Turning_traffic_into_results__Demystifying_Search_Experience_Optimization.pptx.pdf

Transcript

1. Turning traffic into results: Demystifying Search Experience Optimization Celeste Gonzalez RicketyRoo Speakerdeck.com/celestelili @CelesteLili @yourfavoriteseo
2. • Director of RooLabs at RicketyRoo • Writer, speaker, Search Engine Land Awards judge • Course Creator for the Local SEO curriculum on the Wix SEO Hub • Bodybuilder A little about me
3. In 2024, nearly 60% of Google searches ended without a click. (Search Engine Land)
4. “The presence of an AI Overview in the search results correlated with a 34.5% lower average click-through rate (CTR) for the top-ranking page” (Ahrefs)
5. ??
6. You can’t control clicks, BUT you can control what happens after
7. SXO SXO is how we get more value out of every visit
8. Intersection of SEO and UX A site that engages users and meets their needs almost instantly What Is Search Experience Optimization?
9. WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
10. • Google tracks “long clicks,” which occurs when users spend more time on a result during a session • Functionally similar to dwell time, how long users stay on your site before bouncing back to search Mike King Google Algo Leak
11. Google uses mobile-first indexing and gives more weight to content visible without scrolling. US Patent 7,596,581 B2, specifically assigns higher relevance to content appearing “above the fold,” and those segment scores impact a given document’s overall ranking
12. “User signals (clicks, dwell time, bounce rates) continue to influence visibility in AI Overviews. If your link gets ignored or abandoned, it may disappear.” Emina Demiri-Watson AIO Visibility
13. Satisfied users complete desired actions Conversions
14. Critical for setting first impressions and confirming relevance ABOVE THE FOLD CONTENT
15. Halo Effect A positive first impression makes users more likely to explore, click, and convert
16. Horn Effect A negative first impression leads to frustration and a quick bounce
17. • Hero image • Headlines (H1) • Subheadlines (H2) • Social proof • CTAs ABOVE THE FOLD CONTENT ELEMENTS
18. Okay, we know that. Now what?
19. 1. Observe 2. Analyze 3. Hypothesize 4. Test 5. Measure & Scale
20. User Behavior Data Discover opportunities See users’ confusion Find friction
21. Hotjar Microsoft Clarity Crazy Egg Tools of SXO
22. • Heat maps • Session recordings • Time on page • Dead clicks • Rage clicks • Scroll depth Clarity
23. HEAT MAPS Scroll Click Conversion Take action! Attention
24. People aren’t scrolling? Move things around.
25. No clicks? Rage clicks? Dead clicks? • Fix internal linking • Verify what works/doesn’t work on your devices • Make the element clickable
26. TESTING Present your ideas as tests and explain the value of user behavior metrics
27. Explaining Users stay longer on the page → more likely to convert Users make it to the next page → leading them down the funnel Users have rage clicks, excessive clicks, or dead clicks → problem to be solved which can help users get to where they want to go
28. Happy users = more conversions down the line
29. Gather both user behavior data and clicks/impressions data from GSC
30. HERO IMAGES Large hero images take up valuable space above the fold. Results from removing it: Pages Per Session: +81.39% Time Spent on Page: +158.33% Scroll Depth: +18.62% https://ricketyroo.com/blog/case-studies/sxo-testing/
31. CONTACT PAGE TESTING There were dead clicks on a phone number listed on the contact page. By making sure it was clickable, we saw a 137.5% increase in phone call clicks https://ricketyroo.com/blog/case-studies/sxo-testing/
32. ABOVE THE FOLD CONTENT Homepage was struggling with user engagement. We added an “Our Programs” button to help direct users to the information they wanted. One program’s CTA button saw a 134.37% increase in clicks. We were able to help funnel more users down the buyer’s journey. https://ricketyroo.com/blog/case-studies/sxo-testing/
33. ACCORDION We tested removing an accordion on a page about the client’s services: Quick Backs reduced from 15.79% to 13.22% +14.7% scroll depth “Request quote” clicks increased by 66.7% Rankings improved too... https://ricketyroo.com/blog/case-studies/accordion-test-results/
34. This wasn’t the goal of the test, but we observed improvements anyway
35. Clicks are disappearing. We know this and our clients should at this point, too. Focusing on user behavior can help clients and stakeholders see beyond clicks and rankings
36. SXO is about value. • Reducing friction • Getting users to the next page • Filling out forms • Adding to cart • etc Significance of the Shift
37. THANK YOU! Connect with me: LinkedIn: celestelili TikTok: yourfavoriteseo Bluesky: yourfavoriteseo