Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a popular and effective method that can boost your brand’s online presence. You can increase organic traffic to your site through proper formatting and content-making strategies, such as blog posting and keyword targeting. However, SEO doesn’t just affect your marketing copies or ad campaigns. It’s also about how well you can optimize your website’s functions and features.
Improving your SEO effort by optimizing your web design
Effective web design plays a crucial role in a page’s search engine ranking. Through user experience, various aspects of your site can directly affect your rankings.
Not sure where to start in optimizing your site? Here are three web design issues you should pay attention to:
1. Ineffective navigation structure
The way your user goes from your homepage to their desired landing page contributes to your site’s statistics. It affects the average time on page, engagement rate, bounce rate, and, most importantly, conversion rates. These variables help improve your search rankings and contribute to how you can guide your customers through your sales funnel successfully.
As a general rule, your consumer should perform only as few clicks as possible in finalizing a purchase on your site. Listed below are some more specific tips to help you improve your site’s navigation.
- Simplify your main menu. Group related categories as hover buttons so that your users can quickly move from one page to the next.
- Simplify your site’s technical jargon. Cater to your customers’ demographic and familiarity with search terms.
- Keep your menu accessible even through mobile layouts.
- Include a search bar to your site for easier navigation.
- Use descriptive words in your URLs.
In designing your navigational structure, you should always prioritize functionality over design. A well-crafted menu that’s easy-to-use, even for first-time visitors, will increase your site’s appeal.
2. Dead-end 404 pages
404 pages appear on users’ browsers if there’s a dead-end on your page. It can happen to your customers if you include broken links in your copy’s backlinking, or if your internal pages are under construction. You can quickly lose a potential customer when you have a generic 404 page. What you can do is to customize it to turn it into a lead generation tool. Listed below are some ways to improve your site’s 404 page:
Get creative in designing a 404 page that grabs attention.
Communicate the possible reasons users reach that page.
Add a search bar in your 404 pages so that customers can conveniently move back to your site.
Include relevant web pages on your 404 pages to encourage users to confirm why they landed on it in the first place.
It’s best to keep your site clean of any dead links. However, it also pays to stay prepared if your customer runs into one.
3. Unsatisfying reading experience
A critical part of your website design depends on how well viewers can view your site’s content. Online users require relevant and engaging information, so it’s your responsibility to make it easier for them to read or watch your content. Pleasant reading experiences may lead to lower bounce rates and an increase in engagement rates.
Ensure that you’re using neutral colors for the backgrounds so that your page texts can pop out. Also, use font sizes that are easy to read, together with having ample white spaces. Mix up your site’s presentation by including images, videos, and infographics to balance the textual and visual elements. Additionally, you should optimize your content and web pages for mobile viewing.
Conclusion
SEO should also apply to your digital platforms and not just on your marketing collaterals. Your website is your primary method of engaging with your customers. With this in mind, you should put extra care into how your users navigate it and use its features. A well-designed website will allow your customers to trust and depend on your brand as a reliable service for their needs.
If you want to receive professional web design in Meridian, Idaho, we are here for you. We also offer SEO services to improve your website’s efficiency. Schedule a free website consultation with us today!
