This is a guest post by Reflect Digital, an online marketing company based out of Kent, England.
Today’s website owners simply cannot ignore the importance of web design and SEO. Today’s search engine optimization world is all about producing content of the highest quality, and whilst it has always been the job of search engines to reward reputable content and penalize poorer material, they have now become more adept at doing this than ever. As the whole experience of visiting a website in general can help determine search engine rankings, it’s crucial that web designers go the extra mile to enhance the experience of web users.
As eye-catching as a website can be, if the written content cannot be picked up by the search engines, rankings can be compromised. This means that URLs need to be coherent and make sense if Google and the like are to make sense of them. Photos need to be alt tagged correctly, as well. If a photo’s description is relevant, this can lead to the results you require when people are actively searching out your content. Photos shouldn’t be used too liberally, though. Even though web users are slowly moving away from text and enjoying more and more web video, this doesn’t mean that engaging written content is no longer important. Less can be more when it comes to images.
The more minimalistic approach is also useful when it comes to graphic design. Clutter can be extremely off-putting when it comes to web design, leading to web users spending less time on your page. It’s been said that rankings have been affected adversely on occasion when a previously-tidy layout has been replaced by something fussier. The more enjoyable a place to be a site is, the better the chances are of the site being linked to on influential sites, leading to improved rankings.
As trends come and go, it can become easy for a site to start to look tired. This means that it’s important to give your site a splash of paint when necessary. As SEO algorithms often change too, sites do need to be altered accordingly. The home page is particularly important, as this is often the first page that new visitors see. It’s important to maintain a relaxed tone on a home page rather than bombarding visitors with an abundance of content.
Even more importantly, a site needs to be easy to navigate – there are few things more frustrating than a website that appears to ‘hide’ essential information. Meanwhile, services such as Google Analytics can help you find out more about where your visitors are coming from and how long they are spending on your site – giving you a valuable insight into how your website is being received. The better a place to be your website becomes, the more visitors it is likely to see passing through its doors, leading to better search engine rankings, a stronger reputation and more conversions.
Reflect Digital was set up in 2010 to offer expert online marketing services. With collectively over 10 years of online marketing experience and a passion surpassing most others, Reflect Digital offers a range of services from Website Design and Build to Web Management, SEO, PPC, Social Media marketing and many more.
Visit www.reflectdigital.co.uk to find out more.