A decade ago, SEO was like a game of keyword stuffing and backlink collecting. The more you had, the better your rankings. But times have changed, and nowadays Google is much smarter and well aware of these tricks. Today, if your website doesn’t offer a great user experience (UX), all the SEO tricks in the world won’t save you.
Think about it: ever landed on a site that looked promising, but was impossible to navigate? Maybe the buttons were too small to tap, the text was unreadable on mobile, or the pages loaded at a snail’s pace? Or maybe you couldn't quickly find what you were looking for? Websites that perform like this can be really frustrating to use, and Google feels the same way. If visitors are bouncing from your site because of a poor experience, your rankings will tank.
So, how do you make sure your UX is helping and not hurting your SEO? Here's how to make Google (and your visitors) love your website, with SEO and UX working in harmony.
Ensure easy navigation.
It's easy, really – don't let your visitors get lost when they land on your website. This may sound simple, but so many websites get this important step wrong. Imagine walking into a massive department store with no signs or directories. It's likely you'll wander around aimlessly for a while before giving up and leaving (if you can find the exit, that is!) That’s exactly how visitors feel on a website with poor navigation. And guess what? A confused visitor is a lost lead for your business.
Here’s how to make navigation seamless:
Keep it simple.
Limit your top-level menu items to no more than seven. Too many choices can overwhelm visitors, making it hard for them to find what they need.
Use the serial position effect.
People tend to remember the first and last things they see, so put your most important links in those prime spots.
Breadcrumbs are your friend.
These little trails (like “Home > Blog > Article”) help users find their way back and improve time spent on your site (something Google loves). Ever been on an e-commerce site looking for a product, but found yourself going in circles? That’s bad UX. Sites like Amazon on the other hand always get it right with clear categories, filters and breadcrumbs so users never feel lost.
Mobile-friendliness: meet users where they are.
With more than half of all web traffic coming from mobile devices, having a site that only works well on desktop is like running a store with the shelves only half-full. Google knows this, which is why it prioritises mobile-friendly sites in search rankings.
Here's how to optimise your site for mobile:
Use responsive design.
Your site should adjust smoothly to different screen sizes.
Make buttons and links thumb-friendly.
Ever tried tapping on a tiny link next to another on your phone and accidentally hit the wrong one? To avoid this frustration, make sure tap targets are at least 48 pixels wide.
Pick readable fonts.
A 16px font size is a good rule of thumb for mobile text readability. Think about a restaurant website. If a potential customer is trying to check the menu on their phone and it’s too tiny to read, or they have to pinch and zoom every time to navigate it, you run the risk of them leaving. A good restaurant site will have a mobile-friendly menu that loads quickly and is easy to tap through.
Speed: no-one likes to wait.
Let’s be fair, no-one has much patience for slow websites. If your site takes longer than a few seconds to load, visitors will bounce, and Google will take notice. A slow website signals poor user experience, which can push your rankings down.
Here are some ways to speed things up:
Minify your code.
Remove unnecessary spaces and characters from your HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Tools like UglifyJS and HTMLMinifier can help.
Get rid of unused CSS and JavaScript.
If you don’t need it, delete it.
Enable caching.
This helps store static versions of your site so it loads faster for returning visitors.
Compress images and videos.
Large files slow your site down. Use WebP format for images and replace GIFs with videos where possible. Online shopping is a perfect case study. Imagine you’re ready to buy a product, but the checkout page takes forever to load. Chances are you’ll abandon the cart. In fact, studies show that even a one-second delay can lead to lost sales.
Calls-to-action: make clicking a no-brainer.
Have you ever seen a vague call-to-action (CTA) like “learn more” and wondered, “about what?” A weak CTA leads to hesitation, and hesitation leads to lost conversions.
Here's how to fix this:
Be clear and specific.
Instead of “Click here,” try “Get 50% off now” or “Download your free guide.” A great CTA indicates where the user will be taken, and the actions that will be performed.
Create urgency.
Phrases like “Limited time offer” or “Sign up before midnight” encourage immediate action.
Place CTAs where users naturally look.
The best spots are above the fold (visible without scrolling) and near engaging content. Think about a fitness website. Instead of a vague “Join us,” a stronger CTA would be “Start your 7-day free trial today.” The second option tells users exactly what they’re getting and encourages them to act now.
Key takeaways
Navigation matters: a confusing website drives users away and hurts rankings. Keep it simple and structured.
Mobile-friendliness is non-negotiable: if your site isn’t optimised for mobile, you’re missing out on traffic (and ranking potential!).
Speed kills: a slow site frustrates visitors and harms SEO. Optimise your code, images and caching.
Clear CTAs create action: the easier you make it for users to take the next step, the more likely they are to convert.
