As an architecture firm that is interested in attracting more clients, you may be asking, “How can we rank higher in Google?” Google has recently implemented changes that affect the way rankings are determined.
Landing pages that are optimized for location-based searches play a key role in determining where your site appears in SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages).
What Is a Landing Page?
A landing page differs from a typical content page or blog post. A landing page may provide information but its core purpose is to engage the web visitor to take a single action, i.e. subscribing to an email list or contacting your architectural firm for a consultation. Optimizing a landing page for that conversion is the primary goal.
With that in mind, a landing page ultimately makes it easy for your prospect to:
- Identify that they are in the right place with a company that understands their problem
- Confirm that your AEC firm has the expertise to solve that problem
- Make it easy to take the next step.
We’ll cover some key ways to achieve that.
Traditionally, landing pages have had a broader purpose to capture leads from various sources (paid advertising, social media, etc.) and convert them into paying customers. They have been considered a gateway to conversion as part of a larger sales or marketing funnel.
More recently, landing pages have evolved to include a hybrid model that is more content-based. In the case of professional services like architectural firms, a properly constructed landing page can warm up a prospect to your architecture firm’s services. The call to action is not to make a purchase, but rather, to request more information or schedule a consultation.
Location-Based, Geo-targeted Landing Pages
As an architectural firm, you might already know that Google uses location data to determine where its users live. This information helps them better target search results and advertise at local businesses, showing relevant results to searchers who are nearby.
Optimizing a landing page for local searches — geo-targeting your landing page — boosts conversions and improves user experience. The idea behind geo-targeting landing pages is to target specific locations and audiences within those regions. This allows you to reach out to local businesses and consumers who are interested in your architectural services.
How to Create an SEO Landing Page That Is Geo-Targeted
Landing pages are great for optimizing your architecture firm for better SEO. But, before you start creating a geo-targeted landing page for an AEC firm, there are some things you should consider.
Target Market
First, you’ll want to think about who your target market is. Who are you trying to reach? Are you targeting local clients? International clients? People looking for a specific kind of project?
Responsive Design
Second, you’ll want to consider the type of device your target customer uses when searching the web. Are they on desktop computers in their office, a tablet in the field, or a smartphone on the go? A responsive landing page will optimize for every type of user experience so it is the recommended option.
Service + Location Keywords
Third, you’ll want to decide whether you want to focus on keywords or topics. A topic is a general category in architecture that is broadly relevant. Keywords, on the other hand, reflect the actual searches people are using to solve problems in Google.
Keyword research, therefore, should be a central focus of your landing page optimization; by using keywords on your landing page, you are signaling to Google that you are relevant to that customer’s search.
Dynamic Results
Finally, you’ll want to choose between static or dynamic landing pages. A dynamic landing page can present itself differently for every visitor who arrives at the page.
For example, you could dynamically target the city where the client is searching. Using a “shortcode” for [city] in your landing page’s title, two visitors who land from different places will each see their own community in the page’s headline.
This affirms relevance – implicitly or explicitly – and leads to a higher likelihood that the visitor will take action and contact your firm (a higher conversion rate).
Next Steps
Creating a geo-targeted landing page may be the best strategy for your architectural firm to adopt as part of its marketing fundamentals. There are some key points to consider in designing and planning the page, and in the execution to ensure optimum results.
Contact us today to learn more.