You would think that web design is a job for graphic designers or web developers exclusively, but for those seeking to get the most out of their website, it’s crucial to add digital marketers to the team. In fact, most web design companies have in-house digital marketers for clients who want more than just an attractive and functional website.
How can I make the most of my website?
For most businesses, a website is also where they generate revenue. To generate revenue, you’ll need site traffic—a lot of it. You can utilize multiple tactics to guarantee a steady stream of visitors, but the most low-cost by far is search engine optimization (SEO). The founding principle of SEO is the discovery that users tend to find out about new brands through search engines and that they’re much more likely to click on sites that are higher up the search engine results page. This is because sites at the top are perceived to be more relevant and reputable.
SEO’s main issue is that achieving a high search engine result rank isn’t easy, nor is it something you can expect overnight. Most search engine keywords relevant to your business are probably already dominated by big corporations and top blogs. However, it’s not impossible; it just takes a lot of patience and trial-and-error.
At this point, you may be asking what SEO has to do with web design. Well, the two are actually more intertwined than you think.
SEO and web design impact each other in more ways than one
One of SEO’s key tactics is website optimization, which includes improving your website design for a better user experience.
Many search engines nowadays are shifting their algorithms to prioritize the user. If your website isn’t user-friendly, don’t expect to show up on the first page. Search engines can track if people leave your site too quickly and interpret that as a sign of poor user experience, thereby demoting your rank.
Multiple factors determine if a website is primed for a great user experience. Here are a few key ones, shared by Chicago Web Design Company:
- Quick load times. User attention span is lower than ever, and if your site takes too long to load, they won’t bother sticking around. Regularly audit your site to catch any lagging pages and eliminate any cause of slow loading times.
- Legible text. If your text is in a font, size, or color that’s hard to read, it will needlessly inconvenience your user. Use font colors that contrast from the background and give users the option to zoom or resize the text.
- Modern and stylish site design. Keep an eye out for what design trends are popular among your users. Staying in touch with what’s trendy is also great for keeping your site looking fresh.
- Easy navigation. All your links and buttons should be working as expected. Imagine opening a door labeled exit only to find that it’s actually the bathroom. If you find that scenario annoying, then it should be the same for your users who click a link but are led somewhere they didn’t intend to go. Test your site regularly to guarantee there are no broken or misdirected links.
- Accessibility. Your website should also accommodate users with disabilities. Keep your text a reasonable size and color. Include closed captions and transcripts for content with audio. Add text captions for images to aid assistive technology. Avoid rapidly flashing site elements and allow the users to pause or disable certain features like background music or a scrolling banner.
- Responsive design. Users are accessing your site on various devices and browsers, and it’s key that your site displays well on all of them. Google has gone on record for stating that they reward mobile-friendly sites. If you want to guarantee that your site is compatible with a certain device, there are online tools available to test your website’s appearance and functionality on specific devices.
Besides improving user experience, good web design also boosts site time. It was reported that 38% of users leave a site if the design is unappealing. You could have high-quality blogs or videos, but it will distract users from your content if your website is cluttered and ugly. Like how physical stores strategize their floor plans and interior design to ensure customers stay longer, you should utilize good site architecture, chic design, and helpful features to encourage people to continue browsing.
If you’re designing a website with SEO in mind, you’re optimizing not just for your human audience but also for search engine crawlers. Search engines are essentially bots that explore your site’s entirety to validate links, accessibility, navigability, code, and other essential information. Here are a few key design elements to keep in mind when catering to search engine crawlers:
- Keep it simple. Most search engine crawlers only look at site HTML, so additional features like JavaScript, cookies, Flash, etc., are tough for site crawlers to parse through. Keep your most important site elements like titles and articles as HTML.
- Use internal linking. Links are how the search engine crawlers navigate your site, so ensure they can easily get to every page on your website through these links. Watch out for any dead ends or error pages, as these can negatively affect your ranking.
- Create a sitemap.xml. A sitemap is, as the name implies, a map for the search engine crawlers. Sometimes, complicated site features can confuse search engine crawlers. Having a sitemap ensures any missteps will be corrected, and they can navigate the entirety of your website.
Even for professional web design companies, it’s a delicate balance to create a site that suits your users’ preferences and your SEO goals. The good news is that search engine bots have recently become more sophisticated such that they mimic average user behavior and preferences. Regardless, don’t be afraid to use flashy site design and elements to enhance your brand’s message and get a positive reaction from your audience. At the end of the day, your priority should always be your users.