Why SEO needs to be part of your web design and development process
If you want a beautiful looking website that also ranks well organically, SEO needs to be considered at the start of the design process.
If we’re having one mantra for 2022 it’s this: SEO should always be part of the web design and development process.
Repeat after me: SEO should always be part of the web design and development process and isn’t something to be fixed once the website has been completed.
Web design versus SEO
I bring it up because it’s a conflict as old as time – web design versus SEO.
Usually, the web designer (and with good reason) wants to create the most beautiful, high specification website possible to really showcase their talents and impress the client. Great stuff. The SEO executive on the other hand is focused on making sure the website is constructed in the best way possible for optimum rankings (again, with very good reason).
It can become a bit of a battle…
Design wants minimal copy
SEO wants lots of copy
Design want attention-grabbing headlines
SEO wants keywords
Design wants jaw-dropping imagery
SEO wants fast page loading
The reality when web design and SEO don’t work together from the beginning
But the truth is, the web design and SEO team need to work together from the beginning and come to some sort of compromise from the get go. If not, it’s going to cause major problems in the long run.
A Moz article outlines that some of the most beautiful, impeccably designed websites, the kind you’d find featured on Awwwards and theFwa, don’t actually rank on search engines. And with most searches online being made up of unbranded keywords, you could see how that could become a problem for companies looking to promote their business here.
When SEO has been an afterthought in the design process, often SEO consultants have to rejig a large portion of the website to ensure it meets search engine requirements – often to the detriment of the overall design.
So how does web design affect SEO?
We’ve done a more in depth blog about this which you can read here. However, we’re going to list some design practices that may impact a site’s search visibility. These include:
- Site structure
- Page loading times
- Mobile friendliness
- Readability
It all comes down to user experience
At the end of the day, all website designers and SEO executives want is to create a fantastic user experience for their audience. And it’s what Google and other search engines want too. However, there won’t be any “user experience” if the website doesn’t get traffic. Which is why it’s imperative that web design and SEO goes hand in hand – right from the beginning. The better the experience is for the user, the more likely it is for the website to rank higher.
Looking for a new website?
If your website is in need of a re-design or you’re looking to launch your very first site, we can help. We’re a web design agency in Manchester who create amazing websites for businesses across all sectors – always with SEO in mind. Drop us a message or get on the phone, we’d love to chat.
