Why visitors come first in SEO

Why Visitors Come First in SEO

SEO isn’t a blinkered process. Or at least it certainly shouldn’t be. There’s no textbook answer for every problem. You can’t just optimise a site based on your assumed words and phrases either. A website is there to appeal to targeted visitors; therefore, it isn’t too much of a stretch to assume that you first have to target those visitors.

As a website owner or a search engine marketer you sometimes have to bow to a higher power. In any instance, the highest possible power is always your next potential customer. Therefore there are a number of things that you have to ask yourself when it comes to optimising a site; these include:

What are my visitors actually searching for?

It’s all well and good having your own specialist terms to describe your business, but if searchers have something else in mind, you’ll find yourself barking up the wrong tree. In SEO terms, that means a distinct lack of traffic, regardless of decent rankings.

For this reason, doing in-depth keyword research from the outset is a must. If your jargon isn’t going to pick up traffic, then don’t use it (or at least avoid optimising for it). Make it easy for your visitors to find you, even if that does mean going against your gut instinct.

What do my visitors actually want to see?

The written language is subjective. One person’s Shakespearian masterpiece is another’s confusing nonsense. Not all your visitors will be as knowledgeable as you are about the products and services you offer. By using phrases they don’t understand, you could be alienating them from the outset.

Therefore you need to write in a manner that can be universally understood. Don’t complicate your language or structure for the sake of it. If complicated terms are necessary, then provide straightforward explanations nearby. Content is there to provide search engines with context and visitors with comfort. People need to be reassured online that you can be trusted. To do this they need clear information and straightforward instructions – ‘Click here to buy’.

How often should I be using keywords?

Keywords are the poisoned chalice of SEO. In the past, rankings were almost entirely decided by a high keyword density. Not anymore. Search engines can gauge the context of a page from just a few keywords and synonyms. By going overboard you will disrupt the flow of your content, making it difficult for visitors to understand.

When writing content for a website, your primary objective is to make it both readable and emotive for visitors. Remove the shackles of SEO momentarily and write naturally with just a cautionary eye on your keywords. The frequency with which you use these terms might just be a few percent, just get one in early and allow the others to slip in where needed on each page.

How can I get visitors to convert?

A call to action is a valuable part of any page. It provides a clear instruction for visitors to follow, should they wish to contact you or make a purchase. The clearer this is, the better your chances of converting. Sometimes this is done through a simple ‘Call this number for more information’ or ‘click here to buy’; on other occasions you can use text links to guide them through your site to the money pages.

Anchored text links are perfect for SEO. They give more context to the page and also show the visitor what to expect. If you want people to visit your money pages, you have to make it as clear and simple as possible. Don’t populate your page with confusing or contradictory links. Just use them where needed and ensure that they are in-keeping with the rest of the page, particularly when used in the body copy itself.

What more can I do to optimise?

Search engine optimisation doesn’t have a cut-off point. There is never going to be a stage where there is no work left to be done. Even if a page is converting, it can always do better. Keywords need to be regularly researched to ensure that the site is in line with current search trends. Content can always be refreshed to make it more user-friendly and search engine friendly. If some pages didn’t have your full attention at the outset, revisit them and make improvements.

What more can I do for my visitors?

Well, even if your site appears to be complete, there can still be small issues that could be deterring visitors. Split testing is a good way to highlight any such flaws. This simple process diverts half your traffic to one version of a page and the other half to a revised option. Using analytics you can then see which version converted better. This way you can test changes without ever having to entirely restructure your site; therefore you won’t be affecting usability for your visitors.

Ultimately, SEO is about improving search engine performance. But this should never be done to the detriment of usability. Visitors are the lifeblood for any site. Ignoring them in the pursuit for rankings would be self-defeating. Conversions outweigh rankings every time, but you do need visibility.

Therefore you have to follow SEO best practices to get yourself positioned on the search engines. But make sure that the site has plenty to offer when visitors do find you. Be open to change and don’t be afraid to test, even if everything seems fine. It’s a continuous process of refinement and improvement, so don’t be perturbed if things change at a glacial pace.

Author Bio

Steve Logan is a Copywriter for leading Hampshire SEO Company Impact Media. They offer a full range of search marketing solutions including expert SEO services, PPC management and of course website copywriting services.