SXO - the perfect combination to increase website visibility

SEO, i.e. optimisation in terms of search engines, is evolving all the time. Not surprisingly. What worked just a few years ago does not necessarily work now. To be successful in 2021, it is necessary to look at the issue of web presence from a much broader perspective. Single actions are no longer effective against declining website visits. And fewer website visitors and a distant position in search results also mean fewer sales. How do you confront these problems? The answer is SXO, a combination for the second decade of the 21st century. What does this acronym stand for? How does SXO differ from SEO? What activities are included in its scope? Read the article and find out what must not be missing from any modern marketing plan.

Deciphering the abbreviation SXO

SXO (Search Experience Optimisation) is a combination of two abbreviations that you have already encountered if you read articles on this blog - SEO and UX. SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) are activities aimed at improving the position of a website in organic (free) search results. UX (User Experience), on the other hand, is the entire experience a user has when visiting a website. In other words, SXO is the optimisation of the user experience.

So what is the premise of the fusion of SEO and UX? It is primarily improving the experience of internet users who found our website through organic search results. SXO is a strategy consisting of two stages:

1. Audience attraction (through SEO activities)
2. Retaining them for longer (thanks to UX)

It is worth noting that in the case of SXO, the position in Google itself is not the most important thing. What matters above all is converting traffic, i.e. visitors taking a specific action on the site. This may include, for example, purchasing, signing up for newsletter or completing an enquiry. These activities vary, of course, depending on the stated business objective. 

SXO audit - what should it contain?

To be able to start making any changes, it is necessary to verification of the current situation of the site. There is therefore no way around the SXO audit. What does it consist of? It is a combination of SEO, UX and CRO audit. The latter abbreviation stands for Effectiveness Audit, and its extension is Conversion Rate Optimisation. 

What areas should be analysed during an SXO audit? Here are some of them:

• content - does it encourage action and does it lack calls to action (CTAs)? to what extent is the content valuable and helpful? does the user find everything he or she is looking for on the page? how often do keywords appear in the content?
• layout and navigation - does the visitor quickly and effortlessly reach specific sub-pages?
• page speed - Does the page load quickly? You can check this by using, for example. GTmetrix.
• display on different screens - Is the website mobile-friendly?

Only after the SXO audit has been performed, a report compiled, data analysed and conclusions drawn, can a strategy for the site be prepared and implemented. If you have a basic knowledge of online marketing and optimisation activities, you can perform the audit yourself. However, it is recommended to have it carried out by a professional agency. For example, an SXO analysis of your website can be carried out by SEOSki!

Why do I need SXO? The benefits of a comprehensive approach

Are you wondering whether SXO is even worth considering? Do you already have online activities and think that the SEO measures you are implementing are sufficient? Then let's take a look at what you gain by upgrading to Search Experience Optimisation.

1. Through a combination of good positions in Google and a positive user experience with the website increase conversion and sales
2. For a site that makes a positive impression more customers will return
3. SXO's comprehensive activities include guarantee of consistency and consistency of elements on multiple levels (SEO, UX, content, web development)

SXO - Action Plan

Have the above benefits convinced you that SXO is the new, better version of SEO? Wondering what should be included in the strategy? Here is a sample action plan:

1. Take care of on-site SEO - also optimise technical parameters (such as site loading times), as these have a significant impact on user experience
2. Don't forget to use the important keywords - also include them in the metadata (title and meta description)
3. Support positioning linkbuildingInclude long-tail, branded and local phrases in your efforts.
4. Optimise content not only for SEO, but also for user expectations and needs. Make the content comprehensive and keep visitors for longer
5. Remember to CTAwhich will encourage action
6. Ensure that visitors return to your pages or to an online shop - the content must be helpful and presented in an easy to digest form, and the menus and navigation simple. You can't neglect mobile users, as their poor experience with a site that doesn't fit the screen will mean they won't return to the site again

Search Experience Optimisation - the viewer comes first

SXO is now referred to by many specialists as "successor to SEO". The fact that a positioned website is high in the search results is no longer the culmination of efforts to promote it. The goal is no longer just to bring in visitors. Potential customers must be persuaded to perform the preferred action. 

This is when UX comes onto the scene - the is to keep them for longerThis includes an attractive website design, efficient navigation or responsiveness. It is only by combining SEO and UX that, in 2021, a company website or online shop is guaranteed to achieve the expected success. This by no means means means a complete departure from SEO as we know it. The process that is currently taking place is its evolution, its development, its ascent to a higher level. And all this for the benefit of both Internet users and website owners.