Which of the following is NOT a benefit of SEO optimization?

The chosen answer highlights that "Reduced website traffic" is not a benefit of SEO optimization. In fact, SEO is specifically aimed at enhancing various aspects of a website to increase its visibility and attract more visitors organically through search engine results.

Search engine optimization primarily focuses on tactics to improve site speed, leading to better user experience and potentially higher rankings in search engine results. This improvement in site speed is beneficial as search engines like Google favor faster-loading sites, which can lead to higher rankings and increased authority.

Higher search engine rankings directly correlate with increased visibility in search results, thereby likely boosting the amount of traffic a website receives. Increased site authority refers to the credibility and trustworthiness of a website, which can also lead to higher rankings and more traffic.

In contrast, reduced website traffic is contrary to the goals of SEO. Effective SEO should lead to increased, not decreased, website traffic. Therefore, this option accurately reflects a characteristic that is not a benefit associated with SEO optimization.