SEO's change in direction has meant that the user is now first and foremost. Google cares deeply about providing quality experiences for searchers. Therefore UX is more important than ever - and so is collaborating with your UX/CRO department. Opinions are the individuals. This presentation is co-shared by Michelle Wilding-Baker providing an SEO view and Luke Hay covering a UX view.

1. SLIDESHARE.NET/MICHELLEWILDING1
WHY UX IS SEO’s BEST FRIEND
MICHELLE WILDING-BAKER //
TELEGRAPH MEDIA GROUP //
@OHMISHY

2. A little about me...
#BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY

3. Search is becoming MORE user-focused
#BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY

4. We must meet user needs
#BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY
❖ Quality experience
❖ Clear signposting
❖ Minimal pop-ups
(no cloaking)
❖ Useful
❖ Trustworthy
❖ Accessible

5. Sound like UX?
#BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY
It’s time to befriend them, or at least COLLABORATE

6. So what do users WANT?
@OHMISHY #BRIGHTONSEO#BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY

7. @OHMISHY #BRIGHTONSEO#BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY
Speed DeviceRelevancy

8. Relevancy
The page returned must meet the search query
#BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY

9. 9
Keyword research = Understand what our audience search
for at each stage of the buying cycle, when and on what
device.
Digital librarians
Helping users find what they’re looking for
#BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY

10. Google knows
what type of content users are seeking
#BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY
News articles and reviews in the SERP
Intent = researching
(awareness/comparison)
#1 - Telegraph.co.uk - comparison article
#2 - Culturewhisper.com - comparison article
#3 - Timeout.com - comparison article
‘best plays in london’
Source: Ahrefs 24.01.19

11. #BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY
Product/landing
pages
Intent =
conversion
‘flights to malta’

12. #BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY
Reaching #1 or ‘position zero’
is not the challenge; maintaining it is
= “Search experience optimisation”

13. Search intent modelling
content that exists at each stage of the conversion cycle:
#BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY
Trigger Awareness Comparison Conversion
Researching & decision-making
• Guides (what is, how to)
• Comparison and Best buy tables
• News articles and Opinion
• Top tips
• Reviews
Action
• Product pages, tools,
and/or forms
• Purchase product or
service
• Sign-up to newsletter
• Exit link to Affiliate
Trigger Event
Top funnel content
addressing users
experiencing a
real-life event, but
have not yet
realised their need
for a product or
service.

14. Telegraph Travel & Solutions
#BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY
Trigger Awareness Comparison Conversion
‘Where’s hot in May?’ ‘Malta guide’ ‘Best Malta hotels’ ‘Corinthia Palace review’

15. Who LOST a lot
of traffic in 2018?
@OHMISHY #BRIGHTONSEO#BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY

16. Likely that the traffic
wasn’t VALUABLE to users
#BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY
2018 Google recalibrated
search engine algorithms:
Core update - June
Medic - November
Was your page the best,
expert, authoritative and
most trustworthy result?
#EEP!

17. Or search volumes CHANGE...
#BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY
You win some
You lose some

18. I personally DO NOT CARE
about traffic in isolation
#BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY

19. Traffic in isolation
is just a VANITY METRIC
Traffic requires CONTEXT for showing true value
#BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY

20. #BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY
I care about engagement
and CONVERSIONS
And ONLY engagement and conversions

21. Conversion is not just sales
#BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY

22. Conversion is everything a
user cares about & SEEKS
#BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY

23. “Second-clicks” should matter
Conversion goals help you measure user journeys so that
you know you’re fulfilling their needs:
#BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY
LEAVING A
COMMENT
NEWSLETTER
SIGN UP
RSVP TO AN
EVENT
CLICK TO CALL
COMPLETING A
FORM
ADD PRODUCT
TO BASKET
STARTING A
QUOTE
BUYING A
PRODUCT
SHARED THE
PAGE

24. Softer engagement metrics
#BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY
ON-PAGE
RULES
● x% stayed
on page for
x minutes
or more
● x% of UVs
scrolled ¾
down page
● Viewed one
page after
initial page
● Repeat
visitors
FORWARD
JOURNEY
RETURNING
TRAFFIC

25. 54% of UK/EU
mobile searches
have no clicks
#BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY
Meanwhile, UK/EU
organic clicks dropped
almost 10% in two years
Source: Rand Fishkin’s SERP analysis using JumpShot (2018 vs 2016)

26. We must maximise the experience
of the user on our sites
#BRIGHTONSEO @OHMISHY
Focus on
meeting
INTENT
Optimise for
all
DEVICES
Maintain
FAST
load times

27. @hayluke
• User Research Director, Fresh Egg
• UX, CRO and Analytics consultant
• Organiser of UX Camp Brighton
• Works with UX Brighton
• Author of Researching UX: Analytics
About me

28. @hayluke
UX = User Centred Design
• UX is sometimes referred to as User
Centred Design
• It’s about designing things for the
people who are going to use them
• This simply means building things
for what people want and need

29. @hayluke
What does UX entail?
• Quantitative research
• Heuristic assessments
• User testing
• Information architecture
• User journey mapping
• Wireframing
• Prototyping
• Front-end design
• Etc, etc

30. @hayluke
#1 - Blockers and persuaders

31. @hayluke
Blockers
• Slow load time
• Negative price perception
• Choice paralysis
• Poor usability
• Distractions
• Information overload
• Lack of trust
• Technical errors

32. @hayluke
Persuaders
• Social proof
• Likability
• Authority
• Scarcity / urgency
• Anchoring
• Benefit-led copy
• Consistency
• Reassurance

33. @hayluke
UX is about more than conversions
• Comprehension of
information
• Reduced frustration
• Quality, rather than quantity
of conversions
• Think longer term

34. @hayluke
#2 - User research tips
• Test with ‘real’ users and give
them ‘real’ scenarios
• Don’t lead your users and
analyse results in an unbiased
and objective manner
• Test often!

35. @hayluke
#3 - Embed a user-centred culture

36. @hayluke
Keep your users in mind
• Use tools like empathy and
journey mapping
• Create personas, and refer
back to them
• Talk to your users, test with
them, get to know them

37. @hayluke
Takeaways..
1. Consider blockers and
persuaders on your key
landing pages
2. Get involved with user
testing, make it part of
your job
3. Take a user-centred
attitude to your work

38. @hayluke
Thanks
Stay in touch…
• luke@lukehay.co.uk
• twitter.com/hayluke
• linkedin.com/in/hayluke