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SEO MythBusting: The Truth About Landing Pages

Last Updated: September 27, 2024

First things first: A landing page needs to be on your website’s domain. If it isn’t, then it’s not a landing page—it’s a completely separate website, even if it’s only a single page. This distinction is crucial because many business owners are being misled by marketers who claim otherwise. This myth can end up hurting your SEO and wasting your marketing efforts.

The False Promise: “Landing Pages on Other Domains Boost Traffic!”

Some marketers might try to convince you that placing landing pages on different domains is a clever way to boost traffic or “hack” Google’s system. They might claim that this tactic can somehow give you an edge in search rankings or drive more leads. But here’s the reality: creating landing pages on different domains does not give you an SEO advantage. In fact, it can do the opposite.

The Reality: What Landing Pages Are and Aren’t

A landing page is a tool designed to guide visitors toward a specific action, like signing up for a newsletter, requesting a quote, or making a purchase. However, to be an effective part of your marketing strategy, it must reside on your main domain. For example, if your website is www.yourwebsite.com, your landing page should look something like www.yourwebsite.com/landing-page. When it’s hosted on your main domain, it contributes to your site’s overall SEO health and authority.

If you create a page on a different domain (like www.someotherdomain.com), Google treats it as an entirely separate website. This means you’re splitting your SEO power between multiple sites instead of building authority on one, which can confuse search engines and weaken your online presence.

Why This Myth Hurts Your Business

Let’s break down why the myth of off-domain landing pages is harmful:

  • Diluted SEO Efforts: By placing landing pages on different domains, you’re fragmenting your SEO. Instead of building the authority of your main site, you’re spreading it thin across multiple domains. Google sees each domain as a separate entity, reducing your chances of ranking higher in search results.
  • Visitor Confusion: Sending visitors to a different domain can confuse them. If they expect to be on your website but are redirected elsewhere, this can break trust and reduce the likelihood of conversions.
  • Wasted Resources: Creating and maintaining multiple domains requires additional time and effort, without offering any real SEO benefit to your primary site.

The Honest Truth About Landing Pages

Landing pages are valuable, but they aren’t a loophole to exploit Google’s algorithms. Here’s what they actually do:

  1. Drive Specific Actions: A landing page is a focused tool designed to funnel visitors toward a specific action—whether that’s filling out a form, clicking a button, or making a purchase. But this focus should happen on your domain, reinforcing your website’s authority.
  2. Optimize for Relevancy: When properly used, landing pages can improve your website’s SEO by providing relevant, targeted content that aligns with user searches and marketing campaigns.
  3. Boost PPC Campaigns: Landing pages are incredibly effective for Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns. By directing highly-targeted traffic to a page specifically built around the ad’s message, you can improve relevancy scores, drive down costs, and increase conversions. But again, this only works if the landing page is part of your main domain.

The Real Power of Landing Pages: PPC Campaigns

Landing pages can be a game-changer for your PPC campaigns. When they’re hosted on your main domain and aligned with your ads, they can:

  1. Improve Relevancy Scores: PPC platforms like Google Ads value relevancy. When your landing page closely matches the content of your ad, Google sees this as a positive signal, improving your relevancy scores. Higher relevancy means lower costs per click and better ad placements.
  2. Increase Conversions: A landing page that’s tailored to the ad’s message creates a seamless user experience, making visitors more likely to convert. This is a win-win for both your PPC performance and your overall website goals.

Best Practices for Landing Pages

To avoid falling into the trap of off-domain landing pages, focus on the following best practices:

  1. Keep It on Your Domain: Always host your landing pages on your main website. This not only boosts your SEO but also ensures a cohesive experience for your visitors.
  2. Streamline the Experience: Use landing pages to create a focused, distraction-free environment. Minimize navigation options to keep visitors on the path toward your desired action.
  3. Align with Your PPC Strategy: Tailor your landing pages to match the message and intent of your PPC ads. This approach maximizes your ad spend’s effectiveness by increasing conversions and lowering costs.
  4. Provide Clear Value: Use compelling content and a strong call to action to guide visitors toward a specific goal. Remember, the purpose of a landing page is not to trick search engines but to provide a clear, valuable path for your audience.

Protecting Your Business from SEO Myths

If someone is telling you that landing pages on different domains are the secret to driving traffic and boosting SEO, they’re selling you a myth. Quality landing pages are a powerful tool, but they must live on your main domain to be effective. They’re not about gaming the system; they’re about offering targeted, valuable experiences that drive conversions and support your website’s overall goals.

Don’t let yourself be taken advantage of by misleading marketing tactics. A solid landing page strategy—rooted in best practices and honesty—will always serve your business better in the long run. In SEO and online marketing, there are no magic tricks—just smart strategies and consistent effort.

The Truth About Your PageSpeed Insight Scores

Last Updated: September 27, 2024

So, you’ve just run your website through Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool, and you’re staring at that performance score like it’s the end of the world. Maybe you got a 32 on mobile and are now convinced your business is doomed unless you hit that elusive 100. Hold on a second—before you start throwing money at your site like confetti at a parade, let’s take a deep breath and talk about what that number actually means.

The Google Doctor Is In—But You Might Be Misdiagnosing Your Website

Imagine this: You have a weird pain in your side, so you do what we all do (even though we know we shouldn’t)—you Google your symptoms. After a few clicks, you’re convinced that you have a rare tropical disease. You march into your doctor’s office and start telling them exactly what’s wrong with you. Now, unless your doctor is a saint with infinite patience, they might gently remind you that they have years of training and experience that Google simply can’t replace.
The same thing happens when people look at their PageSpeed Insights score. They see a number and think they know exactly what’s wrong with their site. But interpreting that number correctly takes expertise. Without it, you might end up chasing your tail—or worse, wasting a ton of money on something that won’t actually help your website perform better where it counts.

Spoiler Alert: Literally No One Gets a Perfect Score

Let’s get one thing straight: that perfect 100 on your PageSpeed score? It’s like trying to catch a rainbow—beautiful, but impossible to grab. In fact, even Google.com, the very company that created the tool, doesn’t score a 100. Their site sits at a “meh” 70. YouTube, another Google property, only gets a 35. Yep, you read that right—just 35! And guess what? YouTube is doing just fine, thank you very much.
Here are some other examples that might surprise you:
  • Google.com: 70
  • Amazon.com: 49
  • Hulu.com: 36
  • YouTube.com: 35
  • Yelp.com: 31
  • Walmart.com: 30





If Walmart is rocking a 30 and still getting millions of visitors a day, your score of 32 isn’t the disaster you think it is.

PageSpeed Scores: It’s Not a Race, It’s a Threshold

A lot of people come to us in a panic, demanding that their mobile performance score needs to improve because they’re convinced it’s hurting their search rankings. They think that the faster their page loads, the better their ranking will be. But here’s the deal: page load speed is more of a binary checkpoint for search engines. As long as your site loads quickly enough to meet the minimum requirements, you’re good to go. Whether you exceed those requirements by a little or a lot doesn’t make a difference to the algorithm.
Yes, faster load times can improve the experience for your human visitors, which is always a good thing. The faster your visitors can get the information they need, the happier they’ll be. But when it comes to how Google ranks your site, once you cross that speed threshold, you’re on level ground with everyone else.

The Takeaway: Don’t Obsess Over the Numbers

PageSpeed Insights can give you useful information, but without the background to interpret that data correctly, you might end up drawing some very wrong conclusions. Your website’s performance isn’t about chasing a perfect score—it’s about making sure your site meets the needs of both your visitors and search engines. And sometimes, that means letting go of the idea that a higher score is always better.
So, the next time you see that less-than-stellar PageSpeed score, remember: it’s not the end of the world. Trust the experts, focus on the user experience, and stop trying to chase that impossible 100. Your website—and your wallet—will thank you.

SEO Myth-Busting: Multiple Map Listings Is Better Than Just One

Last Updated: September 27, 2024

Welcome back to our SEO Myth-Busting series! Today, we’re diving into a myth that’s as persistent as a tick on a hound dog in July: “If one Google Business Profile is Good, 7 Must be Better!” Many business owners believe that creating multiple Google Business Profiles (GBPs, aka Map Listings) for a single business will boost their online presence. But is this really true?

The Myth Unveiled

Here’s the scoop: Google’s policy clearly states that you can only have one listing per business location. Yes, you read that right—one location, one listing. Creating multiple GBPs for a single business is a violation of Google’s guidelines and can lead to serious consequences. These include the suspension of all your listings or even being flagged as a spammer, potentially barring you from ever creating GBPs again. Yikes!

“But My Competitor Has Tons of Listings and He’s Doing Great!”

Ah, the old “keeping up with the Joneses” argument. It’s something we hear more often than we’d like. While some businesses seem to get away with having multiple listings, the reality is that they’re, at best, flying under the radar for a while. Google handles many millions of listings, so some do slip through the cracks—until they don’t. Often, these are older listings that haven’t been touched in years and are therefore unnoticed.

The issue arises when these listings are disturbed. Maybe you or someone on the internet (through the “community edit” feature) make a change. That tends to bring attention to the Business Profile and any/all associated profiles. Once you’re deemed naughty, you’re in for a world of hurt when Google starts to dole out punishment like God Himself with a lightning bolt in each hand and a thunderstorm for backup!.

Why Following the Rules is Better

Sticking to Google’s guidelines is like using a reliable plumber—you’re ensuring everything works smoothly without unexpected leaks or bursts. Operating within the rules may not give you an immediate spike in visibility, but it builds a solid, sustainable foundation for your business.

We’ve seen many clients who tried to take shortcuts only to end up knee-deep in penalties and regret. Resolving these issues can take months, if a resolution is even possible.

Myth Busted!

In the world of SEO, shortcuts are often long cuts in disguise. We’ve seen, repeatedly, that sticking with a single, legitimate, and well-optimized GBP is far more powerful and sustainable than spamming multiple listings into Google’s ecosystem. This path may seem longer, but it’s much smoother and more predictable.

 

 

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need help with your SEO strategy. We’re here to help you navigate the digital landscape and grow your business sustainably.

SEO Myth-Busting: Faster Page Loads Means Higher Rankings

Last Updated: June 7, 2024

Ever wondered why some folks are obsessed with how fast your website loads? Let’s cut through the tech talk and get to the point.

Yes, Speed Matters…But Don’t Obsess

Google cares about how fast your website loads because they want users to have a good experience. But here’s the kicker: faster page load speed doesn’t automatically mean a higher Google ranking. It’s just one factor among many.

The Minimum Requirement Rule

Google uses page load speed more like a “you must be this tall to ride” sign at an amusement park. Your site needs to be fast enough to meet their basic standards. Once you’re over that threshold, other factors come into play. So yes, if you’re under the threshold, you’re banned from the ride. But taller people don’t have more fun on the ride than average height people, do they?

Don’t Let Those Free Tools Scare You

Ever run your site through a free speed test tool and felt like a failure? Relax. Even big players like CNN and Amazon get told they’re too slow. These tools often set unrealistic goals in order to ensure a poor result. Why would they want a poor result? No one spends time and money on a tool and then gives it away for purely altruistic reasons so you can be assured there’s a sales pitch behind that tool. We’ve gone into detail about what a scam these tools tend to be. So, take their results with a grain of salt. Verify for yourself if your site is genuinely slow in comparison to some of your competitors’ sites.

What Google Says

Curious about the details? Google provides lots of nitty-gritty detail with hard numbers on their developer site.  This is another detailed resource from the horse’s mouth. Ultimately, they continue to say that relevance is the most important factor. In short, page load speed only comes into play if it negatively impacts user experience. So, in other words, if you’re not tall enough to get on the ride.

Myth Busted!

Keep your site reasonably fast to keep Google happy and your users satisfied. But remember, speed is just one piece of the puzzle. Focus on providing great content and a solid user experience.

So, don’t lose sleep over speed scores. Make sure your site isn’t painfully slow, then focus on the bigger picture.

SEO Myth-Busting: The Truth About Using “Near Me” as a Keyword

Last Updated: May 29, 2024

Welcome to another edition of our SEO Myth-Busting series! Today, we’re tackling a common misconception that still manages to confuse people: the idea that optimizing for the words “near me” as if they were actual keywords will boost your local SEO. Let’s delve into why this simplistic approach is outdated and what you should be focusing on instead.

The Myth of “Near Me” Keywords

At first glance, it might seem logical to optimize your website content with “near me” keywords. After all, many people use phrases like “restaurants near me” or “gas stations near me” when they search. However, this is a misunderstanding and oversimplification of how local search algorithms work. Using “near me” as a keyword in your content, business name, or URL is not beneficial.

How Google Handles “Near Me” Searches

When someone types “near me” into Google, the search engine uses various data points to determine the user’s location and provide the most relevant results. This includes:

  • IP Geolocation: Identifying the user’s location based on their IP address.
  • GPS Data: For mobile devices, Google can access precise GPS data.
  • Account Information: If the user is logged into a Google account, location data from their profile can be used.
  • Cell Tower Data: For mobile users not on Wi-Fi, approximate location can be inferred from cell towers.

Google automatically incorporates these location signals to return the best local results, effectively treating “near me” as a variable. This means the search engine dynamically inserts the user’s location into the query to find the nearest relevant businesses. Therefore, there’s no need to include “near me” in your site’s content; Google handles this on its own​.

What You Should Do Instead

Rather than stuffing your content with “near me” keywords, focus on more effective local SEO strategies:

  1. Google My Business (GMB) Optimization:
    • Ensure your GMB profile is complete and accurate, including your business name, address, phone number (NAP), hours of operation, and categories.
    • Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on your GMB listing.
  2. Local Keywords:
    • Use specific local keywords that include your city or neighborhood. For example, “best plumber in Kalamazoo” instead of “plumber near me.”
    • Include landmarks and neighborhood names in your content to provide more context for Google.
  3. Consistent NAP Information:
    • Make sure your NAP information is consistent across all online directories and your website.
  4. Mobile-Friendly Website:
    • Since most “near me” searches are done on mobile devices, ensure your site is mobile-friendly and loads quickly.
  5. Structured Data Markup:
    • Implement schema markup to provide search engines with detailed information about your business, improving your chances of appearing in rich snippets and local search results​​.

Myth Busted!

The belief that using “near me” as a keyword will enhance your SEO is a myth. Google’s algorithms are sophisticated enough to handle local searches without needing such direct prompts in your content. Instead, focus on optimizing your Google My Business profile, using specific local keywords, and ensuring your website is mobile-friendly and contains accurate information. These steps will help you rank better in local searches and attract more customers.

Stay tuned for more SEO myth-busting insights in our ongoing series!

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