Website Analysis: SEO Techniques for Optimal User Experience

How’s traffic to YOUR website? Can your ideal audience find you? If they do,
do they stick around long enough to make it worth their while? I say ‘their’ because when all is said and done, ff you haven’t captured your visitor’s attention within the first 10 seconds or so, you probably haven’t defined what interests
your specific buyer persona has and identified what
their needs are. Chances are, your message (and overall popularity) is lacking, and regardless of how much traffic your site generates, (ahem) your user’s experience, SEO techniques, and branding strategy are probably lacking too.

Brand Recognition = Survival of the Fittest

The most effective SEO techniques have evolved with the Internet and today, an effective SEO strategy means so much more than driving traffic to your site. There’s a myriad of factors that impact SEO, one of which, today, and as this evolution continues, is the very important user’s experience. Gone are the days when you defined your keywords, used them in your titles, content and meta tags, and, viola, you’d rank relatively well (for your keyword(s)) gaining an increase in traffic to your site. Today, Google’s algorithm includes your user’s experience to factor into the equation, and whether visitors found your content relevant to their search. Social media sharing plays an important role here, of course, but delving even deeper, the concept of branding is taking center stage (it’s about time…), and moving forward, needs to be factored into your overall SEO strategy.

How Branding Affects User Experience

When it comes to your business, branding is a concept who’s time has come. It’s so important that, how well you’ve developed yours, will impact how you well rank post-Penguin-2.0. Why? Because like people, Google search is now placing a premium on authenticity. We don’t (or shouldn’t) over-value and over-rank someone who’s nothing more than a shell; Google’s caught on and doesn’t want to either. Instead, Google search is now rewarding sites that have established levels of “authenticated popularity.” Meaning, the sites that will rank well post Penguin 2.0, are those that have earned a high level of brand recognition. What does this mean? Well, for one, it means that as a business, you present a cohesive message across all platforms. Cohesive, meaning, your identity is consistent, your brand (message) is consistent and the overall perception that others have of you is consistent wherever you show up.

This is done by providing a well-rounded message that reaches your audience where they are and wherever they are. Of course, this must be premised on the idea that you’re providing remarkable content worth linking and sharing, but if you are, your popularity will naturally rise. I mean, if I were on YouTube and ran across your message, then on Facebook and you happened to show up in my stream, then saw that someone retweeted your message, I’d begin to think I was getting a pretty consistent message that’s worth sharing myself. This is what’s meant by “authenticated popularity.”

It all Begins at Home

Keep in mind that it’s your website that is the center of your universe and your message begins here. Developing a strong brand and image that attracts your target audience, optimizing your website to convey your message clearly and effectively, and using various platforms and mediums to draw your audience back to your site, is what will gain you an “authenticated” web presence.

Website optimization then is a whole and integrative approach, which, when done properly, is what will drive your SEO techniques. When we look at the definition of “optimization,” which is what’s been synonymous with SEO, you might begin to shift your paradigm. According to Webster’s Dictionary,
Optimization is an act, process, or methodology of making something as fully perfect, functional or effective as possible. When it comes to website optimization, we can translate this definition then into creating a world class website experience through compelling, clearly conveyed content, user-friendly design & effective keyword optimization. It’s the synergy of these factors combined that define the experience and therefore, whether you’ll be able to say your website is fully optimized to drive results.