Combining SEO and UX - Why the two disciplines should go hand in hand

SEO & UX: Von Synergieeffekten profitieren

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SEO und UX

Erfolg für die Zukunft: UX & SEO kombinieren

User experience (UX) has become increasingly important in recent years as the internet has become an integral part of our lives. We use it for everything from work to entertainment, and we expect a seamless experience that meets our needs.

Businesses that can provide this seamless experience will be successful in the future. Search engines have already adapted to changing user behaviour and now deliver relevant results that answer our questions and meet our needs. In order to provide the best experience, it is important for companies to accompany the individual user on their entire customer journey. This includes everything from information search to conversion.

This is about knowing your users and taking them by the hand during their visit to your website to provide them with the smoothest and most satisfying experience possible. This way you can gain their trust and create positive associations with your brand.

In this article, we would like to introduce you to the topic of UX & SEO and show you why one cannot exist without the other.

SEO UX - Synergie-Effekte nutzen & profitieren

Search engine optimisation and user experience are two important aspects of any online marketing strategy. While SEO focuses on optimising a website for better visibility in search results, UX is about creating a positive experience for users. However, these two optimisation measures cannot be 100% separated from each other, as they are mutually dependent and reinforce each other's effects:

SEO is part of a good UX, because SEO enables the user to find the service, product or information in the first place. If a website is not user-friendly, this also has a bad effect on the ranking, as visitors will quickly leave the site again. 

There is already a term of its own for the combination of SEO and UX - SXO (Search Experience Optimization). This new optimisation basis is not only made up of the two words, but also of their goals:

SXO is designed to give users the best possible experience when they search for something online. This includes everything from the initial search query, to the search results page, to the landing page and the fulfilment of that need.

What does User Experience - UX - mean?

User experience is a term that refers to the overall experience of a person or user when using a particular product or service. In the digital world, UX usually refers to the experience someone has with a website or an app.

User experience can encompass everything from the simple navigation and visual design of a website, to the more intangible factors such as how users feel, think or need when they are on a website.

Why is UX so important?

Creating a positive UX is crucial for any business that wants to succeed in the digital age. Because if prospects have a bad experience when using your website, they will quickly leave and look elsewhere for the information they are interested in. This in turn has a bad effect on SEO factors such as returning users, bounce rate or dwell time and can negatively influence your ranking.

What makes a good UX?

There are many different factors that make up a good UX, but among the most important are the usability of the website, providing relevant and useful content and ensuring that there are no technical problems.

Why is UX essential for search engine optimisation?

The UX has a strong influence on search engine optimisation factors that are crucial for the rankings of a website. Simply put, a good user experience (UX) influences the "impression" search engines have of your website. If your website is UX-optimised, searchers will stay longer on your site, click through different subpages and turn from prospects to customers. This signals to the search engines that you offer your users added value. Your click-through rate, time on site and bounce rate improve. If your content is relevant, you build trust, increase the user experience and visitors come back.

UX Design

The common goals of UX and SEO

The common goals of UX and SEO are to improve the user experience and increase organic traffic through various ranking factors. User experience is about people having a positive experience when using a website and coming back. In the area of search engine optimisation, the goal is to rank highly as a website and be found better by users with the help of content that is relevant to them.

Overlap of SEO and UX design

When it comes to SEO and UX design, there is a lot of overlap. The aim of the disciplines is to create a seamless, intuitive and enjoyable experience for users and ensure they can find the information they need quickly and easily. User satisfaction is always the focus.

Why SEO and UX are not mutually exclusive

Search engine optimisation (SEO) and user experience (UX) are two disciplines that are often seen as opposites. On the one hand, SEO is about providing relevant content and optimising it for Google's algorithms, while UX focuses on creating a positive experience for users. However, to develop and follow a successful online marketing strategy, you should take a holistic approach to the design of your website.

If SEO and UX are integrated together from the beginning, it is possible to create a website that is both user-friendly and search engine friendly. Because basically, user-friendliness is also what the search engines, with the help of their algorithms, also want to achieve. Only recently, Google rolled out a new "Helpful Content" update, which confirms this once again.

By tracking user behaviour and using data as a basis for design decisions, it is also possible to continuously improve the user experience while maintaining a high level of SEO. Consequently, UX and SEO are not mutually exclusive, but trigger a positive interaction together.

How SEO and UX affect each other

Search engines prefer content and websites that satisfy the user and offer them added value. This is why search engine optimisation cannot be separated from improving the user experience. If you apply both together on your website, you will have killed more than two birds with one stone. You have more satisfied prospects who turn into customers and maybe even repeat customers, which also positively affects your ranking. This in turn attracts more people to consume your content. This sends positive signals to the search engines and again affects your ranking. Use both channels together and you will see a positive interaction.

Combining User Experience and Search Engine Optimisation - for more conversions

A holistic approach that combines UX and SEO also increases conversion rates. As already described, there is an interaction between these two disciplines. UX is a factor that can affect the rankings of your website. A good UX design plays a crucial role in the positive user experience of your visitors. They stay longer on your site, which is a criterion for Google and Co. that you offer added value. Your site will be ranked higher and receive more traffic. More visitors also means more activity on your site and therefore more conversions. The value of your brand increases and the spiral of appreciation begins to turn. If you don't know where to start, feel free to contact us. We stand for sustainable SEO, individual support and transparent cooperation.

Avoid mistakes: SEO and UX

Don't rely on just one of the two disciplines, build a strong SEO strategy and a strong UX strategy! Because weak UX leads to worse SEO and bad SEO leads to a weak UX.

Never consider UX and SEO separately, but develop a holistic approach to avoid negative consequences. A confusing navigation and a wrong layout can lead to a bad UX and have a negative impact on the SEO. Technical errors also harm both optimisation methods.

One of the most common mistakes made in SEO and UX, for example, is neglecting the mobile-first aspect. Since the majority of users today access the internet via mobile devices, it is more important than ever to optimise your website for these people. This means that you should make sure that your website is responsive, has a high page load speed and is easy to use on smaller screens.

Conclusion: Use User Experience SEO to grow your business

A holistic approach to online marketing is essential in today's competitive landscape. SEO and UX must be considered together to create a website that offers an optimal experience for both users and search engines. This is because user experience has a direct impact on search engine optimisation ranking factors. If a website is perceived as appealing and user-friendly, visitors will linger longer and consume more content. This behaviour in turn affects the ranking in search engines.

SXO - the blend of both approaches is an important part of this holistic approach as it focuses on the user at every point of the customer journey. A well-rounded online marketing strategy considers all aspects of the user experience, from initial search to conversion.

We are part of the digital transformation & we should develop websites and apps that help each other. Also, if we take a look at the latest algorithms of Google and Co., we see that they aim at exactly that - creating a more user-friendly and helpful internet landscape!

Image sources:
  • rastudio/123rf.com
  • scyther5/123rf.com
  • yapanda/123rf.com

About the author: Louisa Anger

Louisa SEO-Texterin

Louisa specialises in writing search engine optimised texts and articles in the online marketing field. She researches and writes SEO-optimised content for various companies from different industries. At SEO-Suchhund, Louisa is the person responsible for the topic of SEO content.