Optimise Your Marketing for SEO, Google Ads, and High-Converting Landing Pages

Creating the right marketing message is essential if you want to increase conversions, improve landing page performance, and lower your Google Ads costs. The right messaging ensures that potential customers:

• Understand what your product or service does
• Recognise its value and why they need it
• Take action because they believe it’s worth the investment

If your message isn’t clear, persuasive, and customer-focused, people will either ignore it or assume your product is too expensive. By following these 17 proven steps, you’ll craft marketing messages that resonate with your audience, rank higher in search results, and turn more visitors into paying customers.

This guide is based on the original article written in 2012, which you can find here:
In 17 Steps, Create Marketing Messages That Will Double Your Sales.

Step 1: Define What Your Product or Service Actually Does

Before you can sell anything effectively, you need to be 100% clear on what you’re offering. Many businesses assume their potential customers already understand their products or services, but this is rarely the case.

Start by listing at least ten key features of your product or service. Be specific and focus on what makes your offering unique.

If you provide SEO services, for example, some of your key features might include:

• Keyword research and strategy development
• Technical website audits and optimisation
• Content marketing to improve rankings
• Link-building campaigns to increase authority
• Local SEO strategies to attract customers in a specific region

Having a well-defined list of features helps to ensure that your marketing messages are clear and consistent across your website, ads, and landing pages.

Step 2: Identify the Problems or Desires Your Product Solves

Customers don’t buy features—they buy solutions to problems they’re struggling with or desires they want to fulfil.

For each feature you’ve listed, map it to a specific pain point or aspiration that it addresses. The more detailed you are, the better you can craft messages that speak directly to your audience’s needs.

For example:

• Keyword research → Helps businesses rank higher on Google and attract the right customers
• Technical SEO → Fixes website issues that prevent search engines from properly indexing pages
• Content marketing → Positions businesses as industry experts and generates organic leads

The key is to frame your solution in a way that makes customers feel like they’re solving a real challenge rather than just buying a service.

Step 3: Analyse Competitors & Find Your Unique Selling Points

Your competitors are also trying to reach your audience—so why should a customer choose you instead of them?

Conduct an SEO competitor analysis by searching for your main keywords on Google and analysing the top-ranking websites. Look at what they offer and identify at least three key benefits that make your product or service unique.

If you run Google Ads campaigns, you can use Google’s Auction Insights Report to see which competitors are bidding on the same keywords as you. This will help you understand their strategies and highlight gaps you can exploit.

Examples of unique selling points might include:

• AI-driven Google Ads bidding strategies that deliver a higher return on investment
• Custom landing page design that achieves conversion rates 40% higher than the industry average
• SEO packages tailored for small businesses, unlike competitors who focus on large enterprises

By defining your unique selling points, you ensure that your marketing messages highlight what truly sets you apart.

Step 4: Define Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)

Marketing is only effective if you’re speaking to the right audience. Using Google Analytics, SEO data, or customer research, build a clear profile of your ideal customer.

Consider factors like:

• Industry & company size (small business, e-commerce, B2B SaaS, etc.)
• Job roles of decision-makers (marketing managers, CEOs, business owners)
• Common challenges and frustrations they experience

If you offer digital marketing services for small professional services firms, your ideal customer might be:

“Owners or practice managers at small law firms, accounting firms, or consultancy businesses who need a steady flow of high-quality leads without relying solely on word-of-mouth referrals.”

This level of detail ensures that your messaging is laser-focused on the professionals who will benefit most from your services, making it easier to attract and convert the right clients.

Step 5: Identify Key Decision-Makers in Your Target Market

Once you know which businesses you want to target, the next step is identifying who within those businesses actually makes the buying decision.

Some businesses make decisions at the executive level (CEOs, Directors), while others delegate decision-making to department heads (Marketing Managers, E-commerce Directors).

For example, your target audience might be:

• A marketing manager might be interested in SEO services because they want to generate more leads.
• A CEO might be interested in SEO because they want predictable, scalable revenue growth.

By identifying these key roles, you can tailor your messaging to the specific needs of each decision-maker.

Step 6: Define the Outcomes & Benefits for Each Decision-Maker

People don’t just want a service—they want a better outcome for their business. Your messaging should focus on what each decision-maker gains from working with you.

For example:

• Marketing Managers → Increase organic traffic and reduce paid ad spend by 50%.
• CEOs → Achieve predictable, scalable revenue growth through SEO-driven lead generation.

This step ensures that your messaging speaks directly to what matters most to your audience.

Step 7: Put a Value on Your Solution

If you can’t quantify the value of your product or service, customers may struggle to see why it’s worth the investment.

Use data, case studies, or testimonials to back up your claims.

For example a value statement might be:

“Our clients see an average 50% increase in leads within three months of implementing our landing page optimisation service.”

Customers are far more likely to take action when they see clear, measurable benefits.

Step 8: Define How Long It Takes to See Results

Unrealistic expectations lead to disappointed customers. Setting clear expectations about how long results take builds trust and credibility.

• SEO takes 3-6 months to start seeing significant traffic growth.
• Google Ads delivers instant visibility but requires ongoing optimisation.
• Landing page optimisation can improve conversion rates within weeks.

Your messaging should include realistic timeframes, so customers know when to expect results.

Step 9: Identify the Status Quo (Your Real Competition)

Your biggest competitor isn’t always another company—it’s the way your potential customers are doing things right now. If your prospect doesn’t see a compelling reason to change, they won’t buy.

Ask yourself:

• What system, process, or provider are they currently using?
• Why might they resist change?
• What pain points exist with their current solution?

For example, if you provide Google Ads management,

your biggest competitor might not be another agency—it’s the business owner managing ads themselves.

Your messaging should highlight the hidden costs of sticking with the status quo:

• “Managing your own Google Ads is time-consuming and often results in wasted spend. Our expert-driven approach optimises your budget, reduces costs, and increases conversions.”

Your goal is to make the cost of doing nothing feel higher than the cost of switching to your solution.

Step 10: List Urgent Reasons for Taking Action Now

People rarely make purchasing decisions immediately—they need a reason to act now rather than putting it off.

Identify triggers that create urgency. These could be:

• Time-sensitive business needs (e.g., “SEO takes time to deliver results—start now to rank by Q4.”)
• Competitive pressure (e.g., “Your competitors are actively improving their digital marketing. Are you keeping up?”)
• Industry trends (e.g., “Google’s algorithm updates mean old SEO tactics no longer work. Adapt now to stay visible.”)

Your messaging should create a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) while avoiding manipulation.

Example:

“Google Ads costs are increasing every year. If you wait, you’ll end up paying more for the same results. Get ahead of the curve now and maximise your ROI.”

Step 11: Gather Industry-Specific Keywords & Jargon

To rank higher in search results and build trust, your messaging needs to reflect how your audience speaks.

Use:

• Google Keyword Planner to identify high-volume industry keywords
• Competitor websites and ads to see common messaging trends
• Industry blogs and forums to understand common customer questions

Example (for SEO agencies):

Instead of generic messaging like “We help businesses grow”, use:
“Our SEO strategies increase domain authority, boost organic rankings, and drive qualified traffic to your website.”

The more specific your language, the more credible you appear to your audience.

Step 12: Rewrite Your Solutions Using Industry Language

Now that you have a list of industry-specific keywords, rewrite your core marketing messages to speak directly to your target audience.

For example, instead of saying:

“Our SEO services help businesses get more visibility online.”

Make it more specific:

“We implement a data-driven SEO strategy that improves your search engine rankings, increases organic traffic, and converts visitors into leads.”

This ensures your marketing messages are more authoritative, relevant, and aligned with what customers are actually searching for.

Step 13: Add a Quantifiable Benefit to Each Message

People respond better to concrete numbers than vague claims. If you want to build credibility and drive conversions, you need to quantify the benefits of your product or service.

Weak Example:

“Our Google Ads services improve your campaign results.”

Strong Example:

“Reduce your Google Ads cost-per-click by 30% while increasing conversions with AI-driven ad targeting.”

If you don’t have exact numbers, use industry benchmarks or case study data to support your claims.

Step 14: Include a Clear Timeframe for Results

Customers want to know how quickly they’ll see benefits. If your marketing messages are too vague, they may assume your solution takes too long to deliver value.

Example:

• SEO Services: “Start seeing organic traffic growth in 3-6 months.”
• Google Ads Management: “Increase conversion rates by 20% within 30 days.”
• Landing Page Optimisation: “Boost sales with a high-performing landing page in just two weeks.”

Setting expectations helps build trust and urgency.

Step 15: Create Three Powerful Headlines with SEO Keywords

Your headline is the first thing customers see. If it’s not compelling, they won’t read the rest of your page, ad, or email.

A strong marketing headline should:

• Include an SEO keyword
• Be short, clear, and benefit-driven
• Trigger curiosity or urgency

Example Headlines:

1. “Boost Conversions with a High-Performing Landing Page – See Results in 30 Days”
2. “Rank #1 on Google – SEO Strategies Proven to Deliver Long-Term Growth”
3. “Maximise Your Google Ads ROI – Lower Costs & Get More Leads”

Testing different headlines via Google Ads, A/B testing on landing pages, or email subject lines will help you determine which resonates most with your audience.

Step 16: Align Testimonials with Your Marketing Messages

Testimonials are one of the most powerful forms of social proof, but many businesses fail to align them with their core marketing messages.

Ensure that every testimonial reinforces the key benefits you’re promoting.

Example:

“We struggled with low conversion rates. After implementing [Company Name]’s landing page optimisation, our lead generation increased by 70% in three months.”

If possible, structure testimonials using this three-part formula:

1. The problem: What challenge did they face?
2. The solution: What product or service did they use?
3. The result: What measurable improvement did they experience?

This makes testimonials more relatable, persuasive, and relevant to your marketing strategy.

Step 17: Test, Adjust, and Optimise for Maximum Impact

Creating a strong marketing message is only the beginning—to maximise conversions, you need to continuously test and refine your messaging.

Ways to optimise your marketing messages:

• SEO performance tracking: Use Google Search Console to see which headlines and keywords are driving traffic.
• Google Ads split testing: Run multiple ad variations to determine which messaging has the highest click-through rate (CTR).
• Landing page A/B testing: Experiment with different headlines, CTAs, and layouts to see what converts best.
• Customer feedback: Ask prospects and clients which messages resonated most with them.

Marketing success is about constant improvement—refining your message over time will increase engagement, reduce acquisition costs, and improve overall performance.

Final Thoughts

By implementing these 17 steps, your marketing messages will:

• Clearly communicate value to your ideal customers
• Be optimised for SEO, Google Ads, and landing page conversions
• Create urgency and eliminate objections
• Use real data and social proof to build trust

These strategies will help you attract more qualified leads, increase customer engagement, and ultimately grow your sales.

For expert help in optimising your digital marketing strategy, get in touch today.

Want to see the original article from 2012? You can read it here:
In 17 Steps, Create Marketing Messages That Will Double Your Sales.