For a long time, SEO and UX were seen as separate methodologies; people assumed they had nothing to do with each other. To some extent, they were not wrong because earlier SEO strategies focused more on keyword ranking, backlinks, and other technical aspects.
But today, that viewpoint has shifted completely, with UI and SEO being intertwined and necessary for ranking high on searches and drawing traffic.
8 UX Design Tips for Improving Your Website Ranking
1. Speed Is the Best Feature
There is no doubt that loading speeds for websites have become one of the most valued metrics in recent times. Google has openly stated that websites that are slow to open will have a tough time ranking in the top ten.
A rule of thumb is to ensure that a website has a Pagespeed Insight score of 90+ to get the most chances of ranking high.
Ensure that all high-data assets like images and videos are compressed without affecting their quality. Minifying code can also have a positive impact on loading speeds. Implementing lazy loading for content below the fold helps you focus on quicker loading times, where the user focuses first.
If your website is heavy on visuals, consider investing in Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), which can help accelerate loading times. Choose the best hosting service that is available to you.
2. Design for Smaller Screens
Mobile-first optimization is the way to move forward as far as user experience is concerned. The internet traffic chart is now heavily skewed towards mobile devices compared to other sources. So it makes sense to optimize website design towards smaller screens.
A few things to keep in mind when designing for mobile are to ensure proper readability.
All elements should be properly sized for the average user. Ensure that typography and white space are appropriately used to enable comfortable reading. Buttons, links, and other touch targets on mobile websites should be wide enough to interact with without misclicks.
Ensure that you use high contrast themes for the websites so users can clearly distinguish between different elements. It is a good idea to compress mobile images even further to improve loading speeds, keeping in mind that mobile internet speeds can be inconsistent.
3. Have a Proper Hierarchy
A vital part of improving website user experience is to have a logical layout of your website. A rule to follow is to ensure that headings follow a clear pattern from large to small. Headings should be in the order of H1, H2, H3, and so on. The webpage should have a clear visual hierarchy so it can help establish user interest.
With larger fonts, users can get a gist of the content that follows and will take the effort to read through the rest of the content. Proper typography and font selection also help users scan through the page more easily.
Another often ignored part of creating a neat layout is whitespace. Ensure that you have a clear separation between various elements on the page with adequate use of whitespace. This can also be used to create groups and other related items on the page.
4. Guide and Empower Your Users
The goal of a website is to ensure that users clicking on it will get what they want out of the experience. It is critical to have clear and intuitive navigation throughout the website. It should have descriptions for most elements and also include a breadcrumb trail so users know where they are on the website.
One of the most important things to do for user experience is to have a powerful search tool and place it right at the top of a website. The search should be intelligent and allow users to search for any product, service, or related content on the website. It should also have an autocomplete feature, which can be helpful for first-time users.
If your website has multi-part forms, ensure that there is a progress indicator so users know how many more sections they have to fill or if they’re done.
5. Build Brand Trust and Credibility
Website security has become a vital part of brand trust and credibility. It helps to have popular security badges like SSL and DMCA displayed all over the website. This is especially true if your page has a checkout – ensure that logos of all supported payment gateways are displayed prominently.
While customer testimonials are important, brands that don’t have authentic reviews or don’t link them to their original source are shooting themselves in the foot.
A majority of users tend to click reviews to find out if they’re on trusted third-party websites. Anonymous reviews should never be added to your website because they do more harm than good.
It is good practice to add popular brands that you’ve collaborated with on the front page, above the fold. Ensure that your About Us page is comprehensive and has all the details about your company. Also, consider adding photos of your staff on the page to showcase the people behind the brand.
6. Respond Immediately to Questions
Regardless of the type of industry you’re in, the one thing you can be sure of is that people will have queries that need to be answered. Ensure that you take the initiative and respond to these questions as quickly as possible.
One of the best solutions to this problem is to have an AI chatbot that can handle greetings and basic queries.
The chatbot can also forward advanced queries to the specific team that can solve them. Having your phone number displayed on your customer support page is a good idea. It gives people an option to get in touch with you directly.
Investing time in a detailed FAQ section can address a lot of these issues. It should have an expandable/collapsible format to ensure that it doesn’t clutter the page. Don’t be afraid to add your average response time to the customer support page. Even if it’s high, it gives users a proper estimate, and they will respect you for it.
7. Streamline Design and Reduce Friction
The entire purpose of user experience optimization is to ensure minimal friction between the user and the brand. This friction can arise due to a number of reasons, but the majority is due to improper website design. For example, when you need a user to fill out a form, ensure that it has the absolute minimum. Longer and more elaborate forms can put off users, leading them to click away.
Ensure that there are multiple ways to log in to your website and don’t restrict them to just your website username and password. Third-party platforms like Google and Apple have their own login functionalities, which can be leveraged for your website.
Research other websites in your niche and standardize the placement of elements like CTA buttons, shopping carts, search bar, and others. Avoid busy animations or auto-playing videos, which can irritate users.
8. Aim to Engage and Retain
As a web designer, one of your more important goals is to ensure that when users click on a website, they find it worth their time to stay. The website should have information about what is in it for them rather than just talking about the brand.
Use clear messaging right at the top so users can understand what the website/webpage is about.
It is a good idea to personalize user experience by showing them a history of their previously viewed products (eCommerce) or pages. To incentivize repeated visits, work on a loyalty program that can keep them engaged for longer.
Last but not least, ensure that your long-form content is factual, well-written, and free from grammatical errors. It should have accompanying images that help break up the text and ensure better scanability.
UX Design & SEO – FAQs
1. Isn’t SEO Enough to Help Rank My Website – Why Does UX Matter?
Well, the simple answer is no. Modern SEO strategies also include user signals rather than just metrics. Which means the more users find your website easy to work with, the better rankings your website will have. Also, it is important to note that well-planned UX adds more to SEO and has now become an important part of the process.
2. Can Bad UX Hurt My SEO?
Yes, bad UX can directly affect your website through high bounce rates and poor dwell time. These negative metrics can influence your website rankings and indicate that the website just isn’t good enough for the average user. Poor mobile experience and bad navigation can all lead to the customer clicking away from your website.
3. What Are the Basic Things I Should Look for in Good UX?
The most critical aspects of website UX are website loading speed, intuitive navigation, clear visual hierarchy, mobile-responsive website, proper CTAs and buttons, and frictionless website design. While this is not an exhaustive list, it touches on the major elements you should consider.
Key Takeaways
- Ensure that your website has a high loading speed by implementing image compression and CDNs.
- Adopt a mobile-first approach to website design to keep ahead of the trends and improve ranking.
- Simplify your website navigation so it is clear and intuitive for the majority of your users.
- Implement an AI-assisted chat feature to help people with their queries quickly.
- Establish a clear visual hierarchy through effective use of heading tags and typography.
- Streamline your checkout process by simplifying it and ensuring it has popular gateway options included.
- Align your UX and SEO processes around shared goals to make the best out of the process.
Discover more from Techcolite
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
