It’s all about balance. No matter how pretty your website looks, if it doesn’t convert your visitors into valuable paying customers, your design may not be achieving the business goals you’re aiming for!
You want to make sure that your website has been designed to convert your customers , whilst simultaneously being optimised for Google and other search engines. Designing not just for UX, but also for SEO is fundamental in growing your business online!
Here are a few things to keep an eye on to ensure that your site has been designed for both UX and SEO!
Mobile First
Across their core updates and algorithm changes, Google has been very upfront in regards to a Mobile First approach. With nearly 60% of users browsing on mobile devices, making sure that your site is fully responsive across all devices isn’t just a must for your SEO campaign, but a fundamental aspect of modern UX design!
Make sure that your site navigation is responsive, and that your users can find your contact information from wherever they are on a given page.
Check that your content is legible and your images are speed optimised for mobile networks.
Mobile is the future, so show off your products and services and let your business shine through a mobile first approach!
Know Your Users
Not all of your users will be tech savvy. Clearly defining your target audience is fundamental in tailoring the User Experience of your website. The computer literacy of your users will determine the complexity of your website!
Do you want to display all the menu items at once, or place them within collapsable menus?
What language do you use to convey your message and convert users into returning customers?
How are your users contacting you? Are they calling, emailing or filling out contact forms within your site?
Only once you have a clear understanding of you audience, can you design a smooth and seamless user experience that caters to the way they like to use your website. This will help your
web design increase conversions and boost the results of Search Engine Optimisation!
Signposting with Headings and Images
Headings are one of the most important aspects of content writing. Over time, users have developed shorter and shorter attention spans, and will often only read headings and look at images. You want to tell a story through your page, ensuring that one section flows smoothly into the other until they reach a Call To Action which converts. Signposting your content using effective headings and beautiful images are paramount to this jou
ey.
To optimise your design for SEO, follow these basic rules for headings;
H1
At the top of your page, your H1 is the most important phrase and title of the page, and should contain the keywords you are targeting for your page. It is fundamental that there is only a single H1 on any given page.
H2
H2s are used to title your sections and signpost your content. They can appear multiple times on any given page.
Hierarchy
Make sure that all your headings follow a hierarchy. While there should be only a single H1, there should be more H2s than H3s, and more H3s than H4s. They should additionally appear below their parent title.
E.g. H1 > H2 > H3 > H2
To best optimise your site for SEO, make sure that you place your keywords carefully through your headings and your content and feature beautiful images which are relevant to your business, your values and the associated content.
On That Note, Let’s Talk More about Content
If content is King, design is the Queen, and as the saying goes “Behind every great man is a great woman”. Design is the foundation for your content, and one is only as strong as the other when it comes to conversions and designing for SEO.
You need to ensure that your page isn’t stuffed to the brim with content! Cramming pages with paragraphs and paragraphs of spammy content is only going to overwhelm your potential customers and drive traffic away from your website. In some cases, Google may even flag your website and penalise your domain. Making sure that you write quality content to complement UX-focused design will keep your users engaged with your website and your business, and will guarantee conversions!
Call To Actions, or CTAs
Call to Action buttons, or CTA’s are fundamental tool for conversions! You want to make sure that you have appropriately placed CTAs across your website and your content.
Remember, acknowledging the customer jou
ey and user experience on every page is key! Ensure that your potential clients can call you from anywhere within the site, so place a Call/Contact CTA fixed in the top right of your mobile screen!
Display your unique value proposition partnered with a purchase CTA throughout your site to entice users to buy your products and services! Get started with these tips today and see the difference it can make for your website, and your business!