One of the most important jobs of content managers and ORM gurus is to increase CTR or (Click Through Rate) of content added to the Internet. We all know that the first page of Google search results in the place to be as the top three search engine results on page one receive 90% or more of organic traffic. While there are many ways of achieving this, only a few methods will give you long-lasting results that will withstand the constant changes of Google’s mysterious algorithm.
Today we will discuss two often over looked methods of achieving these first page results without resorting to tactics that could tarnish your websites reputation.
Increase CTR with a good meta Title
The meta title for every piece of content released on the Internet is a method of identifying content so that it can be stored and recalled when needed. Consider it the tab info on a folder in a filing cabinet that let’s you easily identify the content you’re looking for. The Internet is filled with so much information, that only the most crafty titles make it to the top. Many writers use dynamic titles in order to entice viewers to click on their content, but let’s examine this a bit further.
Compelling content is and will always be the most effective method to increase CTR, but before the viewer sees the content they should be compelled to click on it from search results. This is where the meta title comes into play. Bold and even controversial titles are uses as a method of increasing CTR but did you know you can use special characters in your meta title to sway viewers? This is especially important as the number of young viewers become more accustomed to using emoticons and symbols to represent whole sentences and emotions. Special unicode characters such as ❤ ☯ ♻ ➤, can all be used in your meta titles to make the titles of your content stand out.
It should be noted that the search for a creative meta title should begin with visiting the first page of search results to see what is already working. DOn’t reinvent the wheel each time you try to rack for a keyword. With proper research you can avoid titles that won’t convert.
By no means should you sacrifice the quality of the content just to use these special characters. Creating compelling and informative content should always be the focus of your efforts.
Increase CTR with a good meta Description
The meta description is another opportunity to increase CTR which is just as important if not more than the meta title. The meta description is what viewers see just below your meta title and the page’s URL. The meta description offers a summary of the page’s content allowing the viewer to determine if the content is what they seek.
For many people, simply copying the first line of the page’s content into the meta description is where their efforts stop but you should be encouraged to push a bit further. Search for the most informative or interesting piece of information offered in the article and use this as the meta description. Keep in mind there is a 160 character limit so make the best use of this space.
Think of this as the first 15 seconds of a music piece. It’s often said that a “hit” in music can be identified within the first 15 seconds of listening to the track. The meta description is your first “15 minutes” to wow your viewer and convince them that your content is the best search result offered and this in turn can increase CTR. Keep in mind that you can also use the special character technique discussed earlier but since you only have a limited number of characters, it may be best to use this method in the meta title only. Experiment and use split-testing to find out what methods work best for you.
Taming the CTR Beast
CTR will continue to be the focus for any website owner now and in future years to come. As more content is stored on the Internet it’s becoming increasingly important to create awesome content and the label in a way that makes it easy and fun for the viewer. Remember to use crafty meta tiles and description to increase CTR and you will soon see a dramatic increase in your search engine rankings and more importantly your conversions.
About Reico
Reico is the owner and team member of The Applied VIsual, website design and development company. He is also available on Twitter @AppliedVisual
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NOV
2014