As SEO continues to evolve and user experience plays a greater role, there are several ways marketers can adjust their sites to make them more user-friendly.

1. Provide simple page layout

Making it easy for website visitors to find the content they’re looking for keeps them on your site. Google’s page layout algorithm encourages marketers to keep relevant information above the fold and simplify page navigation for SEO.

2. Use a mix of short and longtail keywords

Content marketing and SEO strategies require diverse and relevant keywords to help search users find your site. With more than 12 percent of consumers reporting that they search using longtail keywords, developing a strategy with a healthy mix of shorter terms and lengthier phrases increases a site’s discoverability. It also fosters more natural use of phrases in written content.

3. Answer frequently asked questions with content

Think about the frequent questions fielded by your sales teams or the inquiries you see on social media. If certain themes arise, these topics make strong fodder for website content. Answering prospects’ questions before they ask them shows your company cares about their needs.

4. Direct users to other relevant content, not just conversion pages

Even highly compelling and creative content may not lead directly to conversions. However, that doesn’t mean a reader or viewer isn’t interested in your products or services. Including links to related articles on a website keeps top-of-funnel visitors moving through your site and drives them closer to conversion.

5. Frequently test for optimum performance

Nothing is more frustrating for a website visitor than a poor load speed. The average ecommerce-enabled site is 9 percent slower now than it was a year ago. Frequently testing for optimum performance ensures prospects can navigate your site without delay.

6. Make content accessible for all audiences

Mobile users account for an increasingly large portion of website traffic, and it’s important to offer them a site they can access from smartphones and tablets. As these devices become more common – and their growth isn’t slowing any time soon – a mobile-optimized website will become a competitive necessity.

7. Include outbound links to sources

Sometimes prospects reading website content want to see where information comes from. If you’re citing a research institution, an exclusive interview or another third party in an article, blog post or other kind of content, include a link to the original source.

8. Have diverse site content

Not everyone is swayed by industry trends and news content. The same applies to infographics, video and other content types you use on your site. Create several different kinds of content to appeal to an increasingly diverse prospect base. Many companies have already taken this to heart, with most B2B brands using more than 10 different types of content.

9. Give users options for finding content

Content marketing and SEO often go hand in hand. But a strong content marketing strategy is present throughout the web. Share information on social networks and deliver opt-in email marketing strategies to make it easy for prospects to find information.

10. Use attractive visuals

Infographics and video express relevant information in a highly engaging format. However, the use of visual content shouldn’t stop there. White papers, industry news articles, blogs and other written content should also have images included to make webpages more attractive and keep prospects interested.

Joe Meloni is Brafton's former Executive News and Content Writer. He studied journalism at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and has written for a number of print and web-based publications.