SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is a crucial process for getting your site to rank well on Google. Many businesses in the online space understand how important search optimisation is, however, SEO often gets left behind until the end of the web design process. With SEO in mind, your website can maximise its potential and gain an edge over your competitors. So instead of leaving SEO as an afterthought, here are 5 web design tips to improve and optimise your website for Google search.
Focus on user friendliness
Google wants the best experience for everyone online, making user experience an integral part of their search algorithm. Online visitors want simplicity when they’re searching for your products. This means that navigating your website should be as easy as possible across all devices. If users can’t find what they’re looking for on your site, they may find it on your competitor’s site. Prioritising user friendliness will also improve your bounce rate (visitors who leave your site without doing anything). Important elements that impact user friendliness, such as CTA’s (calls to action), need prominence and should be easy to use.
Keep content relevant and consistent
Content is an important factor in SEO. Keyword research is the blueprint to develop content that works for SEO. It’s important to focus on a variety of relevant keywords that Google can recognise throughout your pages. However, it’s crucial to avoid excessive keyword density (more than 2% of the same keyword throughout your content) as this can be detrimental to your rankings. Adding a blog to your website is a great way of adding fresh, relevant content to your site. Blogs are a natural way to drive traffic to your site and Google recognises new content positively, meaning regular posts can give you an SEO advantage.
Build simple and specific URL links
Google takes into account everything across your website, even the URLs (web addresses for individual pages). It’s important to make sure URLs are short and snappy . This Is because Google favours websites with short and concise URLs, ranking these pages higher. Using specific naming structures to build URL links makes it easier for search engines to navigate your site. A common problem many websites have is a lack of canonical URLs. These are pages that have duplicate content, yet exist under two different URLs. When Google crawls your site (analyses it) it can’t tell which page you wish to rank. By using canonical URLs you tell Google which page is the original, or designated one and Google can more easily then rank the correct page for the keyword you’re targeting.
Improve page speed across your site
Google favours speed. So it’s important to have a website that loads quickly. Ensure your website loads fast by using an SEO-friendly platform like WordPress, and a qualified web designer who knows how to optimise their design for speed.
Prioritise mobile web design
There are now more Google searches taking place on mobile devices than desktops. This means mobile optimisation should be a top SEO priority during the web design process. Understanding how mobile users behave is key to achieving a great Google ranking. This doesn’t just mean ensuring your site reconfigures itself to suit whatever sized screen your prospect is using. That’s the minimum requirement. You need to also ensure that it is optimised for speed and usability on various screen sizes. It’s not enough just to be able to use the site on various devices, your site must operate in a helpful and speedy fashion. Get this wrong and your ability to convert browsers into buyers will suffer.
SEO should be at the forefront of your mind when designing a website. The team at Kingfisher /Sneaky Ninja can help you to tick every box and build a website that will not only wow your prospects, but also Google’s bots. For more information get in touch with Rohan on 07 4637 8893.