
There are some people today who think web design will not have an impact on your SEO score. Many studies show that the opposite is true. Consumers demand the best web design from brands. A brand’s landing page is the first impression it makes to its site visitors. It can make a difference whether or not consumers will choose you or your competitors.
You’re likely thinking about how web design can improve your SEO game. Today, I’ll discuss ways a consumer-first web design can help accomplish your mission. I will also dive into how to achieve a web design that will make you and your consumers proud.
Faster Site Speeds
Search engines view your site speed as an SEO ranking factor. Every second can make or break a decision whether or not consumers do business with your brand. Pages with long load times will more than likely have high bounce rates. High bounce rates signal to search engines that consumers don’t have a good UX on your site. Your page rankings will see a drop as a result of a slow site speed.
According to Load Storm, 25% of site visitors would exit a page that loads longer than 4 seconds. 64% of shoppers from the same study would shop elsewhere in the future resulting from a subpar site UX.
Here are some tools you can use to help enhance your site speed:
- Bing Speed Test
- Google Page Speed Insights
- GT Metrix
Adjusting your pics and videos to the proper size will help make a positive impact in meeting your site speed goals. As site visitors easily access your page, they’ll be more likely to visit you in the future. Search engines will then notice your efforts and reward you with higher page rankings.
Scripts You Can Externalize
Search engines look at your site through what is in an HTML document. If CSS and Javascript are in the doc, they’ll see more code lines and be ahead of your site content. These internal scripts can slow down how search engines crawl your site and cause your UX to decline.
As you code your site, look to place the scripts outside your HTML doc. Adding these measures will help search engines access your site content fast and attract your audience to your page.
Block Pages You Do Not Want Search Engine To Index
You have the option to block pages you don’t want search engines to index. Pages under this category usually add no value to your site and may contain server-side scripts. There are also some site sections where you may have test design projects.
If web bots expose these pages, your site could end up with repeat content and have a weaker content density. They can also cause site visitors to bounce from your page and harm your search rankings. Robots.txt files help you block those bots from getting to those pages. If you have page sections you use as test centers, look to use password protectors. Web Dev platforms like JSP or Wamp Server can also help you resolve web crawl issues on test sites.
Utilizing these tactics help your site to only show content you want your visitors to view. They can go a long way in helping you upgrade your SEO game.
Sites That Adapt To Any Screen Size
Sites that have exceptional UX exist across every screen size and device. Responsive design helps you design your site to auto-scale your content to match the screen size of devices. These adaptable features help users avoid pinching their screens to view site content.
Search engines value sites that are mobile-friendly and responsive to devices (e.g., desktops, mobile phones, tablets). A Digital Examiner study shows that 80% of the world’s top-ranking sites are mobile-friendly. Sites with responsive design will provide your audience with the best experience and grow your SEO efforts over time.
URLs That Are Easier For People To Find Online
Search-friendly URLs have keywords that accurately describe a page’s content and make sites more crawlable by search engine spiders. Here are some examples of URLs for a sandwich shop that offers different types of foods:
- sandwichshop.com/menu/low-fat-sandwiches
- sandwichshop.com/menu/vegan-sandwiches
- sandwichshop.com/menu/veggie-sandwiches
- sandwichshop.com/menu/italian-sandwiches
As you choose page URLs, look to avoid the usage of content management tools that use random codes or numbers. The best CMTs give you many ways to customize your URLs to meet your exact needs.
Fresh Content Search Engines Can Read
Authoritative and informative content is a website’s star power that grabs the attention of search engines and consumers. As you build or upgrade your site, check that it has these clear content structures:
- Headings
- Links
- Paragraphs
- Subheadings
Sites with little content or poor content structure usually struggle most in search results. You can address these problems by planning in the design stage. If you use images with text, look to use CSS background image replacement tools. For blog posts or guest article writing, save some room for excerpts of recent posts to place on every page. When you make excerpts, look to avoid showing off the whole post, as this can lead to repeat content issues.
Search engines will prioritize fresh content since it means your site is active and engaging to consumers. When your page crawl frequency increases, you’ll be on track to attract the right people to your site. You may even win up gaining new customers in the process.
Web Design That Focuses On People Is The Key To SEO Success
As you put together your web design, look to have your consumers in mind and give them the best UX. People-First web design efforts will help your brand stand out to your audience and boost your SEO game. When you tailor your web design to your consumers, your brand will be on track toward moving up the search results page and having more sales.
What else do you feel is the best way to create a web design that can help your SEO plans? How else does web design play a role in SEO success for brands? Questions? Comments? Please feel free to share your thoughts below. Also, feel free to share this blog post online and follow me here or on my social media platforms.