The role of web design in SEO

A top quality website can set your website apart, and drive sales and sign ups. But did you know that your website design also plays a pivotal role in your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)? And good web design can help to improve your SEO efforts, helping your website rank higher on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP). So what is the role of web design in SEO? And what should you consider to achieve the best possible results?

So what is the role of web design in SEO?

Web design and SEO are often thought of as separate and distinct disciplines, but they are actually intricately linked. SEO focuses on optimising a website to rank higher SERPs, and to attract more organic traffic, while web design is about creating an aesthetically pleasing, user friendly website. And although these are two different areas, many elements of web design can have a direct impact on your SEO performance. As such, good overall web design can play a pivotal role in your SEO success, in a number of different ways, including:

Mobile responsiveness 

Page speed

Site structure and navigation 

User experience 

Visual content and alt text

Local SEO 

Mobile responsiveness 

With mobile devices accounting for a majority of web traffic, it is essential that your website is designed to meet the needs of mobile users. In fact, Google’s mobile-first indexing algorithm means that the search engine primarily uses the mobile version of a site for indexing and ranking. As a result, if your mobile first web design is not up to standard, your SEO could take a big hit.

A mobile-responsive web design ensures that a website adapts seamlessly to various screen sizes and resolutions. If a site is not optimised for mobile, users may experience difficulties navigating, leading to frustration and high bounce rates. This can negatively impact SEO as Google interprets poor mobile experiences as a sign of low-quality content. As such, it is crucial that your mobile first web design is up to scratch.

Page speed 

Page speed is a critical ranking factor in Google’s algorithm, and it directly correlates with user experience. In a fast-paced digital environment, your website users expect fast loading times, and research indicates that if a page takes longer than three seconds to load, most users abandon it.

In terms of SEO, websites that are slow to load not only frustrate visitors but also have a negative impact. This is because search engines like Google will penalise websites with poor load times, resulting in lower rankings on the SERP. Key web design practices to improve page speed include:

Optimising images- Reducing image file sizes without compromising quality.

Minimising code- Removing unnecessary HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Using caching- Storing temporary data to speed up page load times.

Site structure and navigation

Another factor of web design that can have a significant impact on SEO is the site structure and navigation. As such, a well organised site structure and intuitive navigation are essential. Search engines rely on site architecture to crawl and index pages, while website users need logical pathways to find content easily.

When it comes to site structure for both SEO and user experience, a flat site structure can be very effective. This is designed to reduce the number of clicks it takes to reach any given page, making it easier for search engines to crawl the site. In contrast, a deep structure, where pages are buried under multiple layers of navigation, can hinder indexing and discourage users from exploring the site.

In terms of website navigation, it’s important to make sure this is clear and intuitive. Website menus should be concise, and consistent across the website, for the ease of the website user. It can also be useful to implement descriptive anchor text in navigation links to improve user understanding and provide search engines with context about the content.

Overall, for e-commerce websites with extensive product ranges, a website that is well structured and offers clear navigation can ensure that users can find what they need quickly, while boosting SEO by facilitating better crawling and indexing.

User Experience (UX) 

Google’s algorithm increasingly prioritises metrics that reflect positive user experiences. One such metric is dwell time, which is defined as the length of time a user spends on a page before returning to the search results. A website’s design significantly influences dwell time by affecting readability, engagement, and overall satisfaction.

Readability- Clear, readable fonts and well organised content layouts are essential for engaging users. Using appropriate headings (H1, H2, H3) for example, not only improves readability but also signals to search engines the hierarchy of information on the page.

Engaging multimedia elements- Incorporating videos, images, and infographics enhances user engagement. However, these elements must be optimised for fast loading to avoid slowing down the site.

Call-to-Action (CTA) placement- Strategic placement of CTAs is an essential part of web design. This can guide users toward desired actions, whether it’s making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter. Effective CTAs contribute to higher conversion rates and better SEO performance.

Visual content and alt text

Images and videos are central to web design, but they must be optimised for SEO. Search engines cannot “see” images in the same way humans do, so descriptive alt text is essential. Alt text provides context to search engines, improving a site’s accessibility and contributing to better rankings in image search results.

This can be crucial for businesses in visually driven industries like fashion, real estate, or tourism, as optimising visual content with alt text can drive additional organic traffic and improve overall SEO performance. This can help you stay ahead of your competitors.

Local SEO 

For local SEO, the web design itself can also play a role in the success of your strategy. You should consider: 

Using location specific keywords- Ensure content reflects relevant regions, cities, or neighbourhoods.

Embedding Google Maps- This can help users locate physical premises easily.

Here at Pumpkin Web Design, we are Preston’s leading web design and web marketing experts. From SEO to outstanding web design, we are the team you can count on for your businesses online success. Why not get in touch today to find out more?