A major area of online marketing and optimisation is creating content on landing pages that will help your viewers perform the action you desire (convert).  What a lot of people end up doing is creating several landing pages focusing on a quite a few varied keywords.  While these keywords can draw traffic to the pages the likelyhood of having a great conversion ratio is quite slim. 

One of the key components of creating landing pages is to recognise the different stages of the buying cycle: 

1. Learning Stage
2. Shop Stage
3. Buy Stage
4. Use Stage

Understanding that searchers use different search queries depending on what stage they are currently in.  With people at the start of the cycle, the "learning" stage, searchers are more likely gathering information around a broad group of products or services, they tend to use quite broad, generic keywords for their queries.  For example if I decid that I need a new computer, I would most likely start my searches with simple keywords like "online computers", or maybe just "computers"

Once I've completed a bit of research online and seen various different types of "computers" and find the product I am after, I move into the "shop" stage.  In the shop stage, I tend to have a good understanding of what I am after, and my search queries start to reflect my new found knowledge.  For example, my search query might change to something like "laptop computers".  Just like in the "learning" stage I am using informationa search queries, except now my terms are starting to become more specific and more direct.

After looking at various products, I now have a good idea of which "laptop computer" I wish to purchase.  I have now moved into the "buy" stage of the cycle.  My search queries move out of the information gathering stage, and into the transactional stage.  More than likely my search terms become very specific.  For example, I now know what type of computer I want - a laptop, and more than likely the brand and model number.  My search queries start to something more like this - "acer aspire 9300 laptop".  Now this search term is extremley specific, and chances are that if I am using search terms like this, I am ready to buy.

The last stage of the  buying cycle is the "use" stage.  I move into this stage after I have purchased my product and am in the process of using it.  These days, thanks to the internet and Google, if i have a problem with my new Acer Aspire 9300 laptop, chances are that I will try and "self help" myself and find a solution online.  This part of the buying cycle is a great opportunity for businesses who might not of had the actual conversion but are able to supply a solution to instill cusotmer satisfaction for furture possible purchases.  Studies have shown that if you are able to provide solutions to non-customers in this way, you are more likely to convert them in the future - they will remember your site.

So, by looking at the buying cycle, you are able to determine which informational and which transactional keywords you should be targeting and for which landing page.  Make sure the content matches the keywords you want to be seen for, and use the buying cycle to your advantage!