Most websites will have a range of users they aim to appeal to. Even smaller sites address several needs. The aims of the pages within a site can be quite specific, and also quite different from each other. What you need each page to achieve needs to be carefully considered before you enter into SEO.
Some of the most important, and most overlooked, pages within a site are internal landing pages. The first page a user sees when they click on a link anywhere on the net is a landing page. These pages need to answer the needs of that particular user much in the same way that home pages address a number of needs to accommodate a number of users.
Many companies overlook the need to direct users to any page but their home page. This means that a lot of their effort in gaining inbound links is completely wasted. Inbound links provide access to a very specific audience. If someone reads a blog which quotes your business and provides a link to you, their expectations of what your site will be are more specific than if they see you in search engine results pages.
Every page within a site needs to have the right focus to answer the needs of your users, but landing pages, main pages and your home page are the pages that will get the most attention. After you find the purpose of the page, the starting point for focussing it correctly is to find the keyword that most fits. This keyword is the cornerstone of the message for that page, a handy shorthand way to ensure that your site and your user are on the same page, so to speak. The next step is to direct the main content of that page toward that message, and provide new paths for the user to follow once the message has been transmitted.
There are three main page types in every site. The first is the ‘map’ page, which provides the user with a number of options of paths to take. The home page is a good example of this, although a home page can perform a number of tasks. The other two types of pages are reference pages and transaction pages, and these are fairly straightforward to understand. Reference pages provide information as their main function. Transaction pages encourage the user to take a specific action, such as buying an item, subscribing or linking to the page.
Landing pages need to be able to engage the user directly and swiftly. Other internal pages have a little longer to engage users, as they have already committed in some way to exploring your site. The type and target user of each page within your site will go a long way in determining your search engine optimisation strategy. Considering the purpose of your pages will help you to decide which pages are the most important, and which you wish to rank for. As with all SEO, it can help to have expert advice when planning out the purpose of your pages. Talk to us at SEO Consult when planning your site’s SEO.
Related posts:
- Landing Page Optimization
- The Principles of Landing Page Design
- Step-by-step SEO Landing Pages
- Top tips for landing pages
- What do your site’s users see?
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