Few strategies have such enduring relevance as search engine optimisation (SEO), but the changing digital landscape means that what constitutes an optimal SEO strategy is always changing. That can lead to the emergence of new approaches - such as how search experience optimisation (SXO) can utilise elements of the user experience (UX) to better support SEO. This is quickly becoming essential in such a competitive landscape, where a focus on refining the entire user experience can lead to much improved engagement.
What is search experience optimisation?
Search experience optimisation refers to a shift away from keywords and similar SEO principles as being the sole definitions of search relevance, instead looking to cultivate results that better represent the experience that the user is looking for. This includes measuring bounce and click-through rates to determine whether a user is engaged with a given website - leading to more relevant, engaging and usable websites that are more genuinely useful performing better than those arbitrarily filled with keywords.
Why SXO matters now
This signifies a greater shift in how search algorithms prioritise results, with websites that can provide a superior user experience seeing more attention. This doesn’t just refer to the depth of content, however, it’s also about the UX design of the website itself and how accessible it is, making it important to consider factors like whether your website is optimised for mobile. While this creates a more fiercely competitive environment, it gives your brand a better chance at cultivating trust and winning conversions.
Key components of SXO
Don’t get the wrong idea - traditional SEO principles still provide you with a solid foundation for search visibility. If you’re trying to establish a quality search experience optimisation strategy, you start with the SEO fundamentals. However, instead of simply being content to tick these boxes (keyword usage, use of H2s, etc.), you also need the content on your website to be high-quality and engaging, encouraging users to stay and find everything that they need. This is furthered through accessible, enjoyable web design that makes it easy to navigate and find everything that they need - especially on mobile devices, which can go easily neglected despite the prevalence of use.
SXO vs. SEO
To understand the SXO best practices, consider how you can go about improving the user experience for SEO. Traditional SEO focuses on the visibility of your website and how well it performs in the rankings - again, that’s still something that’s very much useful. However, by taking SXO into consideration, your strategy incorporates methods targeting user satisfaction and conversion. There is a depth of quality to SXO that exceeds that of traditional SEO, but this is most effective when visibility has been achieved through those familiar SEO methods.
Practical steps to improve SXO
Auditing your UX should be part of your regular website maintenance, and it’s the perfect chance to bring SXO principles into play. Focus on the same elements that enhance both user satisfaction and search visibility:
- Speed: keep loading times under three seconds, or risk losing nearly 40% of visitors.
- Flow: use concise, engaging content and clear calls-to-action to guide users naturally.
- Mobile usability: design for thumbs, not mice—most searches now happen on mobile.
- Consistency: ensure visual and functional coherence across every page.
Additionally, if you can personalise the user experience, tailoring it to each person that visits your website through an analysis of user behaviour, you might see an even greater conversion rate.
Measuring the success of SXO
The metrics that you use to identify success are different when it comes to SXO vs. SEO. With search experience optimisation, you want to keep bounce rates low, time spent on page high and conversion rates high along with them. These figures won’t be stagnant, so it’s important that you use your analytics to stay on top of them and consistently identify weak points - allowing you to apply continuous improvement through the knowledge gained here alongside rigorous testing and feedback.
In a landscape where search engines increasingly prioritise the user experience over traditional SEO alone, creating a website that is engaging, informative and captivating becomes key to success. However, this is much easier to achieve in harmony with those traditional SEO methods rather than in spite of them.
