SEO and user experience

Sonja Holopainen, August 7, 2024

What is SEO and user experience?

SEO (Search engine optimization) is the practice of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results and drive more organic traffic to your site. It involves techniques like keyword research, content creation, and technical optimizations to improve visibility and attract the right audience.

User experience (UX) refers to the overall experience a user has while interacting with a website, encompassing factors like usability, design, and navigation. A positive UX ensures that visitors find the site easy to use, engaging, and valuable, leading to higher satisfaction and retention.

Integrating SEO and UX means creating a website that not only ranks well but also delights users, resulting in increased traffic and better engagement.

The relationship between SEO and UX

So why should you care about these two together? SEO needs UX to improve engagement metrics, such as bounce rate and time spent on site. This will indicate to Google that the site offers value to the user. It will also help your site to achieve SERP (search engine result page) snippets.

Additionally, a good user experience makes it more likely for the visitor to return to the site. Think about online clothing stores — most of them offer the same brands at similar prices, but users prefer one over the other because of a better user experience.

For Cuckoo, we matched user and business needs and desires to create a modern, functional and elegant interface that guides visitors at different stages of the buying process towards conversion.

How to take UX and SEO into consideration while renewing or optimizing your website

Knowing your audience, doing sufficient research and planning are the main pillars of successful website creation. One can create amazing and insightful content, but if it does not speak to your audience in the right way, with the right search terms in the right place, how would the audience find the website?

Keyword research and user intent

Start with keyword research to understand the user intent behind search terms. Create content that the audience searches for when they first realize they have a need, problem, or something else you can help them with.

Content quality and user journeys

Next, plan what kind of content will convince them to trust you and think about how they will navigate through the content. This usually means references, customer experiences, demos, and other offerings. Make it easy for them to convert — don’t require extra steps and extensive information unless it is really necessary. Benchmark the results that are performing well and think about how you can add value to them. Customer journeys are getting more complex, so create engaging content also for off-site channels, such as social media.

Site architecture and navigation

Once you know what kind of content you need, think about the site architecture and navigation. Use a sitemap to plan your content layout and ensure intuitive navigation. Plan internal links for better user navigation and to help search engine bots understand the connections between different pieces of content.

Mobile-friendliness and page speed

Always think about mobile friendliness. Modern websites need to have responsive design and meet Google’s mobile-first indexing standards. Furthermore, keep page speed in mind. Heavy elements such as videos and extensive, unnecessary code will slow down the site, negatively impacting user retention and SEO rankings.

User-centric design

Design with the user in mind. A visually appealing and easy-to-use website makes a significant difference. Ensure your site is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities, as this benefits both SEO and UX.

Sergey Brin, a co-founder of Google, once said, “The user is never wrong.” This simple yet powerful idea means that if people have trouble using a product, it’s up to the UX designers to fix it. Instead of blaming users, designers should focus on making things easier and clearer. This approach helps create products and services that are more intuitive and user-friendly, ensuring everyone can use them without frustration. It’s all about listening to user feedback and continually improving the design to meet the users’ needs.

For Valio, we created a mobile application that provides ideas and inspiration for daily cooking and baking with personalized recipe recommendations.

Measuring the impact

To measure the impact of your SEO and UX efforts, focus on key performance indicators (KPIs) that track both areas. For SEO, monitor metrics such as organic traffic, search engine rankings, and click-through rates (CTR). For UX, pay attention to metrics like bounce rate, session duration, and pages per session. Utilizing tools like Google Analytics and Search Console will provide comprehensive data on these metrics. Additionally, heatmaps and user behavior tracking tools can offer insights into how users interact with your site, helping you identify areas for further improvement. By regularly analyzing these KPIs, you can gauge the effectiveness of your strategies and make data-driven decisions to enhance both SEO and UX.

Practical tips and best practices

Keyword research: Identify relevant keywords and incorporate them naturally into your content.
Content plan: Create content clusters and well-thought-out user journeys.
Consistent UX copywriting: Maintain a consistent and engaging tone throughout your site.
Easy to understand text: Write clear and concise content.
Mobile friendliness: Ensure your site is responsive and performs well on mobile devices.
Site speed & Core Web Vitals: Optimize loading times and ensure your site meets core web vital metrics.
Intuitive navigation & consistent structure: Make your site easy to navigate with a clear structure.
SEO-friendly URLs: Use descriptive and keyword-rich URLs.
Breadcrumbs: Implement breadcrumb navigation to help users and search engines understand your site structure.
Search function: Include a search bar to help users find content quickly.

Common mistakes to avoid

Overloading content with keywords: Keyword stuffing can hurt readability and SEO.
Ignoring mobile users: A non-responsive design alienates a significant portion of users.
Slow page load times: Users are impatient and may leave if your site takes too long to load.
A complex navigation: A complicated navigation structure can frustrate users and deter them from exploring your site further.
Ignoring user feedback: User feedback can provide valuable insights into areas that need improvement.

Conclusion

SEO and user experience go hand in hand in creating a successful website. By focusing on both aspects, you can ensure your site not only ranks well but also provides a delightful experience for visitors. Start by understanding your audience, conducting thorough research, and planning your content and site structure accordingly. Continuously measure the impact using relevant KPIs and tools, and avoid common pitfalls to maintain a high-performing website.

By implementing these strategies, you’ll be well on your way to enhancing both SEO and UX, driving more traffic and keeping your audience engaged.