The Role of Web Design in SEO
From social media marketing to keyword research, there are plenty of things that can be done to increase the traffic and conversion rate of your website. While these aspects of SEO and brand promotion are important, the design of your website can mean the difference between success and failure. By designing your website in a manner that allows Google’s crawlers to easily access all content, you will improve your chances of receiving a top spot in search results.
Use HTML 5 Carefully
HTML 5, the most up-to-date version of the webpage markup language, is often praised for its flexibility and ability to create beautiful webpages. While many websites with HTML 5 are visually appealing, they are often heavily oriented around CSS and Java. In general, these are bad SEO practices that limit the content that Google can view. Instead, opt for a simple and responsive design that is based on standard HTML. Google may reward you with a higher search engine rank by prioritizing high-quality content over stylish effects and graphics.
Use the Same URL for Mobile and Desktop Versions
Some webmasters have made the mistake of using separate URLs for mobile and desktop versions of their sites. Not only does this make it more difficult for people to access your website, but it also harms your SEO efforts by splitting your total visitors and keywords across multiple sites. Responsive design is the most trusted way to prevent this problem. This will keep all of your web content on one URL while making your site compatible with most devices.
Place Prominent Links in Accessible Locations
If a link to one of your pages or external content is clicked frequently, you should make sure it’s in a highly accessible location. Navigation menus are one of the best options for this. If you move a popular link to a less accessible location, it could undermine your SEO efforts.
Web design plays a large role in the search engine rank of sites. By following tried and tested design practices, you will ensure that your site works with search engines.
Could you use a professional hand creating your website? Reach out to the experienced San Diego Web Design and SEO company, Saba, Inc. Even if you aren’t starting from scratch, we can provide a complimentary website audit to help you revamp your site. Call us at (858) 277-1717 today!