices or something similar.  If you’re landing page is optimized, chances are I’ll find you.

In the above example, the campaign keywords could serve both landing page optimization and search engine optimization.  Here’s a totally fake example to illustrate the point.  Let’s say the message is to convey to corporate IT folks that they can allow colleagues use their iPhones, smartphones and other devices besides Blackberries to connect to the corporate internet without compromising the security of the network.  The B2B copywriter writes the headline/subject line, Connect More… Worry Less.  With good targeting and wide distribution, it could make a memorable campaign-wide slogan.  But at a tactical level, the lack of keywords makes it less likely to drive search. So a good copywriter would ask whether or not there was a way to accomplish both—boost open rate and search results.  The answer lies in keywords. 

The copywriter’s next headline iteration includes the keywords “network security” More devices; less network security hassles.  It’s a better headline, but for search, typically it’s better to place keywords at the beginning of the headline.  So, if the headline still reads well, is persuasive, and encourages readers to open and click, then try an even greater search optimized version:  Network Security—more devices; less hassles.  The copywriter’s newest version headline is optimized for search, fits the 40-50 character count for an email subject line, and achieves the target message. 

The landing page should contain the same headline—enclosed in html H1 header tags, of course—and the subsequent landing page content should support the headline with keyword –rich copywriting and a strong call to action above the fold and below the fold.   Good copywriters should also consider writing a landing page url that includes campaign keywords and is memorable.  In the example above, an effective landing page URL could be www.fakecompany.com/network-security-more-devices-less-hassles. 

Optimize Landing Pages for Search without Compromising Conversion

Again I can’t emphasize enough that copywriters should always write email campaigns, PPC ads and landing pages with the objective of driving the desired outcome whether opens, clicks or conversions.  This is first and foremost when writing content.  However, good SEO copywriters are vigilant about writing content that’s relevant to the people searching for it.  That means knowing the keywords and using them persuasively and strategically.  Striking a balance between persuasive copy and optimized copy is the sweet spot for B2B copywriters.

What are your thoughts on SEO copywriting for landing pages?

PS  Any good post on landing pages should include a link to Ion Interactive, the landing page gurus.  Here’s a good  landing page technique for  B2B marketers targeting several industry verticals.

PPS And another good post by @level343 on the art of landing pages from Search Engine Journal.

I conducted a B2B SEO copywriting workshop for a multi-national group of copywriters and marcom professionals. When it comes to SEO, you may have similar marcom concerns, so here’s a brief summary of the day’s discussions.

SEO Copywriting for Multi-lingual Websites

We were learning how to write search optimized metadata. Most SEO consultants advise approximately 60-70 characters for meta title, 160-165 characters for the meta description and 250-1000 characters for the meta keyword tag (though most SEO pros say this tag is used less frequently, especially by Google).

Some of the copywriters wanted to know how search engines handle character counts for non-English metadata. This is a tough one, because there’s lot more to multi-lingual sites than converting metadata from English to the desired language. After discussion with a few marcom and SEO colleagues, plus doing a little research on my own, I learned that metadata character counts do not expand to compensate for non-English languages (or contract for character-based languages).  You can exceed the character counts, but the search engines will truncate what’s displayed in the title and on the search engine results page (SERP).

What’s important to note is that title and description tags must include the keywords for which you’re optimizing the page. PLUS, those keywords should appear as close to the beginning of the phrase as possible, regardless of language.  You may find this list of SEO copywriting tips helpful.

Here are additional SEO metadata resources:

• Webmaster World (forum)
• SEOmozBlog (#7 is interesting… longtail keywords and meta description)

Copywriting for Social Media Optimization

Not surprising, all the copywriters, marcom and corporate communications folks were interested in B2B social media. How does copywriting and communications, in general, change to address the various social media?

This could be a post by itself.  However, many SEO techniques and concepts still apply to social media copywriting and communications.  For example, keywords are equally as important in social media and use of keywords requires a similar strategy as on-page SEO.  So whether your blogging, uploading a YouTube video or commenting on someone else’s blog or Facebook page, the follow social media optimization techniques represent good practices:

• Post title (similar to meta title in on-page SEO):
  Usually around 60 characters and remember to included keywords as far at the beginning as makes good writing sense.  If you’re posting a Twitter tweet again use keywords and keep them as far to the beginning of the tweet as makes good writing sense.
• Blog excerpts and descriptions (these are similar to the meta description)
  Blog exerpts allow more words (approximately 125) and appear in RSS feeds to describe your post content).  Often this is the first paragraph in your blog, but it can also be different, although it must still be relevant.
  Blog descriptions are closer to the on-page SEO meta description tag and the content (approximately 160 characters) appears on the SERP.
• Categories and tags (the on-page SEO equivalent of the keyword meta tag):
  Absolutely include keyword-rich tags so that search engines and people know what your blog is all about.  Think of categories as chapters in a book.  Categories are more broad keyword terms.  Tags, on the otherhand are more specific and are similar to index entires in a book.  Tags can include category names plus more terms unique to your post.

B2B SEO copywriting and corporate communications

Some of the corporate communications folks were intrigued by SEO copywriting techniques but wanted to know how it may impact them.  This is a growing area in large enterprises who use tools like Microsoft SharePoint to collaborate with colleagues.

The term “Enterprise 2.0 describes the two-way communication that now exists with “Web 2.0.”  Colleagues in large enterprises often search for information with the hopes of leveraging the organizations existing talent and expertise.  How will they find you if your content isn’t optimized for search?  So in an Enterprise 2.0 environment, keyword-rich metadata applies as well.  Here are a few pointers:

• Give your files keyword-rich titles, descriptions, and tags.
  This applies to pdf files, word docs, excel spreadsheets, etc.  I know it takes a little more time, but it’s worth it if you can add value to your organization.  And if your colleagues can’t find your services, they tend to look outside of the organization and more easily find the same services because the content was optimized for search.
• When uploading image files, make sure you’ve named them using keywords and descriptions.
  For SharePoint users, add “alternate text” that includes keywords when you upload images.  Also, any files that are uploaded should include descriptions and titles that include keywords.
• Corporate communications example:
  Let’s say your department offers Environmental Remediation and Due Diligence (ER&DD) services and you’ve created a document highlighting recent cases.  Don’t save the file as ERDD Report 27.  Instead, title the report Environmental Health and Safety Risks:  New Case Study on Environmental Remediations at ABC Company sites.  If the report becomes a pdf file, include a brief excerpt that includes keywords. (Excerpts can be added by right clicking on a pdf file and selecting “properties,” then select “PDF” tab.)

Note that the above example assumes “Environmental Remediation and Due Diligence (ER&DD)” and “Environment Health & Safety” are keyword phrases on which colleagues may search.

So as corporate communicators, my belief is that we have as much responsibility to pull communications as we do to push, and helping colleagues find information they need is an important part of pull communications.

The discussion continues on my Facebook page under the “discussion” tab.

Checklist helps B2B SEO copywriters boost organic search results.

As a B2B copywriter, one of the biggest challenges of writing web content is writing effective engaging content while optimizing it for search.  For me, it’s easier to write the content with the reader in mind first and then optimize the content for search engines.  I use the following B2B copywriter’s seven-step checklist and tweak the content until it’s optimized for the reader and for search engines. 

If this seems a little cumbersome, don’t worry.  As you become more proficient at writing website content, you’ll automatically think “keywords and phrases” and integrated them more seamlessly. 

B2B Copywriter’s On-page SEO Checklist

1. Optimize the page for 3-5 keywords (on a 300- to 500-word web page)
2. Are the keywords in your page title and description?
3. Are the key keywords located up and to the left on the page?
4. Are the keywords located in a headline or subhead?
5. Are some of the keywords in a hyperlink?
6. Are some of the keywords in a bulleted list?
7. Do your images have keyword-rich captions and alt img tags?

More B2B SEO copywriting resources:

Keywords and keyword density Joan Damico’s Integrated Marcom Minute

Body Text: Where to Use Keywords for Better Search Results  by Bill Egan of Interleado

SEO Copywriting:  The five essential elements to focus on by Brian Clark of Copyblogger

The nutrition label lists the ingredients based on volume per package. Items appearing first on the ingredients list are most abundant in each serving. So if you’re looking for cereal that’s low in sugar, then you’ll want to make sure that sugar is low on the ingredient list or that it doesn’t appear at all.

This is where the nutrition label is like SEO copywriting. The keywords on which you’re optimizing your page should be the first few keywords in the meta title and description, as well as in alt image tags and on-page body copy… think up and to the left. This helps search engines determine relevancy of the search query to your web page. (There’s more to relevance than SEO copywriting, but it’s a necessary part of SEO.)

Take a step back, look at your copywriting and ask yourself the following questions:

• For what 3-5 keywords are you optimizing the page?
• Are those keywords located up and to the left on the page?
• Are those keywords located in a headline or subhead?
• Are some of those keywords in a hyperlink?
• Do your images have keyword-rich captions?

Your SEO copywriting is like the cereal box.  Think of the ingredients list as the meta data, which tells search engines what to look for. Make sure that your “ingredients” include the top 3-5 keywords on which you’re optimizing the page. The on-page content is like the front and back of the cereal box; make sure the on-page copy includes those same keywords in the places noted above.

Like a nutrition label, which tells you the percentage of fat and other things you probably shouldn’t have, keyword density tells you the percentage of copy that your keywords should comprise.  It basically lets search engines know that you’re actually writing real thoughts in sentences and not simply stuffing a bunch of keywords on a page to trick the search engine into thinking your content is relevant.

You can use tools such as keyworddensity.com and googlerankings.com, which scan your
page content and assign a density number. Most search marketers recommend a density of 3%-5% and some as high as 7% on a page of about 300-500 words.

When it comes to SEO copywriting, your on-page copywriting should connect with the meta data.  You don’t want to be the box of cereal that boasts low sugar when it’s the first ingredient on the nutrition label.

Keywords are the glue that ties your B2B integrated marcom program together. It’s also good “lead gen juice.” Whether you’re running a branding campaign or a product- or market-specific program, leveraging your keywords in the content you develop can have a greater positive impact on search results and helps you provide content that your target audience is looking for. As a result, you generate more qualified leads. The first step is to know your keywords and monitor them.

Google alerts offer an easy and free way to monitor your keywords and phrases. If you already have a paid monitoring service such as Alterian or Radian 6 you can use that too. What you’re trying to discern is what’s being discussed relative to your keywords and phrases. Having this “insider information” about your keywords and phrases helps you better develop content to address the needs of your audience across all the media in your mix.

So for example, let’s say you’re monitoring for your product category, “widgets” and your brand, “Acme Widgets.” Your keyword monitoring tells you that your target is looking to apply widgets to improve production speeds and reduce production errors. If keyword phrases, “improve production speeds” and “reduce production errors” aren’t already on your list of keywords, then include them, and make sure the content you develop includes them as well.

Now, take a look at your B2B marcom mix and see if your keywords are integrated throughout the mix. While you may not have the resources to go back and change a product brochure or existing print content, you can always adapt your online content to include the right keywords. You can create an online campaign including email, PPC ads, landing page, and white paper offer all focused on a group of keywords or phrases. Remember to also include a blog post or two that includes these keywords, Tweet with your keywords and monitor the social sphere for any opportunities to comment on blogs or other communities using these campaign-specific keywords.

Integrated marketing communications based on keywords and phrases can help you drive more qualified leads into the pipeline—especially as more B2B companies place greater emphasis on online marketing.

“I don’t know how anyone can do competitive SEO without growing their social network experience.” This was a quote from Lee Odden (@leeodden), CEO of TopRankMarketing, at a PRWeb webinar. It got me thinking about B2B SEO; and B2B companies who aren’t active in social media could have what may become a gaping hole in their SEO program.

Google now displays social media content in its search engine results pages (SERP). Failure to make social media participation part of your B2B integrated marcom program could harm your company to the extent that your competitors are participating in social media. (To see if your competitors are participating, set up listening posts Integrated Marcom Minute Sept. 2009) If you’re not commenting on other relevant blogs or actively posting to your own blog, then you could be missing key opportunities to build your digital influence, which in turn influences search. I’m not just talking about blogs and comments, this includes Facebook posts, Twitter Tweets, social bookmarks… everything social.

Does real time search trump PPC?

If you think real time search doesn’t matter because you’ve already bought various keywords in your pay-per-click programs, you may want to rethink. Real time search is what’s happening right now. For once, it doesn’t matter if you or your competitors own a popular keyword or phrase. If people are talking about that keyword or term in the social sphere, the content containing the keyword or phrase will appear in the results.

Does this mean you don’t need to continue your PPC program on a given keyword? No, because you’re still getting 24/7 exposure to the keyword you buy. However, it does raise an interesting issue. The more active you are on the social sphere for a given keyword or phrase, the greater the likelihood you’ll show up favorably in the SERP.

Where is your B2B marcom program when it comes to real search?

Here are a few more resources on real-time search:

How Real Time Search in Google and Bing Can Benefit Customers and Businesses Alike (I like point number 3… People care what others have to say. This is so true for B2B considered purchases.)

Google Real Time Search (Puts real time search into perspective relative to all the social media that B2B companies are beginning to explore such as Facebook and Twitter)

Relevance Meets Real Time Web (Here it is straight from the horses mouth!)

Google Real Time Search B2B (Good article on how Google will force all B2B companies to tweet.)

SEO tips: The Secret to Google Top 10 Real Time Rankings (Good advice on how to rank well in real time search.)

At a very high level, SEO is comprised of linking, on page/meta data content and other website mechanics (e.g. redirects, trusted URL, etc.). This post speaks to the page content element that B2B copywriters need to know.

Start by examining your keywords…

Many B2B companies underestimate the importance of this exercise. From a marketing standpoint, nailing your keywords and phrases is the foundation for your online marketing communications and content strategy. If you need to coach your marcom team on how to develop effective keywords, here’s a link to one of my newsletters on keyword selection where you can download a worksheet to help you decide on the most effective keywords. Make sure you vet your keywords and phrases through a keyword tool such as Google or Wordtracker.

On-page SEO copywriting…

Optimize your website pages for the keywords and phrases—and not all on one page. Group your keywords and phrases so that any given page is optimized for 3-5 keywords. Make sure that your meta title tags and description include the 3-5 keywords/phrases for which you’re optimizing a given page. For more about on-page SEO copywriting, see my article on boosting natural page rank.

Natural SEO copywriting works for blogs too…

Apply these same rules to your B2B blog and watch page visits increase. Include keywords in your blog titles for two reasons… one, it’s good for on-page SEO; and two, the keywords in the title usually become part of the URL (especially if the keywords come at the beginning of the title). That means another boost for natural search.

Then, make sure the keywords in the title are also in the body of the blog. And if your blog post is lengthier (500+ words) break it up with H2 or H3 header tags that include a keyword if possible. But remember, keep it natural. Don’t force keywords in at the expense of good copywriting flow and tone. Start with good content and then see if you can work in a few keywords while keeping the tone and flow natural.

Connect with SEO experts…

Follow them on Twitter and subscribe to their blog posts. I’ve started a Twitter list of SEO folks so go to @copywriter4u/B2B-SEO-pros to follow the list (it’s not comprehensive by any means, but gives you a good start). The following websites have SEO news and information to which you can subscribe:

• www.highrankings.com
• interleado.com
• SEOmoz.org
• searchengineland.com
• seotrafficspider.com

Again, there are many more resources on SEO. I culled the list above as I was learning SEO copywriting and thought you might find it helpful for starters. If you have other resources feel free to add them here.
Thanks!

If you’re thinking about starting another website, remember the domain name is the first place to optimize for search. Read Choosing an SEO-friendly Domain Name.

Akhilesh Gill of SEO Traffic Spider explains whether a dot com is still the best choice, plus shares tips on length and use of special characters.

Testing has shown that the long-tail (more specific) search is usually a good indication of a higher level of interest, which leads to better conversion. That said, the total number of clicks will be much lower for long-tail phrases than for a general term, but conversions drive sales. See an older post PPC Copywriting vs. SEO Copywriting… they’re inverse.

So how can B2B marcom pros boost conversion with long-tail keywords?

Go back to the B2B buying cycle. Prospects who are further along the buying cycle, in the consideration phase, are looking for more information to help them make the right decision. In the consideration phase, you may find long-tail keyword phrases more effective, because that’s when B2B buyers begin narrowing down their searches. They may often search on solutions to specific problems instead of product categories. For example, they may search for reliability maintenance analysis using the Barringer methodology, At this stage an effective B2B marcom mix could include a white paper, webinar, online video (with complementary white paper), and blog posts–all discussing the details of reliability maintenance analysis using the Barringer method.

Taken a step further, your marcom mix should also use the long-tail keyword phrase, reliability maintenance analysis using the Barringer method, in the drivers to the previously described content–drivers being the banner ads, email blasts and Twitter tweets that drive visitors to the content. So your subject line in the email blast should include the keyword phrase as well as the twitter tweet, banner ad, etc. (In the case of a subject line, you may need to truncate the long-tail phrase slightly.)

So when you identify a long-tail keyword phrase that your prospects are searching on, develop an integrated B2B campaign around it to help move prospects closer to the buying decision. You won’t get lots of clicks, but you will get more conversions.

Here’s a good article from Julie Joyce, How to Use Long-Tailed Keywords in Your Linking Campaign.

If you’re generating leads and you don’t have an SEO program, or at least a website that’s optimized for search, when a prospect searches for products and services, he or she will likely find your competitors (assuming your competitors are using SEO techniques).

I mentioned this in another Integrated Marcom Minute blog post on online video. Many B2B marketers don’t think their B2B clients & prospects are searching online. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Back as early as 2004, a StatMarket report indicated that 64% of B2B users turned to search first when researching new products.

Here’s a common B2B marketing example. Let’s say you offer a white paper on your latest technology. You position yourself as a leader in the field. The prospect downloads the white paper then later conducts a search to see other companies in the same space, and you’re nowhere to be found. The fact that you don’t show up contradicts what you say in the white paper–that you’re a leader in the field.

And given the lengthy and complex B2B sales cycle, search becomes even more important as the prospect moves closer to buying. Prospects may download the white paper in the awareness and consideration phases, and then months or weeks laters, as they move closer to purchase, conduct a few more searches. Is your company showing up in the results?

Searches tend to become more specific (longtail) the closer the prospect is to buying. The bottomline for B2B marketers is this… SEO is an integral part of B2B online marketing. Without it, you could be generating leads for your competitors.

Marketing Profs’ Roxanne Lott wrote a good article on the impact of search on the B2B sales cycle “The Power of Search within a Complex Sales Cycle.”

At the very least, your website should be optimized for search.