What are you searching for? What are your friends and enemies searching for on search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing? Users are continuously changing and are very dynamic in their behavior of website search and content finding. When you perform a search on a search engine, a results page called a search engine results page or SERP, is returned. On this result page, are the websites with the best content to answer your question ranked from best to worst. The SEO ranking has been the top dog in the digital marketing arena, until now. There is a new dog that has entered the arena, and it is known as user behavior. But how is Google going to rank information and web sites on how users behave? Let me explain…
User Behavior Trends
Everyone wants their users to have a good experience on their website. Search engines like Google are upping the ante as they are now collecting data on whether or not users like your site and web content. The search engine is gathering information such as pages per session and frequency.
Pages Per Session
As a user, if you view multiple pages on a website during one sitting, most likely this site has engaging content that is keeping your attention. In addition to analyzing keywords and phrases from a search, Google is now going to be ranking based on how much users are enjoying content on a site. By continually clicking on more and more pages within a site, the website will be on its way to the top of the rankings as user trends show this content to be well developed and intriguing.
Frequency
It is even better if users return to the website multiple times in different sittings as this is known as frequency. Search engines such as Google are tracking how many times the same user is returning to a site. If it is multiple times, this content is perceived as beneficial and worthy. By digging deeper and deeper in a website and returning multiple times, you as an entrepreneur have hit the jackpot. Your ratings will soar, and you will be ranked quite high on the new scale.
User Behavior Marketing Strategy
If user behavior is what Google and other search engines are going to be switching to in rating websites, how do you prepare for this? The last thing you want to have happen is to fall from the top of the Google rankings to the middle or bottom. Since SEO is no longer just about meta tags and proper coding, posting beneficial and useful content is crucial to your site as a business. Strategies you can take to improve your chances of being rated high on the new Google rating scale include revamping your site navigation and optimizing your site for mobile users.
Revamping Site Navigation
One of the main reasons you may not get the sales from your website that you want is due to your navigation. Are you making it hard for the consumer to find what they want? If they go into a tab that should bring them to the product they want to purchase, does it? If not, this frustrates users, to the point they will go to another website that is laid out in a much better manner to purchase what they are looking for. Navigation of your site is crucial to the success of your business and the revenue you will generate.
Optimizing for Mobile Users
Mobile use is on the rise and has been for years now. People are no longer sitting at home behind a desktop computer performing searches on dial-up internet speeds. They are conducting their searches on their mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets that are equipped with 4G service so they can make purchases wherever they are. To stay on top, you need to make the user experience seamless from a desktop search to a mobile search. Do not rely on the user to click “go to mobile site” on their phone. That is only going to infuriate and frustrate them as they are busy and do not have time for unnecessary navigation such as this. Make sure to structure your web pages and the content that resides there for mobile devices and you will be happy you did as you will not only see the dollars pour in, but you will be sitting in the coveted number one spot on the SERP.
If you follow the advice given, you will be prepared to move to the top or stay on the top of the search engine result page when the new dog known as user behavior enters the arena and takes over digital marketing!
Is your website mobile and user friendly?
What can you to do to improve your Google rankings?