When you understand the relationship between website design and optimisation (SEO and AIO), you’ll recognise ways that design can be adjusted to aid search results.
Website design for performance will increase page rank and gain exposure. That leads to more website traffic and generates sales.
Learn how poor website design can negatively affect search results.
Monitor, improve, and nurture your website instead of letting it float in the ether.
What is Optimisation (SEO and AEO)?
There are two main branches to search engine optimisation. On-page and off-page.
On-page search engine optimisation is when a website owner ensures pages, posts, content, media and links are easy to navigate, download quickly, are well-structured and clearly labelled.
There are standardised guidelines for web designers and website owners to follow that help search engines to understand websites. Many of these guidelines also help the user.
The search engine’s objective is the user’s objective.
Off-page optimisation refers to backlinks and reviews and can also involve social media.
For most of this post, I refer to on-page optimisation, which can easily help a website rank better.
How Are Web Design and Optimisation Linked?
A search engine, like Google, aspires to offer the best experience and the most relevant search results to its users.
If Google does not provide that information, it has failed in its responsibilities.
Google rewards websites that are organised and up to date by placing them higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).
This happens when:
- The website is easy to navigate on all devices.
- The pages/posts are comprehensible, and search engine markup is used.
- There is great content providing visitors with answers.
- All content is available pronto! Google’s aim is to offer answers quickly.
The better your content, the better each page ranks on Google for targeted key terms. Strong pages do even better once your whole website has been optimised.
The better the page ranks, the more visibility, so traffic is bound to increase. As Google sees more click-throughs, the website climbs in rank.
However, a page with great content and the best keywords will never be truly successful if the site itself is slow to load or difficult to navigate.
So you see, there is more to successful website design than a visual brochure.
Search Engine Optimisation for Google
Google rarely announces what it expects from websites. Algorithms often change to prevent manipulative practices. That is why SEO is complicated and takes time.
Google’s guidelines make perfect sense. Give customers a good experience on a website, and Google will rank it well.
Here are some basic principles.
Basic Google Principles
Make your website easy to navigate. Use a clear page hierarchy for both Google crawlers and users. Links to pages that do not exist adversely affect rank, so remove them.
Load Websites Quickly
Large images and too much code increase web page download time. Be sure that pages load quickly. If using a CMS system, delete unused plugins, images, and code. Keep pages clean. Consider slower connections like 4G, especially if the business is found ‘on the go’, as a tourist attraction. Balance great design with a fast load time.
Design Websites for All Devices and All Browsers
A website must load well and be easy to use on all devices – mobile, tablet and desktop. Consider how people use the site. Google Analytics provides detailed information about users’ devices and browsers.
Create an Information-rich Website
Google loves high-quality, informative content, and when you think that AI is simply trawling the same sources Google does, you will understand that quality, targeted content will win. Everything you write should, first and foremost, help your customer. Ensure that pages offer the best, most relevant content around a chosen key term, and you will not go far wrong. Use a blog to continuously expand that content.
Create for Customers, not Search Engines
Never deceive visitors by bringing them to a page using unrelated key terms. Always ask yourself if you are helping your visitors.
Do Not Hide Information
Content hidden behind tabs or expandable boxes is considered less accessible to users by Google. Be sure the most important information is available when the user arrives. Do not make them wait or dig.
Use Images for Optimisation
Popular images are displayed as an image pack on Google search pages and in Google’s image search results. Images expand exposure and traffic. The more traffic, the better the page rank. When putting a site together, give Google as much information about the image as possible using the image file name and ALT tag. Let people filch your images, requiring them to link to your site to increase backlinks.
Use Video for Optimisation
Relevant YouTube video content is listed as a feature at the top of the first page of Google search results. A prominent position for your video, so include informative videos on your blog posts and pages.
Visually Impaired Users
Visually impaired users browse the web with screen readers – browsers that use speech synthesisers or braille to relay what is on screen. For this reason, links and images must be appropriately labelled to help users navigate easily.
Ensure Every Page is Linked
Google will find a homepage but doesn’t crawl deep pages unless they are clearly linked. Each link should use descriptive text so visitors and search engines understand where they go. ALT tags must be used on image links.
Limit the Number of Links
Relevant page links help search engine crawlers and will help page authority, but do not go overboard. Too many links and no content can be seen as SPAM, which can crush Google page rank.
Use Targeted Keywords
Targeted long-tail key terms with low competition must be used throughout the website. The titles and descriptions of your page are displayed on Google Search Result Pages. Use related key terms and write in depth about a topic. Research key terms using MOZ, SEM Rush or Google AdWords.
Rescue a Website
Often, there is more to website design and SEO than business owners recognise.
You can save both time and money by starting out with an optimised site. Undoing bad work takes more time and effort.
Even an underperforming website can be rescued. We can take a look at the site’s setup and offer valuable advice. Just email the Kaydee Web team to ask.
Take the time yourself to re-evaluate your own website and do this habitually. Audit the website regularly to identify areas for improvement using tools such as MOZ Pro, which I can offer on a monthly basis. Results are sent by email.
Visit our web page on website optimisation for more information on SEO.
