At first glance it might seem as though web design and SEO are two completely different parts of a well functioning website. This is true to a certain extent. Design and SEO work very differently and perform very different task, but expecting them to never work together is unrealistic.
Why does SEO web design matter? First, web design can erase or damage SEO. For example, if a company rebrands or launches a new website, they might see their SEO progress disappear because they forgot to set up 301 redirects. Second, SEO can influence you web design. When you think about SEO best practices, this included web design factors like page speed optimization and site architecture. These factors often directly influence how you design your website.
There are eight main factors to optimize for web design and SEO. The first is code. Most designer will use HTML or CSS because it is the most common and widely used. The second factor is mobile-friendliness. Your site should function just as well and look just as good on a smartphone as it does on a desktop computer or laptop. the Third is readability. If the use can’t read or understand your site, it will not be successful. Fourth is file names. Giving your files names will provide the user with context for what they are viewing. Fifth is file size. If a file is too large of will take too long to load on your site. Sixth are alt tags. Alt tags help search engines determine what is being depicted and users can read it when their mouse overs over an image. Seventh is navigation. Having a clear navigation is one of the most important pieces of a website. Without it, user will not be able to use your site with ease. Lastly, URL structure is important because without a descriptive URL, search engines will not be able to understand your pages as easy.
There are many things that play into web design and SEO. Even though it seem like the two should never cross paths, it is best when they work together!
2 Responses
Excellent points about the eight factors of optimization. It is a very simple and easy checklist that you can go through your website and use it to optimize.
Web design is definitely a very important concept to keep in mind when using SEO! The driving force behind SEO is rich content, and the design of that content on the website plays a huge role in the user’s interest in your brand.