Marianne Sweeny is a SR Search Specialist for Portent who focuses on the user experience. She recently spoke on the user experience factors that are most important to the ranking algorithm at a recent SMX session. As search has becoming easier and continued to improve, UX and SEO have not developed on similar tracks. Be sure these UX factors are in line with the ranking algorithm.

1. Click Through Rate (CTR) is a factor impacted by the SERP and which result users choose to click on. Because users just scan results, Google shortened the length of titles and increased the font size to make this process easier for users.

2. Engagement is obviously necessary, as users need a reason to stay on your home page. Be sure to properly use the space of your webpage and include content above the fold. Aim for proto-typicality by making your site easy to navigate. Label things correctly and keep buttons or links where readers can find them. Do not over-use images and keep them related to your content.

3. Content Inventory is important to determine how your content is met by users. Consider a content audit in which you Keep, Remove or Revise existing content on your site. Quality content that is rich in subject specific information is always preferred to “thin” content by both users and search engines.

You can also go through your site for measurable user experience factors including conversions, page value, unique visitors and bounce rate. Other factors include social actions, such as shares and pins, average time on site and the exit rate for any visitors to your apartment site. You want to be sure that your user experience is optimized to ensure better rankings from search engines and conversions from your users.