Search experience optimization, or SXO, is a relatively new phrase in the world of digital marketing. The term refers to various improvements that a marketer can make to clients’ sites and pages as a way of boosting user engagement. The ultimate goal of SXO is to provide a smoother experience for users, thus boosting placement within Google search results.
For the most part, modern SXO builds upon traditional optimization practices. The process focuses on improving website design, reducing load speed, and creating engaging content. So, if you’ve previously emphasized improving search experience, you probably won’t have to make any major improvements to the website.
In this article, we’ll explain the term search experience optimization, and we’ll share a few tricks on how to boost your site performance.
Why is SXO important?
Back in the day, Google and other search engines used rudimentary algorithms to assess page quality. Some of the earlier iterations of Google’s algorithm used meta descriptions to determine the relevancy of a post. Later on, Google transitioned into external links as the main indicator of quality.
As the technology progressed, the search engine gained the ability to assess movements on the site. It could track how users interacted with the content, where they clicked, and how long they stayed on site. This, in itself, would be a much better indication of relevancy and quality, showing the search engine whether visitors actually liked the content.
Furthermore, unlike the ranking factors we previously used, it’s really hard to manipulate SXO. Google takes into account all previous website visitors and their interactions, leaving little room for manipulation. Unlike link-building, where you could boost an article’s placement by purchasing 10 to 15 links, you now have to work for your bread.
How to boost SXO?
For the most part, you don’t have to do anything special to optimize your site for SXO. That is, if your website was previously well-optimized. Like in the past, your main goal is to satisfy users’ queries and to give them a good browsing journey.
That being said, you need to pay special attention to the website’s performance. Main landing pages are the point of emphasis as they serve as the initial touchpoint with most users. However, that doesn’t mean you should neglect blog posts, given that Google analyzes each page separately.
Besides optimizing the site during the website development stage, you need to ensure all website elements work as intended. Among others, you should eliminate any content and link errors and use various tricks to “persuade” users to stay longer.
How does Google analyze search experience?
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out how search experience optimization works. Basically, your main task is to monitor various KPIs available within Google tools, focusing on conversion rates and engagement. Here are the main metrics you need to track:
If you’re not certain what kind of format is ideal for your audience, we suggest you perform user tests during the early days of the blog. That way, you can determine what is the best type of content for your visitors.
3. Bounce rates
Google isn’t only worried about the things you’re doing right but also about things that you’re doing wrong. Specifically, the algorithms don’t want to give a boost to posts that have completely missed their mark or provided incorrect information. This is why bounce rate is such a major factor when assessing search experience optimization.
Here are a few reasons why people leave the pages too early:
There’s a high correlation between a long time spent on a page and a high number of pages per session. In the end, most people won’t browse the site further if they don’t like what they saw initially.
However, there are also situations where the landing page has a short average time spent coupled with a high number of pages per session. This phenomenon is more common for established brands where people are willing to give the blog a chance even if they didn’t like what they read initially.
5. Recurring visitors
Similarly, recurring visitors is another fantastic KPI that shows how people feel about your site. We presume that it’s even more important than pages per session. In the end, if someone bookmarked or remembered your site, this shows they’re more engaged than a person who just scrolled a few extra pages.
Unlike the previous metrics, maximizing this KPI has to do with the overall website experience. Besides providing actionable content, you also have to be certain that every element is on point.
Conclusion
Search experience optimization has become incredibly important in the last few years. On the other hand, this switch of focus is ideal for blogs that can create quality content on a continuous basis. However, it can be a death sentence for SEOs who primarily focus on link-building schemes and various tricks.
All in all, SXO-based algorithms are the most fair algorithms we’ve ever seen. They put full emphasis on users and their browsing experience, making them perfect for experts who want to share their knowledge online.
As long as you follow the suggestions in this article, you shouldn’t have any trouble maximizing this new, innovative approach. If you ever have trouble with the concept, you can always contact MiroMind, an elite SEO team, to help you out!