Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) are often perceived as two different strategies. SEO focuses on driving traffic to your site, while CRO is about turning that traffic into conversions. But should we combine both activities and how do SEO and CRO work together?
The answer is yes because it will improve User Experience (UX), optimise returns and drive business objectives.
We've partnered with Passion Digital, experts in SEO to launch our joint service, Optimisation Max to bring together CRO and SEO in order to create a seamless, data-driven approach to the entire user journey.
What is the role of SEO in user experience?
SEO is no longer just about keyword stuffing or backlink building.
Google has become smarter and its algorithms extensively evaluate user experience as a ranking factor. The not-so-new E-E-A-T framework shows how important experience is in your SEO efforts.
- Page load speed: Google has indicated site speed (and as a result, page speed) is one of the signals used by its algorithm to rank pages. A slow-loading page can increase bounce rate, a metric that can negatively impact search rankings.
- Mobile friendliness: With mobile-first indexing, Google predominantly uses the mobile version of the content for indexing and ranking. Ensuring your site is responsive and offers a good mobile experience is crucial.
- Content quality and readability: Google favours content that is easy to read and understand. Clear headings, bullet points and content that provides substantial value for its audience can improve dwell time, another metric that signals a good user experience.
Key CRO factors affected by UX
- Navigation and layout: A well-structured site makes it easy for users to find what they’re looking for, improving the chances of conversion.
- Readable and engaging content: Like SEO, CRO values high-quality content. A compelling CTA (Call To Action), engaging visuals and easy-to-read text can significantly impact conversion rates.
- Form and checkout optimisation: Simplifying signup forms and minimising checkout steps can reduce drop-offs and enhance conversions.
At this point, we can clearly see the similarities and how combining strategies sounds like a no-brainer.
How to combine an SEO and CRO strategy
Let’s unpack the step-by-step process to effectively combine these two strategies.
1. Start with user research
Understanding your audience is foundational.
SEO and CRO both aim to serve the user, so start by delving into their behaviours, preferences and challenges.
- Conduct surveys and interviews: Directly ask your audience what they’re looking for and what obstacles they’re encountering on your site.
- Analyse current data: Dig into Google Analytics, heatmaps and user recordings to learn where users spend their time, where they click and where they drop off.
2. Keyword research aligned with user intent
SEO revolves around keywords, but not all are equal regarding conversions.
- Identify high-intent keywords: Instead of just high volume, look for keywords indicating action. Phrases like “buy,” “best,” “reviews” and “deal” tend to show buying intent.
- Competitor analysis: Research what keywords your competitors rank for and how they align them with the user’s journey.
3. Optimise for search engines with a conversion mindset
Ensuring that your SEO efforts also cater to the likelihood of conversion is critical.
- Compelling, conversion-focussed content
- Address user intent: Create content that answers your audience’s questions and needs. If your keyword is “best running shoes for flat feet,” ensure your content covers this comprehensively.
- Engaging CTAs: Embed clear, persuasive CTAs within the content. Make sure they are relevant and stand out visually. For example, a CTA for “Shop now” should be prominently placed after a guide on choosing running shoes.
- Visual content: Use high-quality images, infographics and videos where they add value. Visuals can make content more engaging and help hold the user’s attention, which benefits both SEO and CROg.
- Enhance on-page elements for user experience:
- Clear, logical structure: Organise your content with headers (H2, H3), bullet points and short paragraphs to make it easily digestible. This helps with readability and SEO by allowing search engines to better understand your content.
- Internal linking: Strategically place internal links to guide users to other relevant parts of your site. This increases engagement time and enhances SEO by helping search engines crawl your site more effectively.
- Craft compelling meta titles and descriptions: Use engaging meta titles and descriptions to drive clicks from SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages) and ensure these align with your page’s content and objectives.
- SEO-friendly URLs: Use clear, concise and keyword-rich URLs that are search engine-friendly, readable and understandable by users.
4. Enhance on-page elements for UX
Both SEO and CRO benefit from a site that’s easy to navigate and engaging.
- Clear, logical structure: To make content skimmable, use headers (H2, H3), bullet points and short paragraphs.
- Internal linking: Guide visitors through your site with internal links to relevant content. This keeps users engaged and assists with SEO.
5. Speed and mobile friendliness
Google has clarified that site speed and mobile usability directly affect ranking. These factors also heavily influence user satisfaction and conversion rates.
- Optimise images and videos: Compress images, use next-gen formats and lazy-load videos to improve page speed.
- Responsive design: Ensure your site renders beautifully on all mobile devices, as this will impact both SEO and CRO.
6. Create high-quality, relevant content
Content is at the heart of both strategies. High-quality content attracts traffic, nurtures leads and drives conversions.
- Content that answers questions: Address pain points, provide solutions and ensure that content is comprehensive and valuable.
- Engaging CTAs: Embed clear CTAs within the content to guide visitors to the next step, whether downloading a resource, signing up for a newsletter or purchasing.
7. Split testing and continuous improvement
A/B testing is a CRO staple but also provides valuable insights for SEO.
- Test headlines and CTAs: See which versions of headlines and CTAs get better engagement and conversions.
- Refine based on data: Use tools like Optimizely to run experiments and optimise pages based on results.
8. Leveraging analytics for comprehensive insights
A robust analytics practice is crucial for tracking both SEO and CRO effectiveness.
- Track SEO metrics: Like organic traffic, bounce rate and average session duration.
- Track CRO metrics: Include conversion rate, funnel drop-off points and user flow.
By bringing SEO and CRO together and unifying the components of your digital strategy, you can ensure that the traffic you bring onto your website converts into business opportunity.
Want to learn more or get started marrying up SEO and CRO? Get in touch with us today to discuss your goals and develop a digital strategy that is conversion-focussed.
