What is User Experience (UX)?
Definition
User experience (UX) encompasses how visitors interact with and perceive a website, including ease of use, satisfaction, and ability to accomplish their goals.
Why user experience (ux) matters
User experience matters because it directly impacts business outcomes. Good UX keeps visitors engaged, increases conversions, and builds loyalty. Poor UX drives visitors to competitors regardless of how they found you.
Google increasingly uses UX signals as ranking factors. Core Web Vitals, mobile-friendliness, and interstitial guidelines all reflect Google's emphasis on page experience. UX and SEO are converging.
UX affects how users interact with your content. Even great content fails if it's hard to read, navigate, or access. Investing in UX amplifies the value of all your other marketing efforts.
Key concepts and types
- •Core Web Vitals
Google's key metrics measuring loading, interactivity, and visual stability. - •Mobile usability
How well your site functions on mobile devices. - •Site navigation
How easily users can find what they're looking for. - •Content readability
How easily visitors can consume and understand your content. - •Conversion optimization
Designing experiences that guide users toward desired actions.
Common misconceptions
- ✕UX is separate from SEO
- ✕Good UX means pretty design
- ✕UX improvements require complete redesigns
- ✕All users have the same UX needs
- ✕UX only matters for e-commerce sites
Related terms
FAQs
How does UX affect SEO?
Google uses UX signals like Core Web Vitals as ranking factors. Beyond direct factors, good UX improves engagement metrics, reduces bounce rates, and encourages sharing and linking—all benefiting SEO.
What UX improvements have the biggest SEO impact?
Page speed, mobile responsiveness, and clear navigation typically have the largest impact. Focus on Core Web Vitals metrics (LCP, FID, CLS) as these are confirmed ranking factors.
How do you measure UX for SEO purposes?
Use Google Search Console for Core Web Vitals data, analytics for engagement metrics, and PageSpeed Insights for performance details. Heat maps and user recordings reveal specific UX issues.