Google is the mecca of search engines. Don’t believe us? Consider this – Google process more than 40,000 searches per second, which equates to approximately 3.5 billion per day.
This alone illustrates the importance of Google and having a Google-friendly website.
It doesn’t matter if you currently have a website or you have one in the works, your business isn’t going to achieve its full potential unless you understand and embrace the power of website design and SEO. When you get this right, Google will love you – helping you rank well and bring more qualified visitors to your page.
To achieve these wonderful benefits, you have to first create a site that makes the Google algorithms happy. Some tips to help you do that are found here.
Create Unique Titles and Descriptions for Each Page on Your Website
If you want an SEO friendly website, you have to have features and configurations that search engines can easily crawl and understand. One of the first things search engines look at is the page description and title.
Every page on your site (including your home page) needs a unique title and detailed description. Titles are between 60 and 65 characters, and descriptions are approximately 150 characters long.
Both of these need to accurately describe what your page is about, without keyword stuffing.
The Content
Content is king. This is something that has been true for many years and it’s a rule that isn’t going anywhere, anytime soon.
Google finds pages with useful content that’s added on a regular basis and relevant to what a person is searching for. This includes videos, articles and blog posts.
Before Google recommends your site to a searcher, they want to make sure you have helpful advice and information.
Also, don’t over-stuff your keywords. If you do, Google will know.
When it comes to your content, there are a few sub-elements you can’t forget about. These are:
The Message
What’s the main purpose of your content? This needs to be clear and obvious. If your message doesn’t strike visitors in some way, they are going to bounce off your page.
Also, this impacts your search ranking and business overall. As a result, you need to tailor your content to focus on consumer insight, even as you are structuring it to be Google-friendly.
Internal Linking
Within your content, another effective SEO strategy is internal linking. You need to have plenty of useful content but also link this content to different pages using words such “click here” or “read more.” These links should go to other pages on your site where visitors can actually read more.
These internal links will help keep visitors on your site longer and show Google that your site is really useful. Internal linking also helps Google crawl through more of your pages.
Keywords
You need to ensure you’re using keywords in a natural way in your content. You don’t want them to seem forced.
Include keywords in your headline and your title tag. Also, add your keywords near the top of the page and in your content. Be sure they are sprinkled through your content. Resist the urge to over-stuff!
Fast Loading Pages
People are impatient – so are search engines. As a result, you need to ensure all your web pages load quickly.
A fast loading site is SEO friendly, which means that it has an advantage in the ranking algorithms over a site that doesn’t load as quickly. Also, fast sites are going to generate more user interactions (i.e. contact form submissions, newsletter signups, sales, etc.).
Keep in mind, factors such as the user’s internet provider are going to impact the load time. Doing so will ensure things are fast on your end.
Optimized Images
It’s true that search engines prefer text; however, this doesn’t mean you can ignore images. After all, most people prefer videos and pictures over text. Images also help make your content more interesting, shareable, easier to read, etc.
When you do upload images to your website, be sure they are properly optimized for size. Also, don’t forget to add a meaningful filename (perhaps a keyword) and the ALT text. While these aren’t huge ranking factors, they do help.
Reasons You Need an SEO Friendly Website Design
While all the tips above can help you create the amazing site that will help you rank well in search engines, you may wonder why it is really necessary. There are several reasons:
- Attract more organic traffic (from search engines rather than PPC ads)
- Ensure your website is user-friendly
- Give your brand more credibility
- It’s a cost-effective solution
- Understand what your customers want
- It’s a must for mobile
If you don’t have a website design that is built with SEO in mind, you are likely having a pretty hard time getting visitors, conversions and even interest in your site. If you take the time to revamp your efforts and use the tips here, things are going to turn around.
Website Design and SEO: Two Peas in a Google-Friendly Pod
While it’s true you need to focus on website design and SEO for your business’s site, don’t forget you need to ensure it is user-friendly, too. By doing this, you will please Google and your visitors.
If you are looking for more practical information, check out our blog on why every business needs its own personal cloud. We are dedicated to answering those hard questions that will help your business thrive and become more successful than ever before.
