How UX fits into SEO
Elements of UX have been rolled into SEO practices and are considered by Google and other search engines when determining how to rank a website.
Elements of UX have been rolled into SEO practices and are considered by Google and other search engines when determining how to rank a website.
There is a common misconception that SEO simply involves link building and including relevant keywords in content. While these are two important strategies, search engines consider a lot more than this when ranking websites.
Elements of user experience (UX) have been rolled into SEO practices. Is your site fast, secure and mobile-friendly? Do you have quality content that engages users and encourages them to stay on your website? Is your site quick to load and easy to navigate?
These are all elements that are considered by Google and other search engines when determining how to rank your website. With that in mind, read on to discover more about how UX fits into search engine optimization.
Google has changed considerably over the years. The search engine giant constantly updates its algorithms to ensure users are provided with the best possible results. Each and every update that Google has made has been geared towards providing more user-focused and user-friendly results. We have seen changes to SERPs, like knowledge panel and rich snippets, and algorithm updates that have shown just how critical UX has become to Google. You only need to look at RankBrain to see that this is the case.
RankBrain was introduced in 2015, and it was considered the third most significant factor in determining the SEO value of your website, only falling below links and content. RankBrain is driven by behavior metrics, including pages per session, bounce rate, dwell time, and organic CTR. Essentially, these metrics inform the search engine as to whether users enjoy their experience on your website.
After all, if a user visits your website again and again, spends a good chunk of time on it, and moves through the website with ease, it tells Google that you provide a good UX, and as a consequence, your ranking will improve. On the flip side, if someone leaves your website as soon as they enter it, returning back to the search results, it indicates that they did not find relevant information, and this can cause a drop in your ranking.
UX also fits into SEO because they both share common goals. If you have been following SEO over the past few years, you will know that it has moved away from solely ranking for search terms. Now, it seeks to provide searchers with information that answers their queries. This is where UX and SEO start to interact. Both share the goal of helping users to complete their tasks by providing them with relevant information. SEO will lead a person to the content they need, and the UX answers their queries once a user ends up on the webpage.
It is important to understand the common SEO and content practices that influence UX:
Hopefully, you now have a better understanding regarding the importance of UX in terms of search engine optimization. So, where should you begin in terms of improving your website’s UX so that it has a positive impact on your ranking?
When it comes to ranking your website on the search engine result pages, there is no denying that UX is one of the most critical factors. If you want to increase your online visibility and ultimately boost your conversion rate, you need to align your UX and SEO strategy.
Use the advice that has been provided as a starting point, but make sure you continue to test your website and make improvements. After all, if you remain stagnant, you will only get left behind.