In the land of SEO, quality content is king. It demonstrates value to Google, signalling to the tech juggernaut that your site is trustworthy, authoritative, and—most importantly—worthy of highlighting on its first page.
But it’s not the be-all, end-all of SEO value. It can be easy for an SEO novice to get lost in keywords and backlinks, missing the subtler cues that round out Google’s estimation of your website. Especially since Google rolled out its landscape-shifting updates (2021’s Core Web Vitals rollout and Google Page Experience Update, and 2024’s Google Core Updates), the way you design your site has an appreciable impact on its rankings.
This article aims to help. You’re most of the way there, but here are five straightforward design tips—plus two tossed in for the post-Core Web Vitals landscape—that will get your site’s SEO efforts past the finish line. If you find your site lacking in these critical departments, audit your website to optimize for the following tips.
SEO-Friendly URLs
Think of your URLs as the street addresses of your website—clear, consistent, and easy to find. If you have different versions of a URL, like one with “www” and one without, search engines might get confused and see them as duplicates.
The same goes for dynamic URLs that change like chameleons based on user behavior. To keep things simple, stick to one version of each URL and redirect any rogue variations to it. And hey, don’t forget to sprinkle in some relevant keywords—they’re like leaving breadcrumbs for both search engines and visitors to find exactly what they’re looking for!
Organized Navigation Menus
Navigation menus help readers find the information they need, but they also act like ladders for indexing bots, guiding them through different layers of the site to new pages. A tangled and broken system, however, will lead those bots nowhere. Importantly, they’ll also lead your readers/customers nowhere.
Keep your page structure simple and avoid using non-indexable platforms like Flash. Not every blog post or article needs to be included in a navigation menu, but it should be accessible from a page that is. For more info on UX/UI design and its influence on SEO, read our resource at the link.
Content
As mentioned, content is still king! Sure, this is an article about design tips; however, the way you design your content is still wildly impactful for SEO.
Always make sure the targeted keywords are placed naturally and organically within the content. Try to include as many different keyword combinations as possible to attract long tail search. When evaluating the keyword density of your targeted keywords on the page, don’t worry too much about percentages.
Think like a web crawler: Press CTRL + F (search function) and enter your main keyword(s). If it isn’t mentioned once on the page, you need to amend that! If it’s mentioned once or twice—pretty good. If it’s mentioned a few times in different combinations in a user-friendly manner, then give yourself a pat on the back!
Image Tags
Search engines like Google and Bing are getting smarter, but they still can’t fully “see” images like we do. Instead, they rely on clues like alt tags, file names, and surrounding text to understand an image’s content.
Alt tags are short descriptions that tell search engines and assistive technologies what the image is about, making them essential for both on page optimization and accessibility. Including relevant keywords in alt tags can boost your SEO, but make sure they fit naturally and accurately describe the image. Search engines favor pages with well-placed images. However, you should always prioritize clear and helpful alt text over keyword stuffing.
Header Tags
A header is a concise summary of a section’s content, made more visible through larger, heavier fonts. They are set apart with HTML elements, beginning with “h1″ and growing smaller with each increasing number.
From a design perspective, headings provide contrast and make the page easier to scan. Search engines value content in a header more than identical fonts manipulated through size tags. They can’t be overused. In most cases, there should only be one “h1″ element per page, but leaving it out and you’ve missed a nice opportunity for additional on page value.
Bonus: Web Speed
In the fast-paced world of the internet, website speed isn’t just a fun feature—it’s a necessity. With Google’s Core Web Vitals now setting the pace, sluggish site speeds put you in the back of the pack.
And in this race, patience isn’t a virtue your visitors are likely to have. Slow load times can send them sprinting to the competition, and search engines aren’t too keen on sluggish sites either. Keeping your website lightning-fast not only keeps users happy but also earns you favor with Google, boosting your SEO and keeping your site in good standing. If you’re unsure how to boost your site speed, drop us a line here at Paul Teitleman SEO Consulting and we’d be happy to help; alternatively, check the blog for resources on site speed.
Bonus: Responsive Design
Basically, responsive design ensures that your website looks and works great on any screen, from the smallest smartphone to the largest desktop monitor.
This adaptability isn’t just good for user experience; it’s also emerging as a critical SEO factor. With Google’s mobile-first indexing, a site that isn’t mobile-friendly could find itself slipping in the rankings. By embracing responsive design, you’re not only keeping your visitors happy but also staying in Google’s good graces. It’s all about creating a seamless experience, no matter where your audience finds you.
Be sure to keep these important on page design tips whenever thinking about ways to improve your website. And here’s a final freebie for those who’ve made it to the end: If you are moving to a new website, don’t forget about the importance of 301 redirections if you are changing the URL structure! Happy optimizing!
