SEO UX – 11 SEO Strategies to Propel User Experience

SEO UX is slowly taking over the marketing world in today’s digital-first landscape. Search engine optimization and user experience (UX) work together to optimize organic search engine results.

SEO UX is a digital marketing strategy to optimize the user experience and organic search engine results. SEO incorporates website optimization tactics like keyword search, sitemap optimization, and link building to increase a site’s organic search traffic. UX focuses on user intent and providing an optimized and seamless experience. These two disciplines are strongly interconnected to deliver an optimized web experience.

Think of some of your all-time favorite websites. They probably incorporate aesthetic designs, clear CTAs, and limited room for user error or confusion. These websites aren’t just your favorites by happenstance—these aspects come together to offer a hearty SEO UX.

So, what is SEO UX, and why is it important?

Understanding UX and SEO

Both UX and SEO work in tandem to provide an optimized user experience. They form a symbiotic relationship that uplifts a website’s overall success and conversion rates.

Definition and Importance of UX

UX offers a clear structure that aids in a positive user experience and increases conversions. An effective UX structure includes a clear CTA, well-designed navigation, and a mobile-friendly interface. These assets come together with SEO UX to either make or break quality user interactions.

Clear CTAs remove the gray area for users and offer clarity on achieving their desired results. See how Arizona Iced Tea uses eye-catching design and clear CTAs in action.

For instance, a functioning CTA button should be easily accessible to prospective customers and clientele. This is why you often see a clear CTA on the website’s main menu, which is also available at strategic locations throughout the website.

All of these nuances play into UX.

Definition and Importance of SEO

SEO, on the other hand, strives to drive organic traffic and improve search rankings. SEO strategy focuses on attracting the ideal target audience for the product, service, or offering to maximize conversions.

However, a truly optimized digital experience utilizes UX SEO.

How UX and SEO Interact

Both technical aspects and the user experience come together to form a seamless relationship. These two tools share the goal of optimizing the website’s user experience. A website with an optimized UX experience must also consider the search engine algorithm.

A search engine algorithm evaluates UX metrics like conversion rate, net promoter score (NPS), and customer satisfaction (CSAT). These metrics deliver a clear picture of how users are interacting with your brand and products.

A great way to think about the UX and SEO relationship is via a website landing page. Dive into how JW Marriott blends historical touches with an elevated SEO UX experience. 

A properly optimized website landing page will utilize keyword-driven headlines. UX determines the proper use and placement of headlines to create an effective structure and website flow.

Ready to take your search rankings to the next level? Connect with MediaBoom, a digital marketing agency with experts in SEO and UX.

UX Metrics and Factors Influencing SEO

There are several important metrics and ranking factors to consider. These metrics are carefully tracked and evaluated to ensure continued optimization.  

Page Speed

For obvious reasons, slow or delayed websites negatively affect the user experience. Website stagnation affects metrics like bounce rate, which, in turn, negatively impacts website ranking.

In fact, over half of mobile visitors abandon a mobile site if it takes longer than three seconds to load.

Thankfully, there are several tools to test and optimize page load time. One popular tool to help deliver a baseline score is Google’s PageSpeed Insights. Simply enter a URL, and this tool scores your website speed on a scale from 0-100. A score of 90 to 100 is good, 50 to 89 needs improvement, and 0 to 49 is poor.

The slower the page speed, the greater the impact on both UX and SEO.

Real-World UX Metrics

Google considers real-world UX metrics called Core Web Vitals to offer value-driven insight. Core Web vitals include loading performance, interactivity, and visual stability. These features provide a good baseline for both mobile and desktop versions.

Don’t worry if your baseline test doesn’t deliver the results you’d hoped for. Take the next step to improve your page speed by reducing used JavaScript and properly sizing images.

Mobile Responsiveness

Gone are the days of only needing a desktop-optimized website. Mobile responsiveness significantly impacts UX and SEO. In today’s mobile-first world, prospecting customers and clients expect access and information on the go. For this reason, it comes as no surprise that a properly formatted and responsive mobile website is required.

See how GFI Partners optimized their web presence to increase traffic by over 300%.

A great way to start addressing mobile responsiveness is by receiving a baseline score from Google Search Console’s mobile-friendly test. In addition to highlighting potential errors, this tool also provides resources to improve.

Content Quality and Structure

It comes as no shock that providing value-driven content is imperative to SEO and UX success. In addition to providing only the highest quality content, it is imperative to optimize your content structure. This means utilizing heading tags and showcasing well-formatted paragraphs.

Well-formatted paragraphs are easily digestible, with important information bolded to capture attention. They also incorporate heading tags. The most popular heading tags are H1 for the main title, H2 tags for subsections, and H3 headings for subsections.

User Engagement Metrics

Knowing the UX factors that influence SEO is useless without tracking metrics. You can learn a lot about user engagement based on their time on page ranking.

Metrics like dwell time, bounce rate, and pages per session all affect user engagement and, in turn, SEO.

Dwell time measures how long a user engages with a web page before returning to the search engine results page (SERP). The shorter the dwell time, the higher the likelihood that the web page didn’t solve the user’s original search query.

However, this is not always the case. A shorter dwell time could also indicate a website is optimized. In rare cases, the website efficiently answered a user’s question without diving in further.

User Satisfaction Metrics

On the other hand, bounce rate is a more effective measure of user satisfaction. This is because the bounce rate measures when a visitor lands on a page and leaves immediately. They do not take any actions or interact with the page in any way.

Finally, pages per session are exactly how it sounds. It is a measure of the number of web pages, on average, the user engages with per session. Pages per session provide insight into how effectively a website engages users.

Guardian Jet increased pages per session by 23% by optimizing these UX metrics. Ready to dive into how these UX metrics factor into your website ranking? Hire a digital marketing agency specializing in SEO and UX today.

SEO-Specific Elements

There are a few specific elements that take center stage for SEO UX.

Keyword Relevance

Keyword relevance significantly impacts user search queries. This is for obvious reasons. If there is a disconnect between user search queries and the content your website returns, your bounce rate and dwell time will have a negative impact.

For this reason, it is important to optimize page titles and descriptions with relevant keywords. These keywords should highlight the overall content of the webpage and create a clear connection between the two.

By implementing a strong keyword strategy, Aspen Luxury Concierge increased new organic users by 118.42%.

Role in Click-through Rates

Internal and external links play a role in user engagement and click-through rates. Both linking strategies work in tandem to impact SEO and user navigation.

Internal links hyperlink URLs to similar content within the same website. This linking strategy is important for UX SEO and impacts search engine visibility, crawl efficiency, and more. Internal links provide additional content to help users stay engaged and oftentimes act as CTAs.

Meanwhile, external links hyperlink URLs to external domains to add value and expertise. Linking high-quality and relevant content via external links increases credibility and authority.

If you’re ready to optimize your linking strategies, contact a digital marketing agency with experts in SEO UX.

Design and Content Factors

While SEO and UX work hand in hand, there are specific UX design and content factors to consider.

Website Design

A functional and aesthetically appealing website design is imperative—98% of consumers turn to the Internet to search for local businesses.

While it may seem funny, an attractive, properly designed website offers a more professional presence for users. In turn, this could result in greater conversions because you’re showcasing a legitimate image.

Site Navigation

A properly optimized site navigation helps improve a user’s journey, thus improving SEO UX. In fact, 38% of users visiting a website for the first time look at a page’s layout or navigation links.

A site navigation menu organizes a set of primary and sub-pages. This hierarchy helps visitors understand the relationship between these individual pages. In turn, visitors can move from page to page, easily understanding the central theme.

Usability and Accessibility

Usability and accessibility work harmoniously to create guidelines to construct good user experiences. Alt text on photos and video captions are examples of usability and accessibility in action.

Usability ensures users receive an effective, efficient, and overall quality experience. Accessibility ensures that the usability requirements are effective and efficient for as many people as possible. This includes individuals with disabilities, possibly utilizing assistive technologies.

Optimized Visuals

Pictures provide context in a way words may not be able to effectively communicate. Strategically placed visuals add to a strong user experience. This is because visuals aid in storytelling and provide content and credibility.

Optimized visuals are imperative for SEO UX in industries like luxury real estate. If you’re searching for a real estate agent, you are more likely to select an agent with a professional headshot and portfolio of property highlights.

By providing optimized visuals, you are providing context for prospective clients. Even before they’ve met you, they have an idea of your personality and how you present yourself. See how Millennium Tower showcases quality with virtual tours and aerial flyovers.

However, a real estate website that doesn’t optimize visual placement may see an adverse effect. Additionally, if a website showcases a video that doesn’t play or isn’t linked effectively, This can contribute to a negative user experience or even slow the website’s performance rating.

User Interface Design

User interface (UI) design takes into account the importance of making a good impression. An effective UI incorporates visual design, interactive design, and site architecture.

Site architecture provides a website hierarchy to help users effectively find information. The internal linking structure tells search engine crawlers what to expect. While site architecture is a relatively simple concept, it produces powerful results

Can an optimized UX increase conversion for your business? Connect with a digital marketing agency with experts in SEO UX to help propel your business.

Team Integration & Performance Tracking

Integrating UX and SEO Teams

If your UX and SEO teams work independently, it’s time to consider collaboration opportunities.

1. Data and Reporting: Technical and UX teams view projects from a different lens. This offers a powerful opportunity to maximize impact. By sharing analytics between teams, it is easier to identify areas for improvement that impact both teams.
2. Team Collaboration: Regular meetings can help keep teams operating on the same page. In addition to regular meetings, it is also important to collaborate on big decisions to discuss the implications for both teams.

Tracking Performance

There are several vital tools to help track SEO and UX performance. Three popular options are Google Search Console, Google Analytics, and SEMrush SEO Audit.

1. Google Search Console: Google Search Console is a free Google service that allows you to optimize your website’s visibility. It does this by checking your indexing status, search queries, and crawling errors. 
2. Google Analytics: Google Analytics is a must-have tool for your tech stack. Utilize Google Analytics to measure website traffic and track user activity.
3. SEMrush SEO Audit — The free SEMrush Audit highlights issues pertaining to your website’s performance, crawlability, and internal linking. The audit also provides a digestible “to-do” list with necessary next steps to address.

See how Qazi Cosmetic Clinic & Dermatology optimized their SEO strategy to increase online leads by 302.75%.

Optimize Your SEO UX Strategy Today

While SEO and UX may seem like two different disciplines, it is easy to see how they form a symbiotic relationship. This relationship only becomes more imperative as we venture further into today’s digital-first landscape.

Ready to optimize your digital marketing strategy? Hire a digital marketing agency specializing in UX and SEO today.