User Experience & Its Effect on Rankings and Conversions w/ Mary Davies @Beanstalk

Beanstalk's own Mary Davies joined Ann Smarty on Viral Content Bee for a Twitter-based Q&A to discuss user experience and how it impacts rankings. Here was their discussion (the question asked by Ann is in bold, with the Tweet-replies following). Q1 - How did you become an Internet marketer? What’s your career path?

@vcbuzz A1-1) It was sort of out of frustration:) Lol. I was a web designer (this is back in 2002 so keep that in mind) #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A1-2) I’d make pretty sites only to be wrecked when passed to an SEO who would jam in H1s, text links, keyword stuffing etc #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A1-3) I got sick of seeing my sites bulldozed 4 the sake of SEO. So I got into SEO & started designing “SEO friendly” sites. #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A1-4) Over time I realized that I was more into SEO & conversions than conceptual design so moved fully into marketing. #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A1-5) In 2004 my partner and I Dave Davies ( @beanstalkim ) decided to start our company Beanstalk Internet Marketing #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A1-6) He was already working in SEO & it made sense to take the jump together. We've found that we balance each other well. #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A1-7) Within our company he handles more of the technical SEO and I handle more of the onsite, UX, conversions, etc #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A1-8) We both have a good grasp on the other’s skillset but let each other take the lead in areas we r most passionate about #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A1-9) For years I stressed the importance of UX but for a good chunk of those years many people shrugged off its importance #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A1-10) So I focused more & more on standard SEO but always still with an eye to UX when the client was able to see the ROI. #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

Q2 - What are the most common user experience mistakes you see on business websites?

@vcbuzz A2-1) Not being able to see outside the box they r in, getting stuck in what worked & not paying attention to what works now #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A2-2) I think @wilreynolds said it best at @moz con this past summer "Just because it works, doesn't mean it should be done" #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A2-3) I’m actually in the thick of things with a design company right now that I am fighting with on this #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A2-4) There's ALWAYS a better way. I come up against "but it's working" alot & I always say "that's a great starting point". #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A2-5) I love this Henry Ford quote, it works perfectly ... wait image load isn't working 1 sec #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz I'm giving up on the image but the quote is “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” #vcbuzz pic.twitter.com/LVh0KCR9pp

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A2-6) It’s our job as UX professionals to invent what the user wants before they even know it. #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A2-7) It’s my job & really anyone who calls themselves a UX professional to find what a user wants before they even know it #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A2-8) U don't just pull it out of a hat though, u see a need & provide a solution. #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A2-9) I suppose that's the broad answer 2 your question though. I think if I had to pick 1 element of UX gone wrong the most #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A2-10) It would have to be site navigation. Whether we are talking main nav or navigating via links in content, even CTA's. #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A2-11) If the visitor has trouble either figuring out where to go or not getting what they were expecting when they click #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A2-12) you've at best got a frustrated user but more likely you have a bounce. If you do nothing else to improve your UX #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A2-13) f ix your navigation. Nobody can help you better with this than new users. Grab a test group and give them missions #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A2-14) Set up some entering on landing pages, others on your home page, all with different goals and let them teach you #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A2-15) Second to that would be overwhelming and unengaging content. Gone are the days of keyword stuffed content (thank god) #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A2-16) But then we had the "content is king" era which was all fine but basically turned into a content hoarding situation #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A2-17) Don't get me wrong I'm all for content but everything in moderation. The goal must be useful content not just content #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A2-18) And third (but definitely not least) I would want to be sure to mention the mobile experience. IT HAS TO BE GREAT! #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A2-19) I'll chat more on this in the next question but for this 1, it is amazing the number of terrible mobile sites there r #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A2-20) Actually this is probably a good place to jump into the next question so let's go for it :) #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

Q3 - How does UX affect a website’s rankings?

@vcbuzz A3-1) In so many ways! & increasingly these days. I have a list inspired by Oasis (remember them?) called “Definitely Maybe” #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A3-2) & those “maybe”s r quickly becoming “definitely”s thanks to AI. Much isn't really proven yet, it's 2 early in the game #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A3-3) but we can see the trend & look 2 things like Rankbrain & Google patents to give us a good solid picture of the future #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A3-4) So take my Definitely Maybe list with a grain of salt & keep in mind that even if it isn't a proven ranking factor yet #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A3-5) Any positive UX work will improve your conversions so there it's really a win/win but we'll talk conversions in a bit #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A3-6) So my UX Definitely a ranking factor list is: PageSpeed, HTTPS, Mobile Friendly, Broken Links, Titles & Descriptions #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A3-7) & my UX Maybe (& soon to be Definitely) a ranking factor list is: CTR, Bounce Rate, Time on Site, Social Sharing #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A3-8) The social sharing factor is where I get the most push back but a recent Google patent highlights it as a possibility #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A3-8) You can read my business partners evaluation of that patent here > https://t.co/O9tTzjv0si #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A3-9) With the addition of RankBrain we saw a move 2 a much different way of Google evaluating the weight of certain signals #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A3-10) I wont go into how it is all done but @randfish did a great whiteboard that explains it well at >> #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz Whiteboard >> https://t.co/GcqNkUIinV #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A3-11) The major thing to note here is the 1 strategy fits all only works if that strategy encompasses all possible signals #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A3-12) And the key word there is POSSIBLE because that's the world we are now in. Q- Could it be a ranking signal? A- Maybe! #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A3-13) AI is literally changing search by the second & I honestly dont even think Google can predict where this is all going #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A3-14) I do know that Google is focusing on UX because that is what AI is based on. It is attempting to experience as we do #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A3-15) We've seen Google leaning toward this 4 years w/ Hummingbird, Mobilegeddon, Rankbrain & now mobile 1 first indexing #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A3-16) All of these major changes are based on understanding what the user wants. They know their survival (aka ad revenue) #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A3-17) is entirely dependent on users staying and not jumping ship. Google is adapting to the user & their predicted needs #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A3-18) So in short all UX matters 4 rankings if u r thinking of where search is headed but there r some areas that stand out #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A3-19) But as mentioned, it’s a win/win when coupled with conversions which is your next question I’ll get to answering now #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

Q4 - How does UX effect a website’s conversions?

@vcbuzz A4-1) In every way you can think of really :) #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-2) As I've touched on already, there's ALWAYS room for improvement. Even if your sites is performing well. #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-3) The "if it's not broken don't fix it" mentality isn't welcome here. I say if its not broken great! Now make it better! #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-4) A gr8 example of this was talked about by @CaraHarshman where she mentioned increasing donations by 239% 2 a nonprofit #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-5) simply by creating an easier way for users to have their credit card information saved. UX for the win! #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-6) I have a bit of a UX cheat sheet I like to pass to people who want an easy reference of what needs addressing for UX #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-7) It's a bit long and probably needs some additions too but it's a good starting place anyway. You ready? Here it goes! #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-8) HTTPS, Mobile Friendly, PageSpeed, Broken Links, Titles & Descriptions, Navigation, Useful Content, Digestible Content #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-9) But wait! There's more! ... Links To External Sites, CTA's, Avoid Frustration, Human Testing, Engaging Imagery, ... #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-10)... Contact Page, 404 Pages , Connect/Tell Stories, Make Sharing & Following Easy :) No sweat! ;) #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-11) #ibeleiveinyou #youcandoit :) #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-12) Now that list may lead you to some questions which I will try to address really quickly 1 by 1 & why they matter ... #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-13) HTTPS Offers sense of security & in Jan Chrome to begin marking non HTTPS sites collecting sensitive data Not Secure #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-14) Mobile - Google is demanding it and so are users. In the words of Nike, JUST DO IT! :) #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-15) Page Speed - 47% of users expect a 2 second load time, 40% leave after 3 seconds. Pretty straight forward :) #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-16) Broken Links are a major frustration factor & you are missing out on link weight. Fix them :) #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-17) Titles & Descriptions are your 1st impression & tell Google what you're about. DON'T LIE! And please test often :) #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-18) Navigation - Make it a logical journey, don't cause navigation exhaustion, it should be helpful not confusing :) #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-19) Useful Content - think like a user, what r u looking for & what would u actually read?! Use Google Suggest for ideas! #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-20) Digestible Content - Don't overwhelm the user! Wealth of information = Poverty of attention. Break it up into blocks. #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-21) Links to External Sites should ALWAYS add value to the user & always open in a new tab. Don't send your users away! #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-22) CTA's - Keep it simple & be clear. Make it personal when u are able. Don't create too many as it will work against u. #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-23) Avoid Frustration - Don't misrepresent yourself w/ titles & descriptions, don't offer something you can't deliver #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-24) Human Testing - You need fresh eyes and new users to do this right! People who will tell you you're baby's ugly :) #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-25) Engaging Imagery - Don't use terrible stock photos! Draw the user into the experience. #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-26) Contact Pages are so underrated this is your last point of contact often & often with a frustrated visitor. Connect! #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-27) 404s - an opportunity to offer solutions/directions, connect with a frustrated user and offer an apology #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-28) Connect/Tell Stories - Make your message personal and don't throw your content at the users. Tell a story. #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A4-29) Make Sharing/Following Easy - Because why wouldn't you?! Let the people love you and tell the whole world about it :) #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

Q5 - It’s such a broad topic: We’d love to learn more! Please link to your favorite resources on the topic of UX!

@vcbuzz A5) Here's a few articles I've written and resources and tools I've found useful .... #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz A5) Great place UX related content https://t.co/pR4OM6FjtE #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz You can check out some of my pieces on our blog at https://t.co/W5lEadTEcm #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz and to answer @donsturgill some tools I like to use are Crazyegg, https://t.co/1Upy6wph67 and 5 second test #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

And some questions from the audience:

what do you think about going back through a site and looking at old external links? like on old blog posts? @vcbuzz #vcbuzz

— Bill Hartzer (@bhartzer) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz @billhartzer crazyegg for a quick picture #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz @billhartzer If you want more in depth data a service like https://t.co/QKr8NeRgUH gives you more than Crazyegg #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz I just want to say thanks so much @seosmarty for having me! It was a pleasure chatting #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016

@vcbuzz and all participants, it's been a pleasure! :) Happy Holidays! #vcbuzz

— Mary Davies (@beanstalk) December 20, 2016