Landing pages are conversion machines designed to funnel visitors toward one action: conversion. They minimize distractions, focus on the message, and have a clear call to action (CTA). However, Google craves content that is deep, diverse, and comprehensive.
Ranking and converting feels like being asked to be both lion and deer.
Most marketers pick sides between SEO and PPC, and end up either flatlining their organic traffic or their conversions.
But what if the best way is not choosing sides, but finding the right balance with SEO-friendly landing pages? Let’s dive into how to create SEO-friendly landing pages that rank and convert.
What Makes a Landing Page SEO-Friendly?
Optimized for particular keywords and loaded with valuable content for readers, an SEO-friendly landing page ensures that the ‘right’ audience finds the page through organic searches as well. These pages focus on a single CTA, simplifying the decision-making process for the target audience.
Landing page example for the keyword social media management
Here’s how it strikes the right balance.
SEO vs. Conversion Optimization
SEO involves optimizing and enhancing web pages to improve their ranking in search engines. On the other hand, conversion rate optimization (CRO) involves transforming website visitors into customers.
An SEO-friendly landing page strikes a balance between the two. SEO brings visitors to your landing pages, and CRO ensures they are converted into customers.
Now, balancing doesn’t mean that you have to do both at the same time or only one at a time. Prioritize SEO if you’re struggling to drive traffic by optimizing keywords and building high-quality backlinks. When your landing page ranks well but has high bounce rates and low conversions, analyze user behavior, refine the design, and strengthen your CTAs.
How Google Ranks Landing Pages in Search Results
Google ranks landing pages that are optimized for relevant keywords and offer high-quality content. SEO increases the chances of your landing page ranking in search engines organically; the unpaid listings below sponsored ads.
It uses a mix of technical and user-focused criteria to rank the landing pages, such as:
- Content should match the search query intent
- Page should be fast, mobile-friendly, and secure (HTTPS)
- The engagement signals—low bounce rate, time spent on page, and interaction—should be strong enough to indicate value to Google
- Internal linking should be solid for easy crawling by search engines
- Implement metadata and structured data properly, including title tags, meta descriptions, and schema markup, to improve search visibility
SEO-friendly landing page placement that is ranking for a keyword
Key Elements of an SEO-Optimized Landing Page
So, what makes a landing page irresistible to search engines? A sharp focus on these key elements:
The different elements of a landing page illustrated
Keyword Research – Finding the Right Search Terms
The foundation of good SEO starts with keyword research. It helps you analyze what your audience is searching for and create pages that resonate with their needs and interests.
Targeting the wrong keywords may bring you traffic, but it won’t yield conversions.
Start by brainstorming a list of terms your potential customers might use. Then plug them into a tool like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Google Keyword Planner, which shows you search volume, competition, and trends, and suggests new keyword ideas. It also tells you top-of-page bid ranges to help you gauge demand and competitiveness.
Google’s Keyword Planner
Instead of going after broad terms like “CRM software,” target more specific, intent-driven phrases such as “CRM for remote teams” or “affordable CRM tools.” These long-tail keywords are more likely to attract users who are closer to making a purchase.
Pro tip: Once you’ve selected your keywords, group them by theme. Each landing page should target one primary keyword and a few closely related terms to stay focused and SEO-effective.
Key SEO elements on SERP
Page Titles and Meta Descriptions – Optimizing for CTR
Your page title and meta description are the first things people see in search results, and they directly impact your click-through rate (CTR), which tells Google if your page is relevant. When your title matches the search intent and your meta description teases value, such as a benefit, solution, or CTA, users are more likely to click.
For example, instead of a generic title like “CRM Software for Businesses,” go with “All-in-One CRM for B2B Sales Teams – Boost Conversions 2x.”
The supporting meta description could read: “Manage leads, automate follow-ups, and close more deals with our powerful CRM built for growing B2B teams.”
Keep the title under 60 characters, and include your main (primary) keyword. Meta descriptions should support the title, offer a clear value proposition, and stay within 155-160 characters.
URL Structure – Keeping it Clean and Search-Friendly
A clean, readable URL is SEO gold. Google recommends creating URLs that are logical, intelligible to humans, and easier for search engines to crawl and index.
For example:
❌ /page?id=12345
✅ /landing-page-optimization
Structuring your URLs to reflect your website’s information hierarchy helps search engines understand the relevance and relationship of each page. This makes it easier for them to crawl, index, and rank your content accurately.
While creating a URL might seem straightforward, getting it right requires some technical consideration. Here are a few best practices to keep in mind:
- Simple, descriptive words in the URL
- Use words in your audience’s language in the URL (and, if applicable, transliterated words). For example, if your audience is searching in German, use German words in the URL
- Apply a country-specific domain
- Add a single comma (,) to separate key-value pairs and double commas (,,) to add additional parameters
Landing page URL structure
Read the complete list of dos and don’ts for URL here.
Header Tags – Organizing Content for SEO and Readability
Header tags signal content structure to search engines, making it easier for them to understand the page’s topic and relevance. For users, it enhances readability and facilitates quick information retrieval, particularly on longer pages.
H1, H2 and H3 tags on a web page
When you use an H1 tag for the main topic, H2s for key subtopics, and H3s for supporting details, you create a clear content outline.
Your H1 should include the primary keyword and clearly state the page’s purpose. H2s and H3s should break down content into scannable sections, helping both search engines and readers navigate your page.
Image Optimization – Enhancing Speed and Accessibility
Images constitute a good portion of a landing page’s total size and massively benefit SEO and page speed, which is a ranking factor. Large, unoptimized, slow-loading images hurt both user experience and ranking. Optimizing them improves page load speed, enhances accessibility, and boosts visibility in search engine results, including Google Images.
Here’s how to optimize your images to support your SEO efforts:
- Compress large images without losing quality
- Use descriptive file names and include keyword-rich alt text
- Ensure images adapt to various screen sizes and resolutions
- Use Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) to deliver images from geographically distributed servers located closer to the user
Internal and External Linking – Boosting Authority and Relevance
Links play a key role in both context and credibility.
Internal links guide search engines through your site and help visitors discover related content, boosting engagement. External links add trust and show that your content is supported by relevant, authoritative sources.
Strategic linking helps Google understand the structure and relevance of your content, while also improving user navigation. It also enhances SEO for both your landing page and the pages you link to.
In essence:
- Use internal links to connect your landing page to related blog posts, product pages, or resources using keyword-rich anchor text.
Internal link on a web page
- Incorporate external links to reference trusted sites (like studies, industry reports, or tools) that support your content—just make sure they’re relevant and authoritative.
External link on a web page
How to Create SEO-Friendly Landing Page Content
Landing page SEO best practices are complemented by well-optimized content. You should focus on:
Writing for Search Intent: Informational vs. Transactional Pages
Start your SEO content journey by optimizing your landing page for search intent and keywords. Intent is crucial because it helps you align your landing page content with what users are looking for.
For example, someone searching “project management strategies” is likely in research mode, gathering information. But if they search for “best project management software for small teams” or “buy Asana premium plan,” they’re clearly closer to a buying decision—high commercial intent.
Knowing this difference helps you craft the right offer—educational content for researchers, and feature-benefit-driven content with CTAs for buyers, driving higher relevance and conversions.
Crafting High-Quality and Engaging Copy
SEO rewards balancing between persuasive messaging, strategic intent, and keyword use.
To create that perfect copy:
- Keep your headlines compelling and catchy—one that speaks to your audience and incorporates your primary keyword.
- Convey your value proposition with clear, concise language, broken into short paragraphs or bullet points.
- Avoid fluff; every word should earn its place.
- Ensure the tone aligns with your audience.
| For B2B, emphasize time-saving features, return on investment (ROI), or industry pain points. For B2C, focus on benefits, emotional triggers, and lifestyle alignment. |
- Place keywords thoughtfully—in your headers, intro paragraph, and metadata—without stuffing. Search engines want to serve helpful content, and Google’s evolving algorithms are getting better at understanding natural language.
Pro tip: Ask yourself, “Would I read this if I weren’t writing it?” If the answer is no, rewrite it. A landing page should be skimmable, persuasive, and human.
Improving Technical SEO for Landing Pages
Even the most well-written, keyword-optimized landing page won’t rank if technical issues hold it back. Let’s understand how.
Page Speed and Core Web Vitals – Ensuring Fast Load Times
A slow-loading landing page is an SEO killer. When your page loads quickly, users stay longer, bounce less, and are more likely to convert.
Google’s Core Web Vitals, specifically Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), are key performance metrics that directly impact rankings and user experience. To improve these:
- Optimize and compress large images, preload key assets, and use fast hosting or a CDN.
- Set explicit width and height for images and embeds.
- Minimize or defer JavaScript execution to reduce the impact of third-party scripts. The fewer elements your browser has to process, the better.
- Avoid inserting elements above existing content unless necessary, especially ads or pop-ups.
- Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or Lighthouse to identify performance bottlenecks.
- Consider using AMP-compatible landing page builders like Swipe Pages, which offer a page loading speed of less than two seconds.
Secure and Accessible (HTTPS + Schema Markup)
HTTPS instantly signals that the site is secure, in contrast to HTTP pages that are flagged as “Not Secure”. Even though HTTPS is considered a “lightweight ranking signal,” it can be the deciding factor when two pages have similar content and optimization.
Schema markup (also known as structured data) helps search engines better understand the context of your landing page content. Instead of just seeing plain text, Google can identify specific elements—like product names, pricing, reviews, FAQs, or business details—and display them in search listings. It also supports voice assistant responses, which often pull directly from schema-enhanced pages.
Get a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate from a trusted Certificate Authority (CA), and configure your server to redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS using 301 redirects. A content management system like WordPress or a landing page builder like Swipe Pages offers HTTPS support.
For schema markup, tools like Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper or plugins like Rank Math and Schema Pro simplify it for you.
SEO Landing Pages vs. PPC Landing Pages: Understanding the Difference
Now the question arises, which kind of landing page should you invest in—SEO or PPC?
Let’s break down the differences between the two.
| SEO Landing Pages | PPC Landing Pages | |
| Traffic Source | Organic search results | Paid advertising campaigns like Google Ads |
| Time to Results | Long-term, it requires time to build rankings and authority | Immediate, traffic begins as soon as the ad campaign is live |
| Cost | Investment in content creation and optimization; no cost-per-click (CPC) investment | Ongoing cost per click is budget-dependent |
| Content Focus | Informative and comprehensive content targeting relevant keywords and valuable content | Concise and persuasive content aligned with specific ad copy aimed at conversion |
| CTA | General CTAs aimed at guiding users through the content marketing funnel and offering users intentful information to build authority | Specific, highly targeted, and immediate CTAs are designed to prompt quick actions, eliminating any confusion |
| Design Elements | SEO-optimized elements like meta tags, headers, and keyword-rich content | Focused on CRO elements such as compelling headlines, trust signals, and clear CTAs |
| User Intent | Caters to users seeking information or solutions; supports various stages of the buyer’s journey | Targets users with high commercial intent; aligns closely with the ad’s promise |
| Indexing | Indexed by search engines to improve visibility over time | Often not indexed to prevent duplicate content issues and maintain control over ad-specific messaging |
| Maintenance | Requires ongoing SEO efforts to improve rankings | Requires continuous monitoring and optimization of ad performance |
When to Use SEO for Landing Pages
Use SEO-focused landing pages when you want to drive long-term, cost-effective traffic. They are particularly valuable when you want to achieve credibility and trust through organic ranking and want to target users in the early stages of the buyer’s journey.
Ideal scenarios include:
- Promoting evergreen offers or resources, like whitepapers, demos, or service pages.
- Targeting high-volume, informational, or commercial keywords.
- Attracting inbound leads through content-rich, value-driven pages.
- Supporting content marketing or blog strategy, including detailed descriptions, FAQs, and internal links to establish authority and improve search engine rankings.
How SEO and Paid Ads Can Work Together
While SEO builds a foundation for long-term organic traffic, PPC campaigns can provide immediate visibility and traffic. Insights gained from PPC campaigns, such as high-performing keywords and user behavior, can inform and enhance SEO strategies.
Here’s how you can use them together to produce magic:
- Promote SEO content with PPC: Ensures your content gains visibility while organic rankings are still building, accelerating audience engagement, and data collection.
- Leverage PPC for link building: Boosts content visibility, increasing its chances of earning backlinks.
- Use PPC to test SEO strategies: Allows you to identify high-performing keywords and content strategies, informing SEO planning with real-time data.
- Enhance brand visibility with combined efforts: Increases the chances of capturing user attention and clicks, as your brand appears in both paid and organic listings.
3 Common SEO Mistakes to Avoid When Optimizing Landing Pages
Don’t get carried away with SEO and avoid these if you want good results:
- Overstuffing Keywords
This may have worked a decade ago, but not anymore. Search engines now penalize pages that sound unnatural or try to manipulate reader experiences. Aim for clarity, not keyword density.
As a rule of thumb: if the reader wouldn’t say it out loud, it probably doesn’t belong on the page.
Keyword-stuffed landing page disturbing readability and SEO
- Creating Thin Content
Search engines prioritize unique, valuable content that solves a user’s query. If your landing page does not offer useful information or repeats the same content across the page, it won’t rank.
Enhance your content with rich details, practical use cases, and engaging media. Avoid duplicating pages with slight variations in keywords—that’s a red flag for Google.
- Ignoring Mobile and Page Speed
A landing page that isn’t optimized for mobile devices or has slow loading times can significantly impact user experience and SEO rankings. For instance, if your landing page isn’t optimized for mobile or takes more than 2-3 seconds to load, users will bounce, and Google will take notice.
Swipe Pages’ mobile-responsive and fast-loading pages
Tracking and Measuring the Success of SEO Landing Pages
You’ve put in the work to create your SEO landing pages; now it’s time to see if they’re doing their job. Without proper tracking, you’re essentially flying blind. You won’t know which keywords are driving traffic, which elements convert best, or where users are dropping off.
Let’s see how to track and measure SEO landing page performance.
Using Google Analytics and Search Console for Performance Insights
These are essential tools for monitoring landing page performance:
- Google Analytics helps you track user behavior—bounce rate, time on page, conversion rate, and traffic sources. You can set up Goals or Events and see how well your landing page drives actions like form fills, downloads, or demo requests.
- Google Search Console shows how your page appears in search results. You can view keyword queries, CTR, impressions, and average ranking position. It also flags indexing issues, mobile usability problems, and Core Web Vitals performance.
Together, they provide a comprehensive view of how your landing page attracts users and converts them.
A/B Testing and Continuous Optimization
A/B testing helps you make data-driven decisions by revealing real user behavior, allowing you to optimize your landing page for a more intuitive and satisfying experience.
Swipe Pages’ high-converting landing page builder with A/B testing
Run experiments on headlines, CTA buttons, copy, images, and layout to see what resonates best with your audience.
Even small tweaks, such as changing the button text from “Submit” to “Get My Free Trial,” can significantly impact conversion rates.
If you’re looking for a tool to make this easier, Swipe Pages makes A/B testing simple and accessible, even if you don’t have a technical background. You can duplicate a page variant with just a few clicks, adjust specific elements, and then split traffic between versions to see which performs better.
Traffic adjustments across multiple variants
The platform also tracks key metrics, ensuring you get clear insights into what’s working.
It also allows for multivariate testing, so you can test multiple elements at once, like a new image and a different headline, to understand how combinations influence performance. Once a clear winner emerges, you can publish the better-performing version with minimal effort.
Whether you’re testing subtle changes or redesigning your layout completely, Swipe Pages gives you the tools to iterate quickly and confidently.
Final Thoughts: Building SEO-Optimized Landing Pages for Long-Term Success
SEO-friendly landing pages are all about sustainable, long-term growth. To achieve a high ranking, your page needs to focus on search intent, provide high-quality content, and undergo technical optimization and continuous monitoring.
Creating pages that both search engines like and your visitors love requires a delicate balance. Landing page builders like Swipe Pages excel in this area, combining SEO and conversion optimization.
Want to create landing pages without worrying about SEO technicalities and losing content quality? Take Swipe Pages’ 14-day free trial (no credit card required!) to create blazing fast SEO-friendly landing pages that are optimized for conversion.
FAQs
What are the key elements of an SEO-friendly landing page?
The key elements of an SEO-friendly landing page include keyword-optimized headings, clean URL structures, compelling meta titles and descriptions, fast load speeds, mobile responsiveness, internal and external links, and well-structured content with clear search intent.
How do SEO-friendly landing pages differ from PPC landing pages?
SEO landing pages rank organically in search engines and attract long-term, free traffic. PPC landing pages, on the other hand, are explicitly designed for paid ads and prioritize conversion over content depth.
What common SEO mistakes should you avoid when optimizing landing pages?
Common SEO mistakes to avoid when optimizing landing pages include keyword stuffing, duplicate or thin content, neglected mobile performance, and overlooked technical SEO elements, such as page speed and HTTPS. Also, skipping proper internal linking and failing to align content with search intent can hurt your page’s performance in search results.