How to Optimize Your Blog Pages to Generate Leads

‎TL;DR:

• SEO Optimization Tips: Optimize titles, descriptions, headings, and images; use internal/external links and quick-loading structures.
• Conversion Optimization Steps: Craft CTAs matching funnel stage, use sticky/end-of-post CTAs, conduct A/B tests, offer gated content, and add interactive elements.
• Maximizing Blog Reach: Promote on relevant platforms, and prioritize user intent

There's no worse combination than content pages that are poorly optimized for SEO and for conversions.

You need to get the right people to your pages and nurture them to convert. Traffic means nothing if visitors aren't qualified, and qualified visitors who don't know how to take a next step will simply fall off your site.

Most blogs are terrible at both and are losing out on hundreds of leads (and $).

Following this guide will help you optimize for SEO and conversions to turn your blog into a conversion machine.

How to Optimize Pages for SEO

There are three main facets of good content for Google:

1. Understanding search intent and what kind of answer the user is looking for.
2. Bringing net new information to the table and not saying the same stuff that everyone else is saying. Interview experts for unique insights, talk to your customers, and do your own research to provide proprietary data
3. Following best practices for technical SEO so that Google's bots can read and understand your page.

We have a fully-fledged guide on optimizing your blogs for SEO if you want to get into the nitty-gritty. But the TL;DR for a technically optimized page is:

1. The title and meta description shouldn't be cut off in the SERP.
2. Images need alt text.
3. Images need proper file names.
4. You shouldn't have more than one H1.
5. Use proper heading structure from H2s onward.
6. You need at least two or three internal links.
7. Include at least one high domain authority external link.
8. Make sure there are no broken links.
9. Make sure the page has a skimmable structure. This means including lists, bullet points, and bolded text.
10. No keyword stuffing.
11. If you want a video to be indexed, make sure it's above the fold.
12. Lazy load images. Platforms like Webflow let you do this from Performance Settings
13. Any above the fold content needs to load quickly. Use Google's PageSpeed insights for help with your Core Web Vitals.
14. Make sure the author and bio are visible.
15. Include a relevant cover image.

As important as everything on this checklist is, it's a lot to take care of on your own. Letterdrop's SEO Optimizer runs your content over 60 different technical SEO rules and more to help you automate your optimization.

How to Optimize Pages For Conversion in 8 Steps

Following SEO best practices should have landed qualified prospects on your site. Now, to turn them into buyers with CTAs.

Call to Actions (CTAs) are integral in getting prospects to take a next step. They need to show a visitor the value of taking action and what that action should be.

We have a guide on creating CTAs that convert. Some best practices are to:

• Use compelling action words
• Personalize your text — "Save Money Today" is better than "Buy Now"
• Make CTAs visible. Use brand colors and attractive (yet simple) design
• Lead up to the CTA with supporting text to make it a more natural progression
• Avoid overwhelming the reader with too many CTAs on one page. Less is more — stick with a max of three

Using this formula, it's time to execute.

1. Align Your CTA with the Right Funnel Stage

You need to match the action you want the prospect to take to where they are in the marketing funnel, or buyer stage.

There's no use pushing for a demo if your prospect is in the Top of Funnel / Unaware Stage. They don't know who you are, so why would they buy from you?

Here are some examples of CTAs that align with the right stages in the funnel:

• "Read More on Our Blog" → Unaware (TOFU). Prospects don't know about your product yet and are looking to learn more on the space, so pushing them toward related articles is a great way forward.
• "Subscribe To Our Newsletter for More Tips" / "Read More on Our Blog" → Problem-Aware (TOFU). Prospects are aware of a problem that you're able to solve. Resources like your blog and newsletter are helpful here.
• "Talk to Us" / "Try Our Free Trial" → Solution-Aware (MOFU). Prospects are on the market for a solution, so you're trying to help them make a choice.
• "Book a Demo" → Product-Aware (BOFU). Prospects are ready to become buyers at this stage, which is the perfect time to push a demo or even a buy.

2. Each CTA Should Be Contextually Relevant

CTAs are not a one-size-fits-all. They need to be contextually relevant just as much as they need to fit in with the prospects' buyer stage.

Using the same CTA on every blog post won't work. Instead, they should match search intent and what the specific article is about.

For example, this article about pillar pages includes a section on keyword research, and Semrush has added a relevant CTA here.

3. Include a Sticky CTA on the Side and a CTA At the End

Sticky CTAs are visible to users even as they scroll your page, keeping the action there for them to take without being pushy.

They're also a failsafe just in case prospects have missed other on-page opportunities to convert.

Here's a sticky CTA on the right-hand side by Gong.

‎You also want to include a CTA at the bottom of the blog post. Your prospect is finished reading, so the end is a natural place to encourage the next step. Keep it contextual and non-intrusive.

Here's a natural CTA from Scribe at the end of a blog post.

4. Arrange Content and CTAs in the "F-Pattern"

The F-Pattern is an eye-scanning method used by companies like Semrush, who saw a 64% increase in branded traffic after applying it to their pages.

It presents content in a simple and easy-to-scan way on the left-hand side, guiding prospects' gaze through a carefully structured journey that takes them to an action.

Here's how to implement it:

1. Use the BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) framework if applicable — start with the outcome and let the argument unfold through headings from there
2. Use the first two paragraphs for your most important information
3. Use bulleted and numbered lists to break up walls of text
4. One paragraph should represent one idea
5. Make important points stand out with bolding or other framing devices (borders, highlighting, etc)
6. Include diagrams, images and video to break up the text. Prioritize proprietary assets instead of using stock images or footage
7. Place your CTAs on the left or right side of the page and make them sticky. This can point users toward an action quickly

5. Include Helpful Gated Content

Offering gated content, such as templates, is an easy way to gather email addresses from qualified prospects.

Just like with CTAs, you need to make sure that content is relevant to the rest of the article. Here's an example of relevant gated content by HubSpot.

6. Include Forms and Other Interactive Content

Interactive content such as polls and quizzes is another way to drive engagement with your blog pages and get contact information.

This strategy has worked well for Sell Courses Online, which saw a lead increase of 25,000 for consecutive years with a single quiz.

This works particularly well if you're marketing to devs ‎who like to try products out for themselves.

7. Use Exit-Intent Pop-Ups

Incentivize visitors who are about to leave the page with exclusive discounts.

You need to make sure the pop-up is specifically relevant to the page the visitor was viewing if you want them to stay, though.

For example, you might offer a discount on a product-aware post and ask them to sign up for a newsletter on an early buyer stage post.

Here's an exit pop-up from J.Crew:

How do you find out whether visitors are about to exit the page?

You can chat to your developers and set up trigger events, such as idle timeout or tab switching.

8. Promote Your Blog Articles on Relevant Social Platforms

Distribution is half the battle won when it comes to generating leads. You've got great content, so get it out there to the right platforms (and in the right formats.)

For example, you can repurpose a single blog post into multiple posts for LinkedIn if your ICP is in B2B SaaS — whether with a carousel, a short video summary, insights, lists, and more. LinkedIn is an excellent source of leads for us at Letterdrop, with our CEO's account and dedicated employee advocacy proogram contributing to 53% of our pipeline.

Do your research to make sure your ICP actually uses the platform you choose.

Optional: A/B Test Your Pages

Don't be afraid to experiment with A/B testing.

Test out the effect of different CTA placement, text, design, wording, and more to figure out which designs are driving the most engagement.

You can then track your page performance using free tools like Google Analytics to make your choices.

Create Pages With Your User's Intent in Mind

Optimizing for SEO and for conversions ultimately come to the same thing — structuring your pages around user intent and around giving them the best and most helpful experience. This, in turn, helps Google understand your pages.

Don't let qualified prospects slide off the page with lazy or outdated tactics.

We're always thinking about how we can improve searcher's journeys. We can help you automate best SEO practices to get those conversions rolling in.