SEO and User Experience (UX): A Vision of Collaboration
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Transcript of SEO and User Experience (UX): A Vision of Collaboration
SEO + UXA Brief Introduction
Jonathon ColmanIn-house SEO at REI
about.me/jcolmanTwitter @jcolman
Converge
UXSEO
Converge
Designfor people
Accountfor robots
Humans design robots.
So there’s part of usinside them.
Speakers John Goad [AddThree]
@JohnGoad
Mike Pantoliano [Distilled]@MikeCP
Michael King [Publicis Modem]@iPullRank
Ben Lloyd [Amplify Interactive]@Blizzle
Speakers John Goad [AddThree]
@JohnGoad Mike Pantoliano [Distilled]
@MikeCP
Michael King [Publicis Modem]@iPullRank
Ben Lloyd [Amplify Interactive]@Blizzle
SEO is UX for Robots
John GoadSEO
@johngoadAddThree.com
Users
5000 Searches MonthlyConversion Rate 5%
5000 Searches MonthlyConversion Rate 5%
Billions of Monthly Searches *Conversion Rate Varies
*it depends
HumansHumans leverage robots everyday looming for your content.
Publisher to Computer to Computer to Human.
Know how your humans are using computers and language to find content discovered by robots….
Good
We’re #1
RobotsRobots have limitations.
Robots don’t read.
Robots don’t see.
But they have tons of friends and they love to make high quality introductions.
Balance
How
Think like a bot …. Some of the same “human” rules apply* on a high level.
Be the robot …
Humans first… then robots.
* not all
Client
Well established internet based insurance provider (that does not want me to use their name).
I am in insurance … I need credibility but have fallen
off of page 1 to page 6.
Last SEO’s IA and content recommendations lost 75% of my
organic traffic.
Problem
At first meeting client stated…. “I have a team in India buying links for me is that bad?”
UH OH…..
Real ProblemClient created over 20,000 pages of 3rd party veterinarian listings that watered down the main site content.
Lost Authotity
Solution
Re-FocusWith Robot.txt file we excluded the directory that contained the veterinarian listings.
This increased the strength of the main content.
Results
Client bounced back with better than original visibility.
• Credibility restored …. back on page 1.• Organic traffic back up to pre engagement
levels.
75% Total increase in Organic referrals.
WinRobots help you…Make new friends and influencepeople.
People find you.
People link to you.
People talk about #you.
Help them help you.
Speakers John Goad [AddThree]
@JohnGoad
Mike Pantoliano [Distilled]@MikeCP
Michael King [Publicis Modem]@iPullRank
Ben Lloyd [Amplify Interactive]@Blizzle
Not Just More Traffic,Better Traffic
Smart IA and Site Navigation
Mike Pantoliano@MikeCPDistilled
This presentation is available here: http://dis.tl/sic-seo
In An Ideal World
• Clean Slate• Map out sitemap for UX/SEO
IA / SEO
Sure, this is nice, but large sites can really struggle
Competitiveness
Faceted Navigation
TrendToGo.com Amazon.com BestBuy.com
Our Example
• Large eComm site• 100,000+ High End Stationary Products• Faceted Navigation• Great User Experience• Awful for SEO
The Big Problem
AJAX does not create new pages!
The Big Problem
Result
Missing out on tons of longer-tail traffic!
Other Problems
JavaScript isn’t the only potential culprit
• Poor IA leading to weak indexation• iFrames• Dropdown Sorting
Solution
Fall back to static HTML pages when no JS detected
How to preserve UX but allow crawlability?
Results
Organic traffic increased 72%SEO
Conversions up 76%UX
Sales up 136%
Take Away
Export your navigation into ExcelGet search volume from GKT
Brainstorm/mine for new keywords
Take Away
Are you missing out on organic landing page opportunities?
Thanks!
Mike Pantoliano@MikeCPDistilled
http://dis.tl/excelninjahttp://dis.tl/xenu-excelhttp://dis.tl/faceted-nav
Speakers John Goad [AddThree]
@JohnGoad
Mike Pantoliano [Distilled]@MikeCP
Michael King [Publicis Modem]@iPullRank
Ben Lloyd [Amplify Interactive]@Blizzle
UX + SEOLet’s Be Friends
Michael KingSEO Manager
@ipullrankPublicis Modem
Download these slides http://slidesha.re/uxplusseo
Building a user experience without SEO in mind is like building a car with no engine.
RANT
I don’t believe in bad user experience for the sake of SEO.
Stop making ugly sites and blaming it on the need for SEO
RANT
Make compelling experiences with utility
RANTDo Less of this Do More of this
Any Creative that thinks SEO will limit their abilities to deliver a quality product isn't very (ahem) creative.
Yeah, it’s an orphan. What you gonna do
about it?!
SEO is a springboard not an anchor
RANT
User Experience is only compromised by SEO when it is retrofitted to the design process
Inject SEO into the design process as early as possible
RANT
SEO absolutely MUST be an active consideration and ideally the driver of every step of a site build
SEO = DNA
RANT
UX is very important to SEO because there is evidence that Googlebot and Bingbot may be headless web browsers.
Google also just revealed that they can crawl AJAX
RANT
See: http://ipullrank.com/googlebot-is-chrome and http://bit.ly/sT0Vvj
Most importantly SEO is about helping people find what they want and presenting it to them in a way that they expect.
The old keyword classes are dead; identify need states
RANT
NavigationalInformationalTransactional
Need StatesBusiness GoalsNavigationalInformationalTransactional
I’m done ranting, let’s talk about the mistakes that I’ve learned from
</RANT>
MISTAKE
Never leave your Creative or Tech team to their own devices
Your development and Creative teams will just do what works. To them building for Search is utterly unnatural. Don‘t let them build anything before you see it.
Cheech & Chong’s Magic Brownie Adventure was an awesome campaign developed by my team but the site was built with no
SEO considerations at all. Not even a page title.
MISTAKE
Faceted navigation is an option when handled properly
LG’s site is a nightmare for a variety of reasons but one of my favorite is the 1997 frames-inspired navigation that features over 200 links and is impossible to mouse over properly.
Some battles you cannot win.
MISTAKE
Sometimes your team or the client will be so far off the mark that there is nothing you can do but wait for the redesign.
Giant flash videos are cool, right?
What do you mean navigation should be text?
The Expandable DIV is your best friend.
SUCCESS
Use expandable DIVs to keep large blocks of text from being obtrusive to design
Keyword-relevant information architecture MUST come from SEO
SUCCESS
Drive the Content Strategy by preparing an SEO Copy Brief that thoroughly outlines the information architecture with regard to target keywords and identify the objectives and target audience.
Apply pressure during the Wireframe phase to ensure success.
SUCCESS
Adding considerations at the wireframe stage allows everyone to be on the same page about how and why SEO is to be accomplished.
Get involved throughout the lifecycle from strategy to measurement
SUCCESSRECIPE
Social Listening/ Need State
Determination/ Keyword Research
Keyword Mapping /
Information Architecture
Creative / Copy / Tech Development
Push Live / Conversion Rate Optimization / Measurement
SEO DefinesInfo Architecture
SEO Validates User Experience
SEO Drives Measurement
Mine the conversation in social media for personas and keywords
SOCIAL LISTENING
Scout Labs
Social Mention
Alterian SM2
Here comes a case study!
Show your Work.
We used social listening to identify need states and build personas
CASE STUDY
Research Decision-making Booking Pre-flight Travel Post-travelMotivation
to travel
Need States
Examples of W
hat’s happening
Occasion:-Season/Holiday-NY’ eve -Valentine’s D-Honeymoon-Birthday gift-Anniversary-Stag do-Reunion-Accomplishment-Time off
Experience: -Broaden horizon-Hobby/skill-Well-being/R&R-Adventure-Landscape (sea, mountain, plant)-Weather (sun, snow, wind)
Get Ideas:From friends, family,colleagues, extended social media network, bloggers, TV personalities, movies, activity groups & forums
Search for:Occasion or experience sought on google, publications, forums, social media groups,etc
Search for:Activity and experience options at different destinations
Compare:Destination options based on timings, costs, and ease of getting there
Search for:-Cheapest flight options based on timings - Cheapest flight options based on destination (look for promos and time suggestions)
Compare:Time options vs. budget across key providers
Commit:To a scenario
Locate:Key trip info: -Luggage rules-Check in time-Terminal to go to-Currency exchange -Ways to and from airport-Travel tips
Book: -Car hire-Accommodation-Airport bus
Manage:Info updates, efficient and easy task completion
Connect:-With local info -With resources (guides, gurus)-Activity ideas
Record:-Experiences-Memories-New ideas, contacts, knowledge
Organize:-Memories/events -Evidence you’ve been there/ Memorabilia-New ideas
Package:Trip takeouts so as to extend the benefits gained from the trip
Share: To build on and showcase who you are
I want to collect new experience, add to my
personal story, and create special memories
What is out there that would be fun and
interesting to do alone and/or with the people I
care about?
Of the options available, what is feasible given
time & budget constraints?
Who’s going to help me fine tune and make the
plan possible?
What do I need to do to activate my trip so that it’s as easy as possible?
Who can I rely on to help me make the most of my
trip?
How do I crystallize my travels so that they are
easy to share, and provide inspiration to
me and others evermore?
Inspiration Research Commitment Experience
1. 2. 3. 4 5. 6. 7.
Discoveries in social listening must dictate the SEO, content strategy and UX
Map need states to core semantic groups to develop site maps
CASE STUDY
Occasion Activity Destination Offering Simplify Connect Remember
Flights
Logistics
City/Airport
Cheap Flights
Timing
Country/Region
Core Semantic Groups We identified the need state matched the client’s business goals and mapped them to semantic groups to dictate the information architecture.
Research Decision-making Booking Pre-flight Travel Post-travelMotivation
to travel
1. 2. 3. 4 5. 6. 7.
We mapped those to our keyword research and developed content
CASE STUDY
Identify what people want and present it in a way that matches their expectations using the language they expect in order to provide the best user experience to your target audience and improve conversion.
We built a user experience indicative of these considerations
CASE STUDY
Navigation and sub-navigation reflect need
states
UX and content developed with the
concerns of our personas
Turns out we’re pretty good at this.
CASE STUDY
Bookings
Organic Traffic
We improved rankings and conversions dramatically by marrying these concepts.
So what else can we do?
The NextLevel
KLD Source Code: http://ipullrank.com/code/keyword-demographics/
SOCIALDESIGN
FB:Admin Search Referrers
Keyword-LevelDemographics
Placing a site on Facebook’s OpenGraph and having a user opt-in allows you to get their FB data whenever they come to your site. Matching that with search referrers gives you demographics at a keyword-level.
For more applications of KLD see: http://www.seomoz.org/blog/keyword-level-demographics
KEYWORDOWNERSHIP
Curious George Gamer Film Purist Tech Geek
• 18-32• Male• Loves indie rock• Wishes he had a beard
• 18-32• Male• Loves all music• Wishes he could move out
his mom’s basement
• 22-40• Male• Loves film soundtracks• Wishes he could live in the
movie Avatar
• 22-40• Male• Loves Techno• Wishes you would stop
invading his online privacy
OWNER
• 5000 Searches Monthly• Conversion Rate 5%
• 600 Searches Monthly• Conversion Rate 2%
• 1000 Searches Monthly• Conversion Rate 0.5%
• 100 Searches Monthly• Conversion Rate 0.2%
This data allows you to determine which of your target personas dominates traffic and conversions for a given keyword.
Use social data to improve the user experience and conversion
RESPONSIVEDESIGN
Using the FB data user experiences can be tailored dynamically to reflect properties of the persona when they visit.
Curious George
• 18-32• Male• Loves indie rock• Wishes he had a beard
What Normal Users See What Curious George Sees
OBLIGATORYCAT PICTURE
UX SEO
UX and SEO are good buddies now and they are going places!
Speakers John Goad [AddThree]
@JohnGoad
Mike Pantoliano [Distilled]@MikeCP
Michael King [Publicis Modem]@iPullRank
Ben Lloyd [Amplify Interactive]@Blizzle
Navigation, Links & SEOHow Much is Too Much?
SEO & User Experience
Quotes
“I like having a selection, I just don't like making a choice”
-Carrie Renee Mathews
Jam Study:“The presence of choice might be appealing in theory… in reality, people might find more & more choice debilitating”
-Professor Sheena Iyengar, Columbia University
ChoicesEver try to pick a paint color? Did you know there were THAT MANY shades of white?
How about order from a restaurant menu that’s 5 pages long?
Links•SEO Says: “Too many on-page links”
- SEO Benefit: Improved spidering = more pages available for search
- Design & U/X Benefit: Contextual navigation = improved usability
- Site Benefit: more visitors, better usability = ROI
•Designer should hear: “The Navigation is Overwhelming”•Site Owner/Client freaks out about cutting down user options
Case Study
Internal Links
1. Major duplicate content issue resolved2. Nav change to news3. Nav change to events4. Nav change to posts5. Minor duplicate content issue resolved
TemplateChanges
Example:Simple Template Changes Sidebar links Number of posts
DirectoryChanges
Example:Simple Template Changes Cut down on columns Sidebar links are
contextual
PostChanges
Example:Post-Level Changes Keep the links contextual
Organic Search
Q3 2010 Q4 2010 Q1 2011 Q2 2011 Q3 2011
URLs Receiving Entrances from Search
Organic Search
1. Major duplicate content issue resolved2. Nav change to news3. Nav change to events4. Nav change to posts5. Minor duplicate content issue resolved
SEO & UX?
BOOM!