Best of Both Worlds: How to Make SEO and User Experience Work Together
When you dig into what search engine optimization (SEO) is at its core, you quickly realize that it’s all about user experience (UX).
Search engines like Google don’t want to recommend their users to sites with a poor UX, so they only rank sites who check certain boxes. And website owners want to rank high, so they try to do things that the search engines want, accidentally improving their UX in the process.
But if you simply focus on UX, you’ll notice that SEO becomes much easier and less complicated. In this article, we’ll tell you a few ways you can tackle both UX and SEO at the same time. Let’s get started!
Responsive Web Design
Did you know that, in 2018, over 52% of all web traffic came from mobile devices? That’s a number that is expected to continue to increase over the next few years, and because of this, search engines have begun to rank sites that are mobile-friendly higher.
By having a responsive website design, your site will look good and function well on multiple devices. And not only will your users enjoy being able to cleanly browse your site on their laptop, smartphone, or tablet but search engines will take notice, too.
Page Speed
It doesn’t matter how good your website looks or how strong your content is if your website won’t load quickly. Users aren’t sticking around to wait for something to load when there are a ton of options in their search results that will give them what they want… and fast.
By ensuring that your site loads quickly, you’re improving your UX and giving your site a better chance to rank higher. Not sure if your site is fast enough? Google offers a useful speed checker tool that will give you a grade, as well as some pointers on how to speed your site up.
Simple Navigation
It can’t be overstated how important speed is in regards to positive user experience. And while loading times play a huge role, user navigation is equally important, too.
Because let’s face it, if users can’t find something on your site in just a few clicks, they’re not going to stick around for long. And if too many users close out of your site too fast, search engines will take note and bump you down in the search results.
A great way to ensure your navigation is good is to follow the three clicks rule. If something on your site can’t be found in three clicks or less, your site’s navigation is too complicated.
Addressing UX and SEO at the Same Time
Well, there you have it! Those are a few ways you can address both UX and SEO at the same time!
Remember, search engines want to direct their users to sites that offer good UX. So by focusing on UX, you’re actually improving your site’s SEO at the same time.
Make sure your site’s website design is responsive, so it’ll work well on every device. Speed is important, too, so try to make sure your site is as fast as possible. Navigation is something that you should put a high priority on as well, especially if you want to keep users on your site for more than a few seconds.
Need help with your SEO strategy? Still have some questions? Contact us today, we’ll be glad to help you!
How Users Interact with Your Website Is A Crucial Metric to Follow
The usability of your website is linked to how efficiently, effectively and satisfactorily your users and visitors can see and interact with your website. Everything in your site will be included in the user experience when they visit such as the use of the menus, navigation bars, buttons, videos, images, content, games, forms and hyperlinks. Owners of websites must monitor how effective their user experiences are.
Why Is Website Usability A Critical Metric?
Oftentimes, the usability of your website is important because it’s all about customer service. The goal of any company is to meet or exceed the needs and wants of their customers and visitors. This needs to be done quickly and effectively. To gain loyal customers that come back time and again, usability must be maintained on every front.
Factors That Influence Usability?
To understand the usability of your website requires organizations to research their target and current audiences. Search engine optimization services from reputable companies like us here at SEO Locale will include investigating your customers’ needs and how they respond to the designs and messages throughout your website. Below are some of the factors that can affect a website’s ability to meet customer needs:
- Accessibility – Website accessibility includes visitors being able to easily navigate, understand and interact with your site.
- Responsiveness – A responsive website design is one that works to offer optimal interaction and viewing experiences across all device types including smartphones, laptops and tablets.
- SEO – Search engine optimization is needed to make an organization’s website visible in the search engines using organic, natural results. SEO is best done by professional SEO experts. At SEO Locale, we can optimize your website to get top listings in the search engine results.
- Layout and Navigation – This factor pertains to how easily and efficiently visitors can find what they’re looking for using the menus and navigation buttons on your site.
- Content and Messaging – More often than not, visitors will visit your site when looking to have a question answered. To satisfy these users, your content and text should be designed in a way that is easily noticeable and understood.
- Effectiveness and Errors – This measurement is taken to ensure there are as few errors as possible with visitors come to your website. It is important to note how many visitors get what they’re looking for after visiting your website. Were they able to find exactly what they were looking for?
- Task Time and Expectations- The task time is a measurement of how long it takes your visitors to find what they’re looking for while browsing your website compared to what they expected. Essentially, you want to find out how efficiently people can use your site.
Website usability is a crucial metric that organizations need to use when planning the layout and design of their website. Ideally, customers should be kept in mind when this is completed. At SEO Locale, we can ensure your website has the best usability possible for your visitors, contact us for a digital marketing evaluation.
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Is it Time to Redesign?
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