Have you ever wondered if your users enjoy that page they land on from Google or your IG bio? Or if they actually find what they need when they land on your website after they found it on a Search or Display Ad? This all comes down to your UX (User Experience). Whether you have good or bad UX determines the success of your product, regardless of the channel your users come from.
The aim of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is to optimise the website to increase its organic visibility and drive high-quality traffic to it through the search engines. The aim of good UX is to create a seamless journey for users once they land on that site. Ultimately, Google aims to provide a high-quality experience to its users so that they can find reliable and trustworthy information.
Think of it like this: SEO brings visitors to the front door of your digital home, and UX welcomes them in, offering them a cup of tea and a comfy chair. Both are essential for a successful online presence. Can you see the connection here? Can you see SEO and UX holding hands?
What is UX?
UX refers to the overall experience a user has when interacting with a product, system, or service. In the context of websites, this includes the design, layout, navigation, content, and overall usability. A positive UX ensures that users can find what they’re looking for effortlessly and enjoy the process.
How do we monetise UX? Through CRO (Conversion Rate Optimisation). This is another concept which works hand in hand with SEO (Yes, surprise! It is a fundamental concept for SEO too!) and that we will cover in another article (Stay tuned!).
Why is UX important for SEO?
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It’s All About Keeping Users Happy
Think about it. When you visit a site, you want it to be easy, fun, and quick. Google and other search engines notice this too. They keep an eye on things like how long you hang out on a page or if you leave a site super quickly. If a site is fun to be on, visitors stick around longer, and search engines give that site a virtual high-five in the form of better rankings.
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Mobile is the New Playground
Remember the days of pinching and zooming on your phone just to read a website? So annoying, right? Thankfully, those days are mostly gone. Sites now look awesome on mobile devices, and that’s a big win for UX. Search engines, especially our pal Google, love this too. They give priority to sites that look and work great on mobile. So, if your site shines on smartphones, you’re in for some SEO points.
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No One Likes to Wait
Ever tried waiting for a slow site to load? It’s like watching paint dry. Speed is a big deal for users, and search engines know it. Sites that load like lightning often rank better. It’s all about keeping things zippy and user-friendly.
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Give the People What They Want
A great site gives its visitors exactly what they’re looking for. If your site’s content matches what users want (and does it in a friendly, easy-to-read way), search engines will notice. They love content that hits the mark.
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Ever heard of duplicate content?
It’s when the same thing is said in multiple places on a site. It’s confusing, right? Good UX design clears up that confusion, making sure everything is neat and tidy. And guess what? Search engines appreciate that clarity too.
So, in a nutshell, UX and SEO are like two peas in a pod. They work hand in hand to make websites awesome for visitors like you and me. When we focus on creating fantastic user experiences, search engines notice and reward those efforts.
Is UX part of SEO, then?
As we mentioned above, Google is developing and increasing UX-related ranking factors. Currently, there are several of them, including site speed (Core Web Vitals), Mobile friendliness, headers, menus, user engagement and so much more (There are over 200 ranking factors, so I won’t stay here to list all of them).
So, the answer is YES. UX is a major and fundamental part of SEO and it’s the one that gets your house in order and makes your guests feel comfortable walking around!
UX should NEVER be underestimated, every single channel benefits from UX, and SEOs know it. That’s why we like to make sure your website is spotless, well-structured and clear before making any changes to your content!
Would you like to know more about how you can use UX to increase your conversions? There is something very interesting coming up for you! Stay tuned.
Meanwhile, if you would like a User Experience audit, email us, we would be happy to help!
