SEO vs. SXO
Introduction
SEO has been the fundamental tool of digital marketing for over 20 years. It refers to ensuring that your website and the content you share rank well on search engines such as Google and Bing. However, there has recently emerged a new concept of Search Experience Optimization (SXO), which shifted focus beyond SEO to encompass more than just search engines.
What is Search Engine Optimization, Commonly Known as SEO?
SEO Basics
The term SEO is an acronym for the phrase “search engine optimization.” It relates to the method of enhancing a website’s ranking in the natural/non-sponsored search engine listings. The main intention is to let a particular website have a higher position for the keywords that people enter in such search engines as Google, Bing, etc.
How SEO Works
Search engine optimization, or SEO, operates by improving the technical aspects of a website, such as the HTML tags, site structure, speed, and responsiveness, as well as creating content that is both useful to the website’s visitors and suitable to the search engines. It is strictly centered on search engine placement and the traffic from that.
Benefits of SEO
– Increased organic traffic
– Less expensive than paid ads
– Higher conversion potential than other channels
– Contributes to authority and trust
What is Search Experience Optimization (SXO)?
Search experience optimization (SXO) is the use of activities such as content writing, link building, and web design to create a seamless experience for the consumer.
Emergence of SXO
SXO is a new age search optimization model not limited to the search engine. The term was first used by a marketing technology company called Searchpilot in 2019 in its press release. It has a broader perspective of optimization across the channels where users search for information.
Core Principles
Whereas SEO and SEM are operational and responsive, SXO is strategic and proactive, for it tries to improve the search experience. It is dedicated to considering the behavior and intent of users and their interactions with various devices. The key concepts are relevancy, convenience, personalization, and trust.
How SXO Works
The key areas of concentration that SXO targets include the proper organization of content on the website for ease of use, voice search, tailor-made search results, use of artificial intelligence, and big data to understand search behavior. The last and ultimate objective is to deliver appropriate, easily accessible, and constant search experience to users.
The Advantages of SXO Over SEO
Less Sensitive to Shifts in Search Behavior
SXO is a constant evaluation of user intent and expectation across devices. So, it is better positioned to respond to significant changes in search engine ranking algorithms.
Frees Up Space As It Tackles Growing Annoyance of Voice Search
Desktop search is gradually shifting to voice search, but SEO cannot directly target conversational searches. SXO does it better through natural language optimization.
Provides Holistic Search Experiences
SXO unifies owned, earned, and paid media to identify the connections and deliver valuable, integrated experiences. SEO is quite limited and only targets organic presence.
User-First Approach Over Search Engines
SXO maps user journeys to design experiences that are appealing to the user and will create brand loyalty. In essence, SXO is all about making search engines happy.
Cons of SXO
– Involves large amounts of capital outlay
– Difficult to quantify the specific return on investment
– Adoption is still in its infancy for many organizations
– Needs cross-departmental coordination
The Road Ahead
SEO will remain crucial in the process of gaining organic search traffic. However, SXO will become essential to reach users across devices in a voice and smart assistant era. SEO and SXO do not have to be two opposing strategies; instead, they can work in parallel as strategies for search engine domination. This is why brands must adapt to the SXO way of thinking to prepare for the next generation of search experiences.
Conclusion
Whereas SEO focuses internally on enhancing the websites to search better, SXO concentrates externally on the search and discovery environment. It is meant to improve the understanding of user expectations in the mobile-first, voice-first era. SXO will allow brands to present coherent and contextually appropriate interactions that foster growth in satisfaction and loyalty. The concept of SEO has evolved into a component of SXO.
Bill Yeager, Co-Owner of High Point SEO & Marketing in CT
