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How to Combine Conversion Optimization with SEO

By: Chris Goward
Date: August 11th, 2009

Note: This is part one of a two-part series on the overlap between CRO and SEO and how they work together. Part two discusses how to do CRO without hurting your SEO. There’s also a video interview where I talk about SEO and CRO a bit too.

We all know what a beautiful thing an effectively search-engine-optimized site is. Traffic flows in from natural search rankings without you spending huge monthly fees for pay-per-click ads.

However, you also know that site traffic is useless unless those visitors become customers – and that’s where Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO, also known as Conversion Optimization) is required.

(Note: WiderFunnel’s Conversion Optimization services are often confused with Search Engine Optimization or SEO. If you get confused with the word ‘Optimization’, you’re focusing on the wrong word. If we were in the business of ‘Pancake Optimization’, we would probably be pursuing the perfect pancake, right? Likewise, Conversion Rate Optimization is the pursuit of the optimal Conversion Rate, not a higher Search Engine Ranking.)

Without Conversion Optimization, all the Search Engine Optimization in the world will, at best, increase your traffic levels, but your conversion rate will not improve. Or worse, unsophisticated onsite SEO techniques will actually lower your Conversion Rate. (You know the type of site I mean; the copy is so filled with repetitive keywords that it’s nearly impossible to read. That’s a credibility killer.)

If you’ve already been successful driving traffic with SEO you may be nervous (and justifiably so) that testing a new layout or content could hurt your search rankings. In our experience, however, that is rarely a significant risk.

How can I say that?

SEO and CRO Can Play Well Together

Fortunately, the principles of SEO and Conversion Rate Optimization are totally compatible. Here are some foundational principles that apply to both SEO and CRO:

You will achieve better Search Engine rankings with pages that focus on a single topic or product. This will improve your conversion rate too.
Changing clever headlines (ie. your ad agency’s ‘Big Idea’) to Clear and Relevant headlines will improve both SEO and CRO.
Replacing complex content presentations and animation (ie. Flash-esque content) will usually improve your SEO and Conversion Rate.
Using clear content hierarchy with proper heading tags will help with SEO and force you to think about your message progression, which will likely help your Conversion Rate too.

As a Google Authorized Consultant, I’ve spoken with key individuals at Google about this question and their stated policy is to not penalize pages that have been tested using Google Website Optimizer. They’ve told me that Google wants to reward pages that provide what visitors are searching for. In fact, Google has requested that we provide any examples of conversion-optimized pages that have decreased in search or quality score ranking due to conversion rate optimization so they can address it. We have yet to see a single example.

Conversion optimization can help your SEO efforts in other ways too:

A page that’s optimized for conversions will be more usable and visitor-friendly, which makes it more likely to receive inbound links and referrals
Search engines will index pages more highly that are updated frequently, so it doesn’t hurt to keep the layout and content fresh
A conversion optimized page should be using more relevant keywords that match what visitors are searching for

In my next blog post, I’ll provide a process to ensure your Conversion Optimization efforts don’t hurt your SEO rankings. Sign up below to make sure you don’t miss any upcoming articles!

Ask Us How to Improve Your Conversion Rate

WiderFunnel is the original full service Conversion Optimization agency. When you outsorce you conversion improvement to us you get guaranteed results with an all-inclusive price.

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Posted in: conversion rate optimization

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105212 Responses2009-08-11+12%3A01%3A11Chris+Goward to “How to Combine Conversion Optimization with SEO”

Michael Zipursky Says:
August 11th, 2009 at 11:37 am
Chris,
Great article on a very interesting topic. It’s been clear the big G ultimately rewards sites and pages that give the searcher/user what they’re after. Value and relevance on the page, a great user experience and fresh content is a potent mix – the angle you introduced with Website Optimizer relating to SEO is something I hadn’t considered before, but now makes a lot of sense.

Look forward to the next article.
Tom Shivers Says:
August 12th, 2009 at 10:47 am
It appears that you have data that confirms what many SEOs have suspected: Google does consider landing page factors like average bounce rate, average time on site, average number of pages per visit, etc. in their algo. I’m not saying CRO is SEO but it certainly appears to be a factor that shouldn’t be overlooked (especially if the other keyword competitors haven’t done a good job with conversion).
Chris Goward Says:
August 23rd, 2009 at 9:26 am
Thanks for your comments, Michael & Tom.

Google uses a variety of metrics to determine whether your pages are delivering what visitors are looking for. Ultimately, it’s smart to align your website with what Google is looking for: valuable, relevant content.

I’ve now posted Part 2 of this post with tips to maximize the SEO benefit from CRO:
http://www.widerfunnel.com/conversion-rate-optimization/how-to-combine-conversion-optimization-with-seo-part-2
mauco Says:
August 23rd, 2009 at 9:45 am
Great post. Thanks for the clarifying SEO and CRO.
Funny enough I know of a site that the owners are doing their best to implement SEO and their conversion rate is dwindling. So this post has come at the right time. Thanks.
Interview with Chris Goward from WiderFunnel | 10e20 Says:
October 14th, 2009 at 11:10 am
[...] You recently wrote a couple blog posts about how to combine conversion optimization with SEO (see here and here). Do you think that conversion optimization is getting more widespread [...]
10 Ways to Improve SEO Conversions | William Atkin Says:
January 12th, 2010 at 10:20 am
[...] Testing: Advanced Search Engine Optimization Increasing Your Landing Page Conversion Rate How to Combine Conversion Optimization with SEO Improve Your Website Conversion [...]
Ani Lopez Says:
January 28th, 2010 at 5:12 pm
I’ve always defensed Conversion Optimization as fundamental part of a good SEO project.

In any case, the four points you mention at ‘SEO and CRO Can Play Well Together’ are, in my opinion more close to Information Architecture than any other discipline SEO related and, in consequence, something to work on the first stage of a SEO campaign, (content structure review, keyword analysis and keyword distribution along structure).
Scott Brinker Says:
January 29th, 2010 at 6:54 am
Great article, Chris.

I appreciate that the very best SEO’s would claim that they have always been focused, ultimately, on conversions — in the end, revenue and profit are the final arbitrators of marketing success.

However, when you get into the day-to-day trenches, I agree with you that SEO has been more focused on rankings and the tactics to achieve higher rankings. Indirectly that then impacts conversions. But with CRO, it makes a big difference to start each day with your primary metric being the conversion rate.

That can dovetail beautifully with SEO. But it has legs in paid media, email, and social media marketing too.
Chris MacNaughton Says:
April 2nd, 2010 at 4:44 pm
Great post, I just found your blog through a link from SEOmoz in a post about combining the disciplines of SEO and CRO as I have been doing with a couple of my clients. I appreciate the post, it gave me a new angle to think about and I'll be reading part 2 now!
Web Self Service Says:
July 22nd, 2010 at 10:58 pm
Great article. I really have to study conversion with SEO because I think it will better my business on the internet.
Scott Fowles Says:
August 16th, 2010 at 4:33 pm
Hi Chris,

Great post! We’ve been working hard at Bruce Clay to bring to light these same concepts with many of our clients.

The examples that you pointed out of principles that work well together between SEO and CRO are great, especially regarding content architecture and hierarchy. A clearly defined structure to your site is crucial for any successful marketing initiative.

Also, by instituting a culture of testing in your company, you can not only test for improvements to conversion rates but also for improvements to SEO, PPC, and other campaigns that you may embark on.

Cheers!
@chrisgoward Says:
August 16th, 2010 at 4:59 pm
Thanks for visiting, Scott. It's great to have confirmation from the SEO experts!