SEO and CRO: How to Combine Strategies for Better Results

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Search motor optimization (SEO) and conversion complaint optimization (CRO) absorption connected antithetic website elements. But they are intimately related. 

  • SEO: A acceptable of practices meant to summation a website’s visibility successful hunt engines. And boost integrated traffic.
  • CRO: The process of optimizing a website to summation the percent of visitors who instrumentality a desired action. Like clicking “add to cart” oregon filling retired a form. 

These strategies tin enactment unneurotic to foster concern growth.

SEO focuses connected elements that interaction integrated rankings. Like keywords and meta tags. CRO focuses connected elements the idiosyncratic mightiness prosecute with. Like calls to enactment (CTAs) and submission forms. 

Search motor  optimization (SEO) vs conversion complaint   optimization (CRO)

The Basics of SEO: Driving Quality Traffic

The main extremity of SEO is to thrust prime postulation from hunt engines to your website. This means website visitors who are funny successful the products oregon services you offer.

There are 3 superior subcategories of SEO: 

  • On-page SEO: Optimizing the contented of a webpage. Such arsenic landing leafage transcript oregon meta tags.
  • Off-page SEO: Increasing off-page signals. Like backlinks, marque mentions, oregon societal media profiles. 
  • Technical SEO: Improving the show of a website. Like leafage velocity and load times.

The Basics of CRO: Maximizing Conversions

The superior extremity of CRO is to summation your conversion rate. Or the percent of full visitors who instrumentality a desired enactment connected your website.

The look for conversion complaint looks similar this:

Conversion complaint   (%) is calculated by dividing fig   of conversions with fig   of visitors, multiplied by 100

CRO is executed by studying behaviors connected a website. Like clicks oregon scroll depth. Then, adding oregon changing website elements. To promote much users to instrumentality the desired action. 

There are galore types of conversion actions, specified as:

  • Submitting a form
  • Purchasing a product
  • Booking a meeting
  • Creating an account
  • Subscribing to a newsletter

Often, antithetic pages of your website volition person antithetic conversion goals.

For example, the conversion extremity of a merchandise leafage whitethorn beryllium for the idiosyncratic to adhd an point to a buying cart. 

Like this:

A merchandise  leafage   with "Add to bag" CTA highlighted

The conversion extremity of a blog station whitethorn beryllium to get much email subscribers. 

Like this:

A blog station  leafage   with "Subscribe" CTA highlighted

To summation conversion rates, intelligibly specify what conversion actions you privation to make connected circumstantial webpages. 

Then, use CRO strategies to promote much of those actions. 

Further reading: The Art of Content Optimization: The Complete Guide

9 Ways to Combine SEO and CRO 

Ensure your efforts enactment each different by integrating SEO and CRO. 

1. Align SEO Goals with CRO Goals

Align SEO and CRO goals successful your selling strategy. So you are much apt to summation integrated traffic. And conversion rates.

The extremity   of SEO is to increate integrated  postulation   and scope   imaginable   customers. The extremity   of CRO is to boost conversions and person  customers oregon  leads.

Let’s accidental you removed a meeting-booking widget connected 1 of your webpages due to the fact that it was expanding leafage load time. 

That whitethorn assistance SEO by improving leafage speed, but it volition astir apt trim the conversion complaint of the page. 

So, it’s important to sermon your SEO and CRO strategies simultaneously. 

Consider asking the pursuing questions successful the readying stage:

  • Where successful the marketing funnel is my integrated website visitor?
  • What conversion enactment are they astir apt to take?
  • Does the contented connected the leafage promote them to instrumentality that circumstantial action?
  • Can I adhd plan elements to promote that action?
  • Will changing oregon adding those plan elements interaction the SEO show of the page?

Answering these questions tin assistance you debar conflicts betwixt SEO and CRO.

And assistance you harvester some strategies into a cohesive selling approach.

2. Optimize for Keyword Search Intent

Search intent refers to the existent intent down a user’s search. Or what they are looking for erstwhile utilizing a keyword.

Marketers usage 4 superior search intent categories: 

  • Navigational: When the idiosyncratic is looking for a circumstantial website oregon webpage
  • Informational: When the idiosyncratic is looking for circumstantial information
  • Commercial: When the idiosyncratic is researching a merchandise oregon service. But whitethorn not beryllium acceptable to marque a purchase.
  • Transactional: When the idiosyncratic is looking to marque a acquisition oregon different convert
Navigational, informational, commercial, and transactional hunt  intents

Use the Keyword Magic Tool to recognize the hunt intent of keywords. 

You’ll find it nether SEO > Keyword Research > Keyword Magic Tool.

Start by entering a keyword into the substance box. Select your people determination location. Then, click “Search.”

"dog boarding denver" entered into the Keyword Magic Tool hunt  bar

When the array populates, look astatine the file labeled “Intent.” The missive displayed volition signify the hunt intent of the keyword.

Keyword Magic Tool results for "dog boarding denver" with the "Intent" file  highlighted

Search intent has a adjacent narration to CRO. Because it tin uncover the conversion actions integrated visitors are astir apt to take. 

Let’s accidental you person a CRO extremity to summation bookings connected your canine boarding website.

The keyword “dog boarding denver” has commercialized intent. Those users are apt successful the probe phase. And whitethorn not beryllium acceptable to publication a preservation close away.

The keyword “dog boarding denver” has commercialized  intent

But the keyword “best boarding for dogs adjacent me” has transactional intent. People utilizing that keyword are person to a acquisition decision. And whitethorn beryllium much consenting to publication a service.

The keyword “best boarding for dogs adjacent   me” has transactional intent

“Best boarding for dogs adjacent me” is simply a strategical SEO prime that could besides payment CRO.

Knowing however to optimize contented for CRO successful SEO tin assistance you align goals. Which tin pb to amended results with some strategies.

3. Create High-Quality, SEO-Friendly Content

High-quality contented has a amended accidental of ranking successful hunt motor results pages (SERPs). Which tin pb to much traffic. And much opportunities to convert.

But if an integrated visitant does not find your contented applicable oregon helpful, they whitethorn click backmost to the SERP. Before taking immoderate conversion enactment connected your website.

So, creating high-quality contented is important for some SEO and CRO. But what does high-quality contented look like? 

Google suggests that the pursuing factors whitethorn bespeak high-quality content:

  • Original information, research, reporting, oregon insights
  • Detailed exploration of a topic
  • Insightful investigation (does much than authorities the obvious)
  • Provides important worth compared to different pages successful the SERPs
  • Free from misspellings and grammatical errors

If you request assistance creating high-quality content, usage the SEO Content Template. This little instauration instrumentality provides adjuvant suggestions. Like keyword, length, and contented recommendations.

You’ll find the SEO Content Template successful Semrush nether “Content Marketing” > “SEO Content Template.” 

Enter a keyword and people location. Then, click “Create contented template.”

"best boarding for dogs adjacent   me" entered into the SEO Content Template tool

Scroll down to the “Key recommendations” section. The presumption listed successful “Semantically related words” are topics you tin research connected your webpage. 

“Key recommendations (based connected  your Google apical  10 rivals)” conception  successful  SEO Content Template

You’ll besides spot different recommendations successful the template for connection count, leafage titles, and more.

Using SEO Content Template tin assistance you make contented that is highly applicable to the user’s hunt intent.

Which tin pb to reaching an assemblage that is motivated to convert.

Well-crafted rubric tags and meta descriptions tin summation clicks from integrated hunt engines. And promote conversions.

The title tag of a webpage often appears arsenic the blue, clickable hyperlink successful the SERP. The meta statement tin look beneath it. And some supply much accusation astir the content.

For example, let’s proceed our illustration of expanding doggy time attraction bookings.

 "Home | BARK! Pet's Care astatine  Denver"

The rubric tag and meta statement supra were optimized for SEO and CRO. 

The meta description contains important keywords similar “dog boarding” and “day care” for SEO. But it besides encourages the idiosyncratic to instrumentality a circumstantial conversion enactment with the text, “Book today!”

Follow these metadata champion practices:

  • Optimize for hunt intent
  • Follow SEO-friendly quality counts (50 to 60 for rubric tags; 105 characters for meta descriptions)
  • Include keywords oregon keyword variations
  • Encourage the idiosyncratic to click implicit to the leafage by describing the worth oregon relevance of the content
  • Add enticing accusation similar discounts, promotions, oregon perks (e.g., “Free Shipping”)

5. Use Calls to Action 

A call to action refers to immoderate substance that encourages website visitors to implicit an action. 

For example, the pursuing homepage uses respective CTAs connected the page:

BARK! homepage with "Book Today" "Call Us" and "Learn more" CTAs highlighted

The CTAs include:

  • “Book Today”
  • “Call us”
  • “Learn more”
  • “Click Here to Chat Now!”

Each of these CTAs provides a antithetic mode for the idiosyncratic to instrumentality action. 

If the visitant has transactional hunt intent, they tin publication a reservation. If they person informational hunt intent, they tin chat with a income representative. To get answers to their questions.

CRO strategies often impact adding CTAs. Including text, placement, and color. To springiness the website visitant much ways to act.

Optimize CTAs for CRO and SEO with these champion practices: 

  • Use ample and legible text
  • Include enactment words (Book, Call, Subscribe, Click, etc.)
  • Use a high-contrast colour to marque your fastener basal out
  • Include keywords oregon keyword variations (when natural)
  • Place CTAs supra the fold (the precocious fractional of a webpage)
  • Use interactive elements (increase size, alteration color, etc.)

6. Harness the Power of Social Proof and Testimonials

Reviews and testimonials tin beryllium almighty for some SEO and CRO. 

Because astir radical work lawsuit reviews earlier making a acquisition decision. And they tin enactment arsenic a awesome of trustworthiness, which Google has stated is an important indicator of contented quality.

If you person affirmative reviews oregon lawsuit testimonials, see adding them to your website content.

For section businesses, promote customers to permission reviews connected third-party platforms. So your section listing displays a higher prima rating.

The Pooch Pad's Google concern  profile, showing 4.6 standing  based connected  97 lawsuit    reviews

For B2B companies, lawsuit testimonials tin showcase lawsuit satisfaction. And your unique worth proposition (UVP). 

Like this testimonial connected BambooHR’s site. The lawsuit says the bundle frees them up to bash “more of what really matters successful HR.” It’s a compelling endorsement that speaks to the product’s value. 

A testimonial connected  BambooHR’s tract  that reads "It's freeing maine  up   to bash  much  of what really  matters successful  HR"

Other ways to showcase reviews include:

  • Adding review schema markup to your webpages
  • Creating a “Reviews” leafage connected your website
  • Adding lawsuit testimonials to the header oregon footer of your website
  • Adding reviews to the contented of definite pages oregon posts

The much affirmative reviews you get, the much you tin leverage them successful your SEO and CRO strategy. 

But arsenic you get much reviews, you’ll request a mode to negociate them. 

Use the Review Management instrumentality to way online reviews. And negociate your reputation. Read, reply to, and analyse reviews each successful 1 place. 

Online reviews dashboard successful  Review Management tool

7. Try A/B Testing 

A/B investigating is the process of investigating 2 versions of a page. To spot which returns amended results.

Variant and power  mentation    of a leafage   for A/B testing

To tally an A/B test, you’ll request to:

  • Create 2 abstracted versions of a page
  • Change a azygous adaptable connected 1 of the pages
  • Show some pages to the same-sized audience
  • Measure which performed amended aft a circumstantial clip period

Conduct A/B investigating for some SEO and CRO purposes.

For example, trial whether a leafage with reviews schema markup drives much postulation than 1 without. Or trial whether a leafage with a greenish CTA fastener gets much conversions than a leafage with a reddish one.

A/B tests similar these tin supply data-driven insights into which SEO optimizations oregon CRO elements person the top impact.

So you tin crook much leads into customers. 

8. Enhance Site Speed for Better User Experience

Slow-loading webpages tin impede some SEO and CRO. Because visitors are little apt to enactment connected your website if it takes excessively agelong to load.

A dilatory website tin besides negatively interaction your integrated web traffic. Because Google uses a page’s Core Web Vitals arsenic 1 of galore factors that tin impact rankings. Core Web Vitals see metrics astir a page’s load clip and performance.

To cheque your website’s velocity and wide performance, usage Site Audit.

Navigate to Semrush. You’ll find the instrumentality nether “SEO” > “On Page & Tech SEO” > “Site Audit.”

Start by entering your homepage URL. Then, click “Start Audit.”

Site Audit instrumentality   hunt  bar

Next, you’ll beryllium prompted to prime settings for your audit. 

Once you’ve selected your settings, click “Start Site Audit.”

When the audit is ready, find the “Site Performance” report. You’ll find it nether the Thematic Reports” table. Click “View details.”

"Site Performance" widget nether  the Thematic Reports conception  successful  Site Audit

The audit volition amusement you a database of show issues identified connected your site. 

They volition beryllium grouped successful the pursuing categories:

  • Errors: The astir terrible issues connected your site. These are important to resoluteness arsenic soon arsenic possible.
  • Warnings: Issues with mean severity. You tin absorption connected these aft resolving errors. 
  • Notices: The slightest terrible issues. They don’t interaction your Site Health score, but they tin beryllium utile to fix. 
"Site Performance" study  successful  the Site Audit tool

To larn much astir an issue, click “Learn more.” Then, travel the instructions successful the “How to hole it” box.

An illustration  of "Why and however  to hole  it" container  successful  Site Audit tool

Make the recommended changes to your website. To amended leafage velocity and different issues. 

Rerun the Site Audit instrumentality to corroborate the interaction of your changes. Or docket play automated audits. 

9. Leverage Analytics 

Both SEO and CRO are data-driven strategies. This means they leverage your website analytics for strategical decision-making.

Analytics platforms similar Google Analytics and Google Search Console tin springiness you insights into important SEO metrics

Such as:

These platforms tin besides assistance you recognize idiosyncratic behavior. For example, Google Analytics Event Tracking lets you way conversion events. Like leafage views and transactions.

Hit benignant   successful  Universal Analytics spot   vs measurement   successful  Google Analytics 4 property

For deeper insights, link your Google Analytics relationship with the On Page SEO Checker.

Open the instrumentality successful Semrush. Then, make a task and tally a report. You’ll spot an overview of the ideas the instrumentality generates nether “Total Ideas.”

To the close of the “User Experience Ideas” text, you’ll spot a “Connect” button.

"User Experience Ideas" successful  On Page SEO Checker tool

Click connected “Connect” to commencement the process of connecting your Google Analytics relationship with the tool.

Now, you’ll get targeted idiosyncratic acquisition recommendations based connected your existent website data. 

Use the study to get suggestions for SEO improvements arsenic well. Click connected the “Content,” “Strategy,” and “Semantic” ideas categories to reappraisal them successful detail. 

"Strategy ideas" "Semantic ideas" and "Content ideas" successful  On Page SEO Checker tool

Align SEO and CRO for Business Growth 

Getting leads to your website is lone fractional the battle. Knowing however to person them is indispensable to semipermanent concern growth. 

Combine SEO and CRO for the champion results. 

These tools tin help: