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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.
About the Author: Matt ThompsonMatt Thompson is a Technical SEM Specialist at Fathom SEO. His background covering graphic design, multiple programming languages, content management systems, and usability have helped enhance numerous clients' website presence. Matt plays an integral role in improving client website conversions through web design and development, and analyzing and overcoming technical barriers that may hinder SEO strategies.
Comments
8 Comments so far8 Responses to “Website Usability and SEO: A Must-Have Combination”
Matt, great article.
It seems there are more and more websites that are concerned with things other than usability. I hate when I visit a site and can't find my way around or figure out what to do... and I consider myself a fast learner!
I absolutely agree with the headline and usability and SEO should always go together. Foviance worked with a number of SEO agencies over 5 years ago as they realised that improved usability had a big impact on conversion rates. If they were on risk/reward contracts this was a must have.
Over the years we have gone beyond simple user testing or heuristics to include web analytic data analysis which provides rich information about the drop off points so that usability skills can be targeted at the appropriate point - thereby increasing ROI of the usability as well as the overall process in question.
You are right to say it is easy to do a bit of usability but make no mistake, this is a discipline vested in scientific methodology. It is no coincidence that website that invest in usability are more intuitive and more successful. Too often spend is still removed from the budget by poorly informed execs who can't understand the value. Usability professionals and believers within organisations need to work harder to convince senior execs that this stuff needs to happen.
Great article! It would be pointless to try and optimize a website that is difficult to use. I hope more websites start taking usability and SEO into consideration.
Extremely well-written post, Matt. I especially appreciate your reference to Jakob Nielsen. He is the ultimate authority when it comes to how people read and behave online. I recommend reading anything and everything with his name attached. His stuff is a must-read for anybody doing business online, especially people who have a lot of experience as traditional off-line content providers and little-or-no online experience. Some of the differences in how people interact with print vs. online media are as stark as Batman and the Joker, and he supports the theories with hard numbers.
Great article!
I totally agree with you that getting visitors is not everything.
I always think of a website just like any store. If you go to a store where everything is a mess, you probably leave and not go back. With a website it’s even worse because in seconds you can leave a website and access the competitor’s store.
If you can get people to your website you have only won half the battle. They must like you site and also feel comfortable with it or they will never make a purchase. Ever worst people go to your site and don't think you are a creditable source you could lose them as a client. Remember all fascists of your business have to be of the same quality.
[...] that spend a lot of time and money on graphic design, website usability testing and robust analytics can see a great return in leads or sales. However, big design [...]
Great article! And anyone who needs to do some good, but cheap usability testing should check out http://www.Loop11.com. Great tool for online, unmoderated user testing.