Having a website can be really helpful for the growth of your business. But you just have to make sure it is both user and SEO-friendly to reap maximum benefits.
However, it can be challenging for beginners to create a website that looks amazing and is able to drive traffic. Did you know that 94% of a user’s first impressions are design-related, while 75% of users never scroll past the first page of search results?
To succeed online, your website should be easy to navigate and must be SEO-friendly so that it can rank high in search engine results.
In this article, we will discuss the steps you can take to design a website that meets both of these criteria.
Let’s get started!
1. Understanding User Experience (UX)
This is paramount because you are creating a website for users only. Therefore paying attention to the details can help you create a masterpiece.
Importance of UX in Web Design
User experience (UX) is the overall experience that a user has when interacting with a website. A website with good UX is easy to navigate, visually appealing, and meets the needs of its users.
However, the choice of platform to build a website can also make a difference in the overall experience. Different platforms come with distinct features to help you get started with your website.
For instance, WordPress can be a good option if you are looking for a simple solution for your website. You can either customize a ready-made theme yourself or take advantage of professional WordPress website development to speed up the process of creating website pages that meet UX requirements. Moreover, the best part about WordPress is that it is budget-friendly. Yes! you can get most of the necessary features within your website by controlling the WordPress website cost. Whereas Shopify can work wonderfully if you are focusing on creating an eCommerce website.
And the comparison of WordPress vs Shopify can help you understand which is best based on your needs. Similarly, there are many other platforms available that you can use to make your digital presence.
Key UX Principles for Web Design
To create a user-friendly website, web designers must keep in mind the following key principles:
- Simplicity: Keep the website simple and easy to navigate.
- Consistency: Use consistent design elements throughout the website.
- Accessibility: Ensure that the website is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.
- Speed: Optimize website speed to reduce loading times.
- Visual appeal: Add your logo design, and use appropriate color schemes and images to create a visually appealing website.
- Usability: Ensure that the website meets the needs of its users and is easy to use.
2. Getting Familiar With Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
There are several factors that can affect your site’s SEO, and if you manage them well, you will be able to achieve a better position in the search results.
Why SEO in Web Design Matters
Well, Search engine optimization (SEO) is the way to optimize a website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).
SEO is essential in web design because it can impact the visibility and traffic of a website. A website with poor SEO may not rank high in search engine results. And can also result in low traffic and low conversion rates.
Primary SEO Techniques for Web Design
To create an SEO-friendly website, web designers must keep in mind the following key principles. However, these practices can simplify many other issues that may occur over time. So, pay attention to them.
- Keyword Research: Conduct keyword research to identify the most relevant and popular keywords for the website.
- On-Page Optimization: Optimize on-page elements such as headings, meta descriptions, and alt tags for search engines.
- Mobile Optimization: Ensure that the website is optimized for mobile devices.
- Site Structure: Use appropriate site structure and navigation to make it easy for search engines to crawl the website.
- Content Quality: Create high-quality and relevant content (i.e., SEO article writing) that provides value to users.
- Backlinks: You can get relevant links from link insertion service.
3. Other Significant Factors To Consider
There are many other elements that you need to place correctly or keep in mind while creating a website, so let’s find out what they are. To also make sure that your website is well-optimized, you can hire a software development team.
Perform a Thorough Keyword Research
Keyword research will help identify the most relevant and popular keywords for the website’s content.
This information will help guide the website’s content creation and on-page optimization.
For example, if you want to improve a SaaS website, use keywords related to your niche as part of your SaaS SEO.
Simplify Website Navigation
Website navigation is a critical component of user experience. It should be intuitive, easy to use, and fully organized.
Users should be able to quickly find the information they need. Additionally, optimizing the website’s navigation can help search engines crawl the website more efficiently.
Monitoring Website Speed
Website speed is another critical component of user experience and search engine optimization.
In fact, slow loading times can lead to a high bounce rate, which can negatively impact the website’s rankings.
Therefore, optimizing website speed should be prioritized. It involves a variety of techniques, including getting secure hosting, minimizing HTTP requests, optimizing images, and reducing server response time
Make Sure Your Website is Optimized for Mobile Devices
With the rise of mobile usage, it’s important to optimize website design for mobile devices.
This involves designing a responsive website that can adapt to different screen sizes. Additionally, the website’s content should be easy to read and interact with on a mobile device.
By opting for managed SEO services you can easily outsource the tasks to a trustworthy and experienced agency for desired results.
Add Appropriate Headings and Meta Descriptions
On-page optimization involves using appropriate headings and meta descriptions. Headings should be used to structure the website’s content and make it easier to read.
Meta descriptions provide a summary of the website’s content and can impact click-through rates from search engine results.
Focus on Quality Content Creation
Creating quality content is essential for both user experience and search engine optimization. Besides, when you create quality content, you have chance to earn relevant backlinks pointing to your site, which can highly improve your site rankings.
Content should be relevant, engaging, and provide value to users. Additionally, the content should include the keywords identified during keyword research.
Check and Analyze Website Performance
It is essential to check and analyze website performance to figure out areas for improvement.
Web designers should regularly monitor the website’s traffic, bounce rate, conversion rate, and other metrics. This information can help guide future optimization efforts.
Once you make sure your website is fully optimized for all the parameters described above, you can expect results. Aside from the factors listed above, it’s also important to consider the web development cost and budget accordingly to ensure a successful and cost-effective website creation process.
Wrap Up
Designing a website can be time-consuming if you are not sure about the practices you are following. By focusing on crucial areas such as UX, SEO, and on-page optimization, web designers can create a website that makes both users and search engines happy. With a well-designed website, businesses can increase traffic, engagement, and conversions, ultimately leading to greater online success.
Written by DesignCrowd on Monday, April 17, 2023
DesignCrowd is an online marketplace providing logo, website, print and graphic design services by providing access to freelance graphic designers and design studios around the world.