When optimizing websites for search engines, the most critical components include keyword dense content with proper page headers coupled with effective use of image alt and page title tags. Content may be king, but adding website usability to SEO tactics is a must have combination for higher conversions and sales.

 
Usability Defined
Usability measures the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a product or system – whether a website, software application, mobile technology, or any user-operated device.

Usability is defined by five quality components (as described by Usability Expert Jakob Nielsen):

• Learnability: Can users easily accomplish basic tasks the first time they encounter the design?
• Efficiency: Once users have learned the design, how quickly can they perform tasks?
• Memorability: When users return to the design after a period of not using it, how easily can they reestablish proficiency?
• Errors: How many errors will users make (including the severity of these errors) and how easily can they recover from them?
• Satisfaction: How pleasant is it to use the design?

 
How Usability and SEO Go Hand In Hand
When SEO is implemented correctly, it should make your website rank higher on search engines and drive more traffic.

However, even with targeted traffic from search engines and the proper calls to action, your website may not convert as desired. A visitor may leave if the website is difficult to use. Obstacles may include a poor navigation structure, a homepage that fails to clearly state what a company offers, uncertainty about what can be accomplished on the website, and information that is hard to read or doesn’t answer the users’ key questions.

In the Internet Age, people want to quickly gather information. As a result, they won’t take the time to stumble around your site or read through a user’s manual to get what they need.

 
Improving Usability
Like SEO, usability is an iterative process. However, it is more important during the initial development stage of a website. Improving a website’s usability involves taking the time to think about how someone will interact with the website before making it viewable to the world. An essential goal involves minimizing the number of clicks needed to locate information.

Once you have put some thought into the website, some form of usability testing should be completed (it does not need to be expensive or require a sophisticated usability lab). In addition to having multiple people view the website and provide feedback on its design and ease of use, I recommend using the “10-second usability test” devised by web designer and author Dan Cederholm of Simple Bits.

The “10-second usability test” includes turning off the design and asking the following questions. Is the website still understandable? Does the structure make sense? “Turning off the design” involves disabling CSS stylesheets by commenting out the stylesheet include line or via a plug-in like the Web Developer plug-in for Firefox. When you turn off the CSS stylesheets, you can see the content and navigation the same way a search engine spider will experience the site. Although this method is unscientific, it is an easy form of usability testing.

Usability is crucial because it can make or break the website experience – whether that’s a human being or a search engine trying to get from one page to the next. Messy websites rank lower on search engines, attract less traffic and end up with fewer conversions.

If you think through SEO and usability together, you will be in a better position to convert more visitors and beat out competitors fighting in the same market.