Website Optimization is the process of making changes to your website so that it will appear higher in search engine results. These processes are combination of several techniques that together contribute to better Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and User Experience (UX).
Depending on your goals these areas may include but are not necessarily limited to:
- A/B testing
This is the process of comparing two pages (page A with page B) of essentially the same information but different in perhaps the way they are titled, described or visualized. - Social media sharing features
Measuring how options are used by visitors with click tracking methods may help to find the best method and subsequently improve the performance of the sharing option. - Effective Headlines
Headlines (H1, H2, H3 and so on) can help to form a structure that provides superior UX and SEO. Changing these may impact, either negatively or positively, the results. - Mobile and portable device accessibility
Generally a website is either mobile friendly or it is not. But, testing it across different devices and modifying it as needed should be in every developers list of Best Practices. - Visualizations
The look and feel of a page may impact Bounce Rate (when someone leaves after only the first page view). - Testimonials or case study data
These may legitimize the service or product being offered. - Call to action (CTA) placement
CTAs can be tracked with click tracking methods to measure their successes and failures. The data can be used to make improvements as needed. - Website navigation organization
Properly organized navigation may promote browsing which may lead to a lower bounce rate and more leads. - Load optimizations (images, JS, CSS & third party assets)
A page that loads slow is more likely going to be abandoned. Assets should be optimized to improve UX.
Website Optimization, just like any science, is an ongoing experiment. Measurements are taken to determine starting points. Changes are made (the experiment) then the results are measured. The results can then be compared to the controls that were collected prior to the experiment.
While past experiences might lead to getting this right the first time, that is unlikely and each website may be met with unique challenges that require a different approach to achieve the goal. That goal is to convert visitors into leads.