Google continues to place the most importance on user experience. Therefore, all websites should be created, designed and written for the user, not Google. Providing a positive user experience is vital as Google’s main priority is to quickly and efficiently meet the user’s needs. Although there are still many other elements to a concrete SEO strategy; Google advises webmasters to “Focus on the user and all else will follow”.
It can be a daunting prospect figuring out the balance between increasing rankings and creating a streamlined experience for users. Take a look at some of our tips:
Include Product Reviews
Including reviews within your website for a product or service, provides both UX benefits but also SEO benefits. Not only does it provide the user with a vote of confidence, but it also could reinforce their decision. Particularly if your product is expensive or unfamiliar to them. There’s a clear correlation between including reviews and increasing conversions, it also prevents the user from having to go elsewhere to see reviews.
But what benefits does it have for SEO? This kind of user-generated content can strengthen the website’s authority and therefore increase its rankings within the SERPs. Additionally, a steady stream of reviews shows the search engines your site receives consistent engagement and is still active.
Optimise Website Navigation
Clear and simple website navigation is crucial for good user experience as it allows users to quickly find what they need from the website in question. Poorly constructed navigations can result in user frustration and them going to a competitors site instead.
The search engine crawlers locate and index pages by using the links in the navigation. This then allows the crawlers to determine the purpose, expected content of the page and how they are all related. Furthermore, a badly constructed navigation can prevent crawlers from indexing all your pages and as a result, you will rank lower.
Use Effective CTAs
CTAs are a versatile UX strategy, applicable in pretty much every industry. Not only do they push users towards a transaction but they also decrease the bounce rate which is often considered a ranking factor to Google. Often using a CTA above the fold on a website can add urgency and push towards a conversion. Other research shows that adding explicit benefits such as “purchase now to save” can make them more enticing.
Website Search Functions
A websites search function is a great user experience addition which allows users to quickly locate the information they are looking for within your site. However, a lot of websites have this functionality yet have underutilised its potential user experience ability.
Auto-suggest is often a feature underutilized, this function helps to steer a customer’s user journey. It controls their search, intuitively finds what they’re looking for and avoids any issues with complicated product names.
Another function to consider with your search is to provide returning customers with a list of previously searched for or recommended terms based on their search history. Not only does it provide an efficient experience but also a bespoke one too.
Don’t allow products to get missed and ensure a clear path for the user by adding in a spelling correction function. If a search fails to bring up any results you should provide the user with recommended products based on their search query. This will prevent your user from jumping to another site to find what they’re looking for.
UX and SEO should work for hand in hand and they are becoming more and more co-dependent. The line between the two is becoming more and more blurred which highlights the importance of putting your user at the forefront of all your SEO strategies and decisions. Contact us to find out more about the benefits of good UX.