In a recent LinkedIn post, Jesse McFarland shares insights into how his agency achieved its best quarter ever for SEO leads originating from its own website, defying typical Q4 slowdowns. McFarland attributes this success to a multi-faceted approach focused on continuous improvement and strategic market focus.
The agency leader detailed five key strategies that contributed to this significant growth. A core element, as McFarland highlights, is the dedication to refining website elements based on performance data.
“For the last 3 months I’ve been tweaking layouts based on historical conversion data and where I rank in Google Search Console. Headlines, CTAs, sections, order of content—if it doesn’t help conversions, it gets changed.”
Relentless Page Refinement and Trust Signals
McFarland’s first point emphasizes a data-driven approach to website optimization. This involves not just making changes, but consistently analyzing conversion data and search performance to inform adjustments to headlines, calls-to-action, and content structure. According to McFarland, this iterative process is crucial for enhancing user experience and driving conversions.
Beyond on-page optimization, McFarland also stressed the importance of bolstering trust signals. He noted that elements like reviews, case studies, and testimonials were made more prominent across key pages.
“Social proof shouldn’t be buried in a tab or footer,”
McFarland argues, underscoring the need for these credibility markers to be readily visible to potential clients.
Strategic Market Focus and Content Gating
A significant factor in the agency’s success, according to McFarland, was a deliberate decision to concentrate on specific markets. By doubling down on the B2B and Fitness sectors—industries he enjoys and already has a strong presence in—McFarland was able to build targeted content pillars and refine messaging.
Interestingly, McFarland also reported success with gated content, a strategy sometimes viewed with skepticism. He explained that his Free Fitness SEO Playbook, requiring a name and email for access, has proven effective.
“Say what you want about gated content—but it’s working,”
he stated, revealing that approximately 50% of downloaders subsequently request a demo, indicating a high quality of lead generation from this method.
Prioritizing In-House SEO Efforts
Finally, McFarland addressed the common challenge of agencies neglecting their own marketing while serving clients. He admitted that his own website’s SEO had slipped due to growth demands but has since become a priority again, thanks to increased internal resources.
McFarland concluded with a reflective statement on the importance of internal SEO practices:
“Even us SEOs need to do a better job of doing our own SEO.”
This holistic strategy, combining granular website optimization, robust trust signals, focused market penetration, effective lead generation tactics, and a renewed commitment to in-house SEO, has positioned McFarland’s agency for a record-breaking quarter.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Jesse McFarland on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on November 18, 2025 | View original post on LinkedIn →