User experience (UX) has become almost central to search engine optimization. In fact, it has become so important to SEO that it has been acknowledged as a ranking factor by Google. It is worth knowing that it is rare for Google to acknowledge a ranking algorithm factor. The main purpose of any website is to attract visitors, keep them there for as long as possible, and convert them. User experience plays the biggest role in achieving this purpose.
Purpose of UX
User experience is focused on converting visitors based on the experience they have on your site. If you want to check your site’s UX, you can begin by finding how to check if a website is down. If your site isn’t up 99.9% of the time, you should take steps to improve its accessibility at all times. Some of the other ways UX matters for your site and business are as follows:
- Improving on-site and off-site find-ability
- Testing and customizing experience to targeted audience
- Converting traffic
- Helping visitors find the required information
- Turning visitors to repeat visitors
Key Factors in Website User Experience
There are multiple factors that affect the UX of a website. The most important ones include the following:
1. Accessibility
There is more to accessibility than how long a website remains up. It also refers to create websites that can be accessed by users having a wide range of abilities. Almost 1 in 5 users can suffer from some form of disability. Besides, accessible design is also required under law in many countries.
2. Usability
Usability is related to allowing users to achieve their goals with your site. When someone arises at an effectively usable site, their expectations are met or exceeded. It allows the visitors to find the desired information as quickly as possible, with minimal effort. The most important elements of usability include:
- Efficiency
- Effectiveness
- Satisfaction
3. Intuitive
Intuitive user experience translates into a site that is easy to understand. It should have formats that users are familiar with. It can include the layout and aesthetics, but the functional aspect is more important. It is specifically important from the perspective of on-page navigation. An intuitive design prevents users from finding themselves getting stuck when reading content, shopping, or finding the desired information.
4. Visual Appeal
Even visual aesthetics have an impact on usability. However, this is a more perceived type of usability. High-quality visual design has been found to have positive impact on audience perception.
This will require you to refine your site’s aesthetics by working on the following factors:
- Page layout
- Text balance
- White space
- Colors
Some of the other factors that affect user experience include:
- Consistency: There should be consistency in the layouts, colors, themes, navigation, and other elements.
- Responsiveness: Quality UX also requires that the site is optimized for use on mobile devices.
UX goes beyond the scope of SEO and helps attract and keep your visitors on your site for longer. So it is so much more important than its technical aspects in getting your site found on search engines.