In the past where stuffing content full of targeted keywords got you to rank high, this might have been the case. But now Google considers a plethora of user experience elements as part of a wider SEO strategy to determine your website’s success in the SERPs.
But here's the secret: UX design and SEO are two sides of the same coin.
UX design focuses on how users interact with your brand, product, or service to ensure that their experience is top-notch. On the other hand, SEO makes sure your website is seen by the correct demographic and helps Google recognize it as relevant so more users can find it when searching online.
Good UX usually leads to better rankings because happy users tend to spend more time on your website, which search engines will track and reward accordingly. Therefore, it’s critical to ensure visitors find and enjoy everything your site has to offer from the moment they click.
How SEO and UX design work together
To prove a point, here are some key factors that will impact both UX and SEO:
Easy architecture and navigation
Good site architecture is essential for UX design and SEO. It enables users to locate what they’re seeking with ease through an intuitive navigation menu with clear categories and subcategories. This user-friendly aspect also makes it easier for search engines to effectively crawl and index your site.
When visitors are engaged, it leads to lower bounce rates, higher click-through rates and conversions – all positive user signals indicating to Google’s algorithm that your website is informative, trustworthy and consequently, deserving of a top spot in search rankings.
Mobile-responsiveness
Around 60.67% of website traffic comes from mobile devices, so having a mobile-friendly site is vital if you want to succeed in the digital landscape. Responsive UX design entails making a website accessible across all devices to provide an optimal viewing experience – even button and font sizes impact user interaction.
As of 2016, Google has made mobile-first indexing a crucial ranking factor. Websites that meet this criterion will likely see increased traffic, engagement and ranking potential compared to those that do not.
Compelling website content
Content is king in the online world. Offering high quality and relevant information that addresses user intent can be the game-changer between a thriving or floundering website. Expertly crafted content answers questions and encourages potential customers to take the desired action.
This, in turn, helps improve time on site, pages views per session, as well as increase the number of social shares and backlinks if users find value in it. Together, these user signals boost your domain authority and search rankings.
Improved page speed
Site speed is no laughing matter. In fact, it’s a make or break factor when it comes to user experience and rankings. Surveys indicate that users are willing to wait no longer than 2 seconds for a website to load and this can have a detrimental effect on user experience and rankings.
UX design best practices to improve site speed include streamlined CSS, JavaScript and HTML code, caching, image and web font optimisation. The end result? A faster, more user-friendly website that will attract a wider audience and drive organic growth for your business.
UX design and SEO: A dynamic duo
In short, UX design and SEO are inextricably linked. Having an optimised, well-designed website is guaranteed to leave a lasting impression on your visitors and significantly improve your search engine ranking.