SEO & Searcher Mental Models
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by Shari Thurow
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I had a search engine optimization (SEO) epiphany recently that
involved site architecture and the mental models of web searchers.
Website information architects try to determine how users categorize,
organize and label information on a site. Information architects use a
number of methods to determine the best site architecture, including
but not limited to:
Field interviews
Direct, one-on-one observation of users/searchers performing their
normal, daily tasks
Usability testing
Data from web analytics software, site search engines, and so forth
On a website, an information architects goal is to determine a
formal site navigation and other forms of page interlinking, ones that
best correspond to the mental models of the sites users. An effective
site architecture should enable users/searchers to accomplish their
goals more easily and efficiently. With every click, a users
information scent
<http://searchengineland.com/seo-and-the-scent-of-information-26206>
should be reinforced and validated without distracting, confusing or
annoying the user. Additionally, a sites information architecture
should communicate the aboutness of page content to both search
engines and site visitors.
After three iterations of usability testing on one particular
business-to-business healthcare website, I noticed something
interesting: pages that the in-house SEO professional created did not
match the mental models of the primary and secondary target audience.
Words such as fluff, propaganda, and my personal favorite, what
the , were used to verbally describe these pages.
Furthermore, these same words appeared in test participant comments
and category/section labels.
Digging a little deeper, I also noticed that all of their competitors
created web pages that did not match user/searcher mental models. Yet
these pages were ranking well. So even this companys competitors were
not creating sites to accommodate user/searcher mental models.
Why would any website owner create an information architecture
<http://searchengineland.com/seo-vs-web-site-architecture-16628>
where a considerable number of SEOed pages belong in the category
labeled, What the ? Why do SEO professionals continually
build pages, and entire websites, that do not match searcher mental
models?
What is a mental model?
A /mental model/, also known as a conceptual model, is an explanation
of a persons thought process about how something works in the real
world, faithfully representing root motivations and matching
behaviors. Everyone has a mental model about how a website or a search
engine works, and no one person has the same mental model as another
person. Nevertheless, some portions of mental models are consistent
from person to person.
As an example, let�s use an elevator. Most of us have the same
expectations and experiences with riding in an elevator. If we press
the button labeled �2� inside the elevator, we expect the elevator to
take us to the second floor. If we press the button labeled �5, we
expect the elevator to take us to the fifth floor.
How do we know we are moving toward the fifth floor? On most
elevators we usually see a number that lights up when we arrive at or
pass a floor. What happens when we arrive at our destination, the
fifth floor?
The number �5� is illuminated on the elevator panel
The elevator stops
We often hear a �ding� to indicate that the elevator doors are about
to open
The elevator doors open
Usually, when we exit the elevator, we can immediately see some sort
of visual cue that we have arrived on the fifth floor, such as a sign
showing room numbers 501-540, and/or the number �5� somewhere within
our immediate visual range.
The textual and visual cues on an elevator are similar to the textual
and visual cues on a website. When searchers click on a link on a
search engine results page, they expect to be delivered to a page that
contains their targeted keywords. But keywords are not the only item
on a web page that searchers expect to see.
Searchers have mental models of websites and web pages. They expect
to know which elements on a web page are clickable and those that
arent. On ecommerce websites, searchers expect to see product photos.
Headings, categorization and navigation labels on a healthcare site
that targets physicians and other healthcare professionals will be
quite different from headings, categorization and navigation labels on
a healthcare site that targets consumers.
Mental models of SEO professionals
How do many SEO professionals address searcher mental models and site
architecture? Here is a partial list:
PageRank (PR) sculpting (via nofollow tags
<http://searchengineland.com/youd-be-wise-to-nofollow-this-dubious-seo-advice-13524>
and other methods)
Siloing
Using targeted microsites
Link farms and other forms of search engine spam
Unfortunately, many SEO professionals are not validating searcher
mental models, though they honestly and sincerely believe they are. If
a page ranks and a web searcher clicks on a search listing, then the
assumption is that the web page matches the searchers mental model.
Other pages ranking well? Then the SEO assumes searcher goals are
obviously being met. More clicks? Even more evidence. Low bounce rate
<http://searchengineland.com/when-keyword-research-and-search-data-deceives-14613>
? Web searchers must love the site, even though more clicks on a
website can indicate confusion, not user satisfaction.
Never mind that information architects and usability professionals
continually see what the as a site architecture label.
It seems as if SEO professionals and website owners are building
websites and pages based on their personal mental models, not the
mental models of the target audience. No professional, qualified
information architect would recommend a site architecture based on
data purely from keyword research tools
<http://searchengineland.com/when-keyword-research-and-search-data-deceives-14613>
.
Would I hire an SEO professional to architect a website? Not unless
that person or company has a strong education, training and experience
in library/information sciences. Many professional information
architects have advanced degrees in this field. However, I would hire
an SEO professional to contribute to the site architecture discussion.
Querying is a search behavior that no website owner should ignore.
Opinions expressed in the article are those of the author, and not
necessarily Search Engine Land.
Shari Thurow <http://searchengineland.com/author/shari-thurow/>
is the Founder and SEO Director at Omni Marketing Interactive
<http://www.search-usability.com/>
and the author of the book Search Engine Visibility
<http://www.searchenginesbook.com>
.
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