Web design and search engine optimization (SEO) strategies may not seem natural partners in supporting an exceptional user experience. After all, website design layers in visual aesthetics, functionality, fast navigation, and user-friendly features designed to entice users while anticipating their needs. The goal of SEO is to cater to the algorithms that search engines use to rank websites on search engine results pages (SERPs)—which is essential for driving traffic.
So how are web design and SEO related? In this guide, we’ll answer that question and outline website design tips to support SEO.
SEO Begins with Website Design
Search engines direct traffic to your website based on several factors, including relevant keywords and high-quality content.
But that’s not all.
Major search engines now place increasing weight on user experience with sophisticated tools that evaluate how users interact with your website. This makes using SEO-informed website design critical to the success of your SEO strategy.
Web Design Techniques for SEO
Building your website from an SEO-informed design strategy lays the groundwork for successful SEO. Neglecting search engine optimization (SEO) in website design can negatively affect your search rankings, undermining all the good SEO practices you attempt afterward.
You can optimize essential SEO practices in web design by leveraging key elements that influence SEO: user experience, images and alt text, load speeds, and responsive design.
Improve User Experience
The most critical design factors that drive SEO are user experience (UX) and user interface (UI). Search engines collect data on your website’s bounce rate (how quickly people leave your site) and use it to determine the value and usability of your website, affecting your SERP ranking.
User experience depends on relevant content, smooth navigation, internal links, appealing aesthetics, and interactive design elements that keep users engaged. Evaluate your website’s UX/UI with review tools and real-user feedback to decrease the bounce rate and increase your SEO ratings.
Embed Images with Alt Text
Keyword-rich headings or informative alt text let users and search engines know how well an image fulfills a search parameter. You should add detailed alt text for every image to increase search relevancy.
Enhance Load Speed
In today’s fast-paced environment, users don’t like to wait. Slow website load times significantly degrade SEO. Make sure your webpage loads in less than three seconds by implementing speed-boosting design elements.
Optimize Responsive Web Design
Half of all webpage users access websites through their mobile devices, making performance on mobile devices essential to good SEO. Responsive web design ensures that your website displays and functions correctly on all screen sizes and device platforms.
Start Off on the Right Foot with SEO Website Design
When you start with a strong SEO-friendly code and design strategy, you make your website enjoyable for users and easy for search engines to find, boosting your search engine rankings. As the role of website design in search engine optimization (SEO) grows larger and more refined, start laying the groundwork for SEO in website design.
Contact Randy Speckman Design to discuss your current site’s web design or brand-new website built with SEO in mind from the ground up.
