Still building landing pages the old-fashioned way? As search algorithms focus more on semantic signals, that approach is steadily becoming outdated. In this article, we share what works and how to get started.
For years, businesses built landing pages with a simple formula: target a primary keyword, insert it into headers, and hope for the best. Research from The Drum and other marketing sources indicates that this approach no longer works because search engines have evolved beyond keywords, and brands are now facing the realities of a "zero click" era. Landing pages that ignore this shift risk falling behind competitors that deliver richer, more context-aware content.
Optimizing landing pages for semantic search involves structuring information so that search engines and readers can understand relevance at a deeper level.
To illustrate how organizations can adapt, one of Dallas’ leading AI-first agencies shares five strategies for creating landing pages that meet the demands of semantic search.
Understanding the purpose behind a search query is more important than focusing exclusively on the words typed. Every query carries an underlying intent, whether informational, navigational, or transactional, and landing pages should be designed to satisfy that intent.
For example, a query such as “best accounting software for freelancers” requires more than keyword repetition. A page that offers comparisons, practical scenarios, and demonstrates value aligns with the searcher’s intent more effectively than one that simply echoes the phrase.
Semantic SEO rewards websites that demonstrate topical authority rather than those with isolated pages. Creating topic clusters, groups of related pages linked internally, helps search engines recognize comprehensive coverage of a subject. This structure signals relevance and enhances user experience by enabling seamless navigation across related concepts.
Search engines increasingly rely on entities, specific, identifiable concepts such as people, places, organizations, and categories. Incorporating these naturally into content, and reinforcing them with structured data markup, improves clarity for algorithms.
For instance, a real estate landing page with schema for property type, location, and pricing gains better visibility in rich results and increases the likelihood of appearing in context-aware features like knowledge panels.
Keyword stuffing is not only ineffective but counterproductive in a semantic environment. Instead, content should incorporate semantically related terms, synonyms, and phrases that reflect natural engagement with the topic.
A landing page about “personal injury attorneys” might also include references to “legal representation for accidents” or “injury law specialists,” signaling breadth without sacrificing clarity.
Semantic SEO aligns closely with user experience. Search engines consider engagement signals, site speed, and mobile optimization when ranking pages. Landing pages that load quickly, provide clear navigation, and deliver contextually relevant information outperform those that prioritize keyword repetition over usability.
The traditional keyword-centric approach to landing pages is no longer viable. Organizations need to shift toward intent-driven, context-rich pages supported by a strong technical foundation.
For companies lacking the internal resources to handle these complexities, digital marketing agencies are increasingly incorporating AI-informed methodologies and design strategies, making semantic SEO a baseline expectation for online visibility.
