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HOW TOINTEGRATE SEO &WEB DESIGN TOTAKE YOUR ONLINEPRESENSE TO THENEXT LEVELA Guide By WebFX717.609.0360www.webfx.com
www.webfx.com717.609.0360IntroductionSearch engine optimization and web design are twoof the most effective ways to market a business online.Search engine optimization is also known as SEO, and it’s a trafficpowerhouse for your business. The process improves your website so that it’s able to rankhigher in search engines, which allows your website to get more traffic.The process of SEO has a lot of moving parts that work to make it one of the most popular strategies of a marketing campaign.Web design has a similar effect in that it works to bring more traffic to your website by providinga smooth and enjoyable user experience. There are also many moving parts to crafting a greatweb design, but the results are worth it.But do SEO and web design work together as two effective strategies? The answer is absolutely.When paired together, SEO and web design campaigns can take your website to new heights,because of the way that they work seamlessly together. SEO affects the design of your websiteand the design of your website equally affects SEO.In this guide, we’ll talk about the different ways that web design affects SEO and vice versa, andhow you can ensure that both strategies are working to help your business thrive online.2
www.webfx.com717.609.0360A Deeper Look atWeb DesignWeb design is an online marketing strategy that allows you to appeal to your customers bothaesthetically and through the user-friendliness of your website.When you think about web design, you may first think of aesthetic elements like color schemeand graphics, but in the marketing world, web design is much more than that. The term alsorefers to how easily users can interact with your website, and from a marketing perspective, it’scalled user-friendliness.Both sides of design are important to ensure that your website is as effective as possible.Altogether, web design includes the following:Color schemeCall-to-action elements like buttonsBranding elements like your logoFormsMultimedia including video and imagesSidebars, headers, and footersCustom graphics and tyAll of these elements of your website work together to make it effective for users — both aesthetically and in the way that it works.Let’s talk about each of these in a little more detail. It will help to understand how web designworks with SEO!3
www.webfx.com717.609.0360Color SchemeYour color scheme helps to create a mood for your website, while also helping to brand yourbusiness.For example, you may want the colors of your website to mimic the colors in your logo, since youwant people to associate those colors with your brand.Colors can do a lot for your website, and you should choose them wisely. Programs like AdobeColor CC can help you choose colors that work well together, and also help to encompass yourbrand.You should also consider how the colors you choose make your visitors feel. Color theory isextremely important when you’re choosing what colors to utilize in your design.4
www.webfx.com717.609.0360LogosLike we mentioned in the color scheme section, logos and the colors you use for them help tobrand your business. For example, if you want someone to subconsciously think of the sun whenordering from your sunglasses company, your logo could utilize yellow.You should be sure to include your logo in your website design, especially in the header, to consistently and constantly have your brand present on your website.You should be sure to include your logo in your website design, especially in the header, to consistently and constantly have your brand present on your website.Video and ImagesVideo and images are a huge part of web design. They help break up long walls of text andincrease the user-friendliness of your site.Your website should utilize multimedia like video and images throughout your website to ensurethat users are always engaged and that they stay on your website pages for as long as possible.Custom Graphics and InfographicsJust like multimedia, graphics and infographics help to break up text on your website. If they’recustom, they also help with the branding your company, because you can include your logo inthe design.Custom graphics are great for keeping people on your website, but they also make for greatcontent to share. When you share graphics, especially infographics, in other areas of your marketing campaign, like email and social media, you’ll bring even more people to your website.Your infographics even have the potential to go viral which can help your web traffic increasedrastically.5
www.webfx.com717.609.0360NavigationThe design of your navigation means everything to the effectiveness of your website.If users can’t find what they need with your navigation bar, chances are they’ll leave your site tofind one that makes it easier.A great navigation bar splits your website up into different categories and subcategories thathelp a user pinpoint where they need to go on your website to find what they’re interested in.Keeping your navigation simple is also hugely beneficial. You should avoid drop downs with 20different links, and keep categories to a minimum. This keeps your navigation simple and organized for users.Calls-to-action (CTAs)Without calls-to-action (CTAs) on your website, you’ll miss out on a serious amount of conversions. Also known as CTAs, calls-to-action entice website visitors to take the next step tobecoming a customer.It could entice them to fill out a contact form so that you can send them email updates aboutyour company, ask them to read your blog, or simply encourage to buy a product now.No matter what the CTA may be, the design of the button or form you’re using falls under webdesign.FormsWeb designers also create your website forms.Forms are ways to capture contact information from a site visitor to ensure that you can keep intouch with them.6
www.webfx.com717.609.0360Sidebars, Headers, and FootersThe sidebars, headers, and footers are extremely important to your website, and are also a partof your website design.Your header includes things like your company’s name, logo, phone number, address, and catchphrase, while your footer includes a sitemap to help users further navigate your website.Sidebars act as extra real estate to build out forms, CTAs, or simply another navigation barwithin a section of your website.Mobile FriendlinessAnother part of web design is mobile friendliness. All websites should be designed with this inmind, because it greatly affects who can see what on your website.For example, if your website isn’t mobile friendly, or responsive, users on smartphones or tabletswon’t be able to get the same experience from your website that they do on a desktop. Thatcould cost you conversions.ReadabilityThe readability of your site refers to how easy it is for users to read the text, both relying on fontand easy comprehension.Web designers will ensure that the text that is on your website iseasy for users to read, and that things like line-length, contrast,spacing, and alignment are satisfying, and easy to read.7
www.webfx.com717.609.0360The Ins and Outs of SEOSEO, as we mentioned, has many moving parts. There are many strategies that worktogether within SEO to make it as effective as possible. The ultimate goal of SEO is tohelp your website rank higher in search engine results pages, because it’s the top fewresults (namely the number one result), that get the most website traffic.These strategies are split up into two different categories — on-page SEO, and off-pageSEO.On-page SEO is just what it sounds like — the changes that you make to individual webpages to ensure that they rank highly in search results. It includes things like:Informative, beneficial contentUser-friendlinessKeyword targetingQuality of your codeVisual elementsOff-page SEO is what you do off of your website to help you rank higher in searchengines. This includes things like:Building a strong backlink profileSharing your website pages on social mediaPositive business ratings on platforms like Google My Business and YelpBoth on-page and off-page SEO can help your website rank higher in search engineresults pages, which means more traffic for your business.Let’s talk a little bit more about each of these SEO strategies to understand how theywork together with web design.8
www.webfx.com717.609.0360Quality of Your CodeWhen you have a clean, organized HTML code, it allows Google to easily read, understand, andindex your information. The easier your code is to read, the quicker your pages will be indexed,and the faster you’ll start showing up in search engine results pages.When we say clean code, we’re referring to the way that you organize your content with headings and paragraphs, the use of CSS, and more.User-FriendlinessFor a website to be truly user-friendly, it has to have a great web design and SEO.In terms of SEO, great content, page speed and great navigation work together to create a greatuser experience. These elements pair with web design best practices to create a truly wonderfuluser-friendly website.Visual ElementsOn-page visual elements help to break up your text, which means users will likely stay on yourpages longer because they’re not bored with walls of text.When users stay on your pages for a longer period of time, it’s a signal to Google that your website provides just what users are looking for. This positive signal helps your website to rankhigher in search results.Informative, Beneficial ContentThis is perhaps one of the most important SEO strategies. Creating content geared toward youraudience allows you to provide users with exactly the information that they are looking for.Google’s goal is to serve its users with the best information out there, and they reward websitesthat do provide that information, with top positions in search results.When you provide great content, users will stay on your pages for longer, interact with moreelements on your page, and you’ll position yourself as an industry leader — all helping you torank higher in results pages.9
www.webfx.com717.609.0360Keyword TargetingKeyword targeting goes along with creating great content. You should always create contentbased on the keywords that mean the most to your audience.You can use tools like keywordtool.io to find what keywords bring the most value to your audience and target them accordingly with your content.Building a Strong Backlink ProfileWhen another website links to your website, it’s called a backlink — and the more you can get,the better. When websites, especially high-authority ones, link to your website, it shows Googlethat your website is reliable and has great information.Sharing Pages on SocialSocial media is growing every day. When you share your content on platforms like Facebook,Instagram, and Twitter, it has the potential to be seen by an exponential number of people.When other people share your content, more people visit your website, and more people know ofand buy your products.Positive RatingsPositive ratings on platforms like Google My Business and Yelp go a long way in getting newcustomers. In fact, 88% of people trust reviews as much as a personal recommendation. Thatsays a lot — so it’s important to ensure that you have a great rating on these kinds of reviewsites.10
www.webfx.com717.609.0360Making Sure Your WebDesign is SEO-FriendlyNow that we’ve gone over the different elements of web design and SEO, it’s time to talk abouthow SEO and web design can be integrated, and how they work together to get great results foryour business.Web Design Can Affect Bounce RateCreating an organized, cohesive, and aesthetically pleasing web design means that users willlikely stick around and surf through multiple pages. If your website doesn’t have these elements,you run the risk of having users bounce from your site to another site — and losing valuablepotential clients.An unorganized website can leave users confused about where to find what they’re looking for,and also cause a feeling of frustration. To avoid this, you should ensure that all of your pages areorganized properly and in a way that doesn’t feel cluttered.In addition, you should be sure to have an effective navigation bar that is clearly labeled with thedifferent sections and subsections of your website. Users not being able to find what they needcan also cause them to bounce.A cohesive website design means that all its parts work together. For example, the sidebar thatreferences specific links that are only relevant to certain areas of your site should only be onthose unique pages.As far as being aesthetically pleasing, you want your website to use colors that work together,and aren’t too loud. Imagine a website that’s solid red. You likely will feel overwhelmed andtrapped, and may bounce from the website because of it.In short, your web design, if not handled properly, can cause users to bounce from your website.When users bounce, it sends negative signals to Google which can cause you to drop in rankings, or never make it to the top.11
www.webfx.com717.609.0360Web Design Can Affect Bounce RateThe inclusion of multimedia and graphics are a huge part of web design because they keepusers engaged and interested in a page.Imagine how you felt the last time you came acrossa webpage that was nothing but text. You likelyquestioned if you wanted to read through thewhole page to get the information you needed.However, if there are graphics on that pagebreaking up the text, it would likely hold yourattention and make you want to read on.When you incorporate multimedia like images, video,graphics, and infographics on your website, you createopportunity for users to stay on your pages for longer.Not only is this a great signal to Google, but it also meansthat users are more likely to come across other pages of yoursite that they want to read.Everything about the addition of graphics and multimedia lead to increased time-on-page, andan uptick in the number of pages that a user views on your website.Both of those metrics will look great to Google and help you to rank higher in search engineresults pages.Fast-Loading Images Contribute to Page SpeedHow fast your page loads determines if users will stay on your website or navigate away. Matterof fact, users will actually read less of your page when it takes longer to load, and two secondsis a great goal for load time.The size of your images can contribute to load time — so you should always ensure that they’recompressed correctly. Otherwise, slow page speed will send negative signals to google, andlikely keep you from ranking in the first spot of search engine results.12
www.webfx.com717.609.0360CTAs and Forms Keep Users Coming Back for MoreAs we mentioned, your web design should always include numerous forms and CTA buttons toentice users to take the next step to becoming a customer.When your web design includes these buttons and forms, it keeps them in the pipeline for you tocontact them in the future. From an SEO perspective, this means that you’re always top-of-mind,and that the user will likely be back to your website multiple times.Another great signal to Google!Responsive Websites Appeal to Every UserWhen your website is responsive, or mobile friendly, it ensures that users will get the same experience whether they’re on a desktop computer or a smartphone.This means that images won’t appear shrunken on small screens, forms won’t be too small to fillout, and that all the same bells and whistles that a user sees on a desktop, are up and workingfor smartphones and tablets, too.Responsive web design sends a positive signal to Google because it shows that all users — nomatter what device they’re on — will have the same great experience on your website.13
www.webfx.com717.609.0360Can I have OneWithout the Other?An age old marketing question — do I need both web design and SEO for my website to succeed. The truth is, neither is more important than the other, however, they do work together toensure that your website is as effective as possible.A great SEO campaign ensures that you’re consistently cranking out informative and beneficialcontent for users to read and enjoy, and that Google has something to rank.That being said, you could say that great SEO is whatbrings users to your site in the first place.But without a great web design, users likelywon’t stay on your site long, which can sendmultiple negative signals to Google — makingit rank lower in results pages.So all together, it’s fair to saythat SEO brings the traffic,and a great web design keepsthat traffic on your website.14
www.webfx.com717.609.0360How can I make sure that mySEO and my web design areintegrated properly?When you hear all of the elements of SEO and web design combined, it can be a lot to puttogether, let alone think of integrating. That’s why we recommend hiring a full-service Internetmarketing agency.When you do, you’re not just hiring a web designer, and you’re not just hiring an SEO — you’rehiring both. Even better, they’re both under the same roof, which means that they can collaborate to ensure that your campaign works the best together.Your SEO and web designer should be in touch through every step of the process. This allowsyour SEO to see the unique elements of your website, while also allowing the designer to see thegoals and intricacies of your SEO campaign.Hiring someone that specializes in both web design and SEO may seem like a good idea, but it’san even better idea to hire someone that is a specialist in each field. That means you’ll get thebest of both worlds.Speaking of hiring someone to help, WebFX is a full-service Internet marketing agency. Thatmeans we can provide you with a stellar web design alongside a custom SEO campaign — andnot just that, we also offer marketing strategies like social, email, content, and more.15
www.webfx.com717.609.0360Can I do SEO or WebDesign on my own?Many business owners want to know if it’s possible for them to take on an SEO or a web designcampaign on their own.The answer varies, but you will likely see much better results when you hire an agency.First and foremost, if you own your own business, that is your first priority. Running a businesscomes with many responsibilities, and if you can hire someone to do something like SEO andweb design, you should.Not to mention, it takes years of experience to create a stunning web design, and a lot ofknow-how to implement an effective SEO campaign. It’s best to leave it to the experts.v16
Web designers will ensure that the text that is on your website is easy for users to read, and that things like line-length, contrast, spacing, and alignment are satisfying, and easy to read. www.webfx.com 717.609.0360 8 The Ins and Outs of SEO SEO, as we mentioned, has many moving parts. There are many strategies that work
