Search Engine Optimization (SEO) seems to be an impossible battle against an ever-changing, invisible enemy.
However, this is a necessary battle.And, as we are in our Small business SEO guide:
If you are slow or have not implemented a search engine optimization (SEO) strategy as part of your overall marketing effort, then you are lagging behind your competitors.
Every website is governed by Google’s algorithm. If your business website ranks poorly on Google, customers may never find you.
However, many small business owners don’t know where to start, especially if they just Start a business.
However, there is good news. Although many details of Google’s algorithm are shrouded in proprietary mysteries, the design of your website and user experience both play a vital role in search results.
Web design is not just a matter of aesthetics. A well-designed website is easier and more enjoyable to use. Happier visitors will spend more time on your website and click on more links.
That’s why to improve your Website design When it comes to it, you can get a big reward Brand strategy And search engine rankings.
Good website design is good business, good design is good for SEO, As these three examples show.
So, look at your website design. And, ask yourself the following five key questions:
Does your website design contribute to SEO?
1. How easy is it to browse your website?
Navigation is a key usability factor of every website.
Let’s be realistic-people are very busy.
And impatient.
When they arrive at your website, if they can’t quickly find what they’re looking for, they’re likely to leave.
This is why Google pays close attention to the navigation structure of the website.
Confusing navigation can negatively affect your user experience and your Google ranking.
Here are some navigation tips for web design to help ensure that your site is user-friendly and meets Google’s standards:
- Keep your main navigation menu fairly short. Include only the most important (and most often looked for) menu items. Too many choices will overwhelm your visitors and let them pack.
- Use clear/concise language in the navigation menu. Your grandmother should be able to read your main navigation menu and feel comfortable when she knows where she is going.
- Provide a short, specific name for the URL. Both humans and Google crawlers will appreciate it.
- Make your main navigation menu accessible from your entire website. No one likes to find themselves in a dead end.
Free brand identity guide
Uncover the secrets of accelerating business growth. Get the free guide now.
We just emailed you the brand identity guidelines.
2. How long does it take for your website to load?
Remember when we mentioned that people are impatient?
The statistics are Shocking.
25% of users Will leave your website after only 4 seconds of loading time.
That is a quarter of your potential customers disappeared in just four seconds…
Website loading time is a key factor affecting user experience. Moreover, Google started tracking page speed in 2018.
Your page load time is directly related to the design.
Websites with complex graphics, a large number of photos (think online shopping) or videos take longer to load.
This doesn’t mean you can’t (or shouldn’t) use brand-related graphics, stunning product photography or compelling videos. But it does mean that your web design must balance these elements (if they make sense to your brand and business) with functionality and page load speed.
Kinsta’s beginner’s guide to web speed optimization It is a great resource to help you increase the speed of your website.
3. Will visitors see their purpose?
How you present your website content is important.
A clear and attractive layout is more attractive and easier to read and navigate.
However, both humans and Google crawlers look for specific keywords when evaluating websites. Keywords are at the core of how Internet browsers such as Google work.
Every time a user searches, Google uses keywords to identify relevant web pages.It also see how frequently The appearance of a keyword and related keywords is determined how Related websites are the core topic.
So, having a large number of keywords is more important than design, right?
Well, no. It is more subtle than that.
Keyword stuffing (reuse keywords and related keywords in artificial and unnatural ways) May damage your website’s rankingMoreover, long blocks of text with lots of relevant keywords may seem like gibberish to humans-and motivate them to move on.
So, how do you ensure that your website is reviewed by humans and Google algorithms?
The key is to strike a balance between clever design (intentional white space and graphics that draw attention to the most basic elements) and a good copy.
The clean design layout and concise, relevant top copy will provide users with the best service and better Google rankings.
- Make it easy to read. Provide a lot of white space and easy-to-read fonts.
- Make every word meaningful. Keep your website copy simple. Use important keywords in a prominent place and context.
- Show the most relevant copy first. What is the main reason people look for you online? Let’s talk about that demand first. Place the copy at the top of your website so that you can see it without scrolling.
- Use headings and subheadings to organize content into different sections. This will make it easier for humans and Google to understand your content.
4. Does this website look reputable?
The Internet is a wilderness of anonymous users with all possible stripes and backgrounds-good and bad.
In addition to legitimate businesses on the Internet, there are fringe conspiracy groups, video game video bloggers, hackers, cute animal lovers, scam artists, and so on.
If you want people to trust your business — and pay for your products or services — you must convince them that you are one of the good people.
Moreover, a poorly designed website looks untrustworthy.
Think back to when you started a business.If you write a business plan For investors or lenders, do you piece together a few pages and send them to them, or take some time to ensure that your plan is comprehensive and professional?
You may take time to ensure that your business plan looks credible and trustworthy.
Take the same measures for your business website.
Poorly designed websites can cause problems in the minds of visitors. People want to know: “If their website looks so bad, what would their product or service look like? Is this really a business?”
Issues such as these can cause users to navigate quickly to find a safer place to spend money.
This leads to a high bounce rate and low participation. Moreover, these problems will damage your search engine rankings.
Follow these tips to create a trustworthy website Strong brand identity:
- Highlight your company logo (High resolution). Pixelated or outdated logos have a poor impact on your business. Moreover, people associate professional-looking logos with professional companies.
- Use brand-specific graphics, colors, and fonts. A consistent brand image helps visitors confirm that they have found the right business.
- Be transparent. Use accurate language, don’t hide customer support contact information, share pricing, and include answers to frequently asked questions to help visitors quickly understand what they want to know.
- Use a lot of white space. A simple web design with plenty of white space makes it easier for visitors to read, creates a sense of calm, and shows that you don’t need to hide behind busy graphics or confusing language.
- Demonstrate safety features. Reassure users by displaying any appropriate security badges or encryption features for your e-commerce website to ensure the security of user data.
- Proofreading and testing errors. Fix any spelling errors, broken links or invalid image files. If your website is full of errors or does not work properly, people will think that your business is the same.
5. Can I easily use this website on my mobile phone?
Today, more people use mobile phones or other mobile devices to access the Internet than desktop computers.
recent Learn by performance It shows that 64.3% of network traffic in the United States comes from mobile and tablet users. Only 35.7% of network traffic comes from desktop computers.
This is why Google prioritizes responsive websites and mobile devices in its search results.
Responsive web design adapts to the unique screen each visitor uses to access the website. A well-designed responsive website can be easily navigated on any device.
Trying to use an unresponsive website on a smartphone is a sense of frustration. The text usually appears small. Buttons and links are almost impossible to click accurately. You can only see a small part of the page at a time. It’s a mess.
Such a user experience will quickly drive visitors away-increasing the bounce rate of your website. As we mentioned before, a high bounce rate is a red flag for Google and will reduce your search ranking.
Invest in a responsive design to adapt to each visitor’s device and satisfy your potential customers and Google.
in conclusion
Those of us on the outside may never know all the secrets of Google.
However, to create a sound SEO foundation, you don’t have to do this.
Google explains here the most important SEO tips you need to know:
When ranking results, Google Search also evaluates whether the web page is easy to use. When we identify persistent user pain points, we will develop algorithms to promote more available pages to less available pages under all other conditions being equal.
Websites with powerful designs have fewer pain points. Google will promote these pages on less useful pages.
Does your website design help or harm your business?
