The Importance of User Experience in Rankings

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Google has simplified our lives, with “Just Google it” being the default answer to most questions. With that in mind, wouldn’t you want the first answer that Google spits out, to refer people to your website? Of course you do! But getting to the top of Google requires a number of important elements, and user experience of your website plays a huge role when Google ranks your website. So, isn’t it vitally important that you get it right?

What Does Website Ranking Mean?

Website ranking can be explained as the position your content features on search engine results. First prize is that your website is featured on the first page, as it has been shown that 95% of people do not move past the first page, with more than half the clicks going to the top 3 responses. 

What Is User Experience?

Google’s main aim is to provide value to the person seeking an answer. It organizes worlds of information and makes it universally accessible and useful to all. Google doesn’t only want to take you directly to what you are looking for and give you the best answer, but it also wants to provide you with the best experience. User Experience (UX) can be described as “How did you as a user, feel” While you were on the site, did the site:

• Make you feel happy
• Was it a joy to use
• Was it effortless and entertaining or
• Did it make you feel angry and frustrated?

User experience is a broader term than usability, as user experience also includes aesthetics. A site can be informative and easy to use, but be and look dull and boring, leaving the user with a negative experience.

What Is A Good User Experience?

As previously mentioned, a good user experience is one that makes you feel good about the website, leaving you with a desire to return to it / respond to their call to action e.g. purchase their product. Here are some things that contribute to a good user experience:

• The site loads quickly and easily, on all devices. If it takes longer than 5 seconds to load, the bounce rate has been shown to increase by 20%


• A single click takes you to where you want to be and the buttons are easily identified and big enough to click on. Most people do not like double clicking or swiping.


• The search box is visible and where it should be, top right corner.


• The website is easy to navigate, you find the answer to your question easily and the content flows naturally.


• The page is attractive, with good use of contrast color, making the text stand out. Images used, do not clutter the page.


• The links are clearly visible, useful, and link to the correct place. Users do not like surprises or clicking on a link that takes them to an irrelevant page.


• Most users first scan the article before deciding if they are going to read it. The pages should all follow the same theme i.e. have the same font, colors etc., or the user gets disorientated and confused, thinking they have landed on another website. The font must not be too big or too small, and must fit to the size of the device. The line spacing must be good and paragraphs and headings must be clearly indicated. Users find italics and sentences in capital letters very difficult to read, so they should be used sparingly.


• The content is reliable, informative, and up to date.


• Icons that visually describe a function or purpose are simple, familiar and purposeful. They are not overused or used as a decoration.


• There are no error pages or pages that won’t load (error 404, page not found) People will quickly move on to another website in those cases.


• The site is secure.


• The response time to the call to action is swift.

Google constantly studies user site speed, mobile friendliness, content structure, internal and external link usage. They also study user signals and behavior patterns, how long people lingered on your site and how often they return to it, and this is obviously directly linked to a user experience. These and many other factors are used to determine your Google Ranking.

Don’t develop a blind spot and think your website is perfect. If you want to increase the relevance and accessibility of your site, and get your content to the right people at the right time, you need a professional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) company to guide you. At Connectica LLC we offer a professional SEO service to companies of all types and size. Contact us and allow us to assist in getting your company onto that sought after first page.