SEO WEB DESIGN: Definitive Guide 2025
SEO optimisation during your web development process
In the following article you will find up-to-date statistics on Google ranking factors, search engine usage, voice search, video SEO, mobile optimisation, backlinks, local SEO, keywords and much more.
Updated on 25 December 2024
If you want to achieve preeminent positions with your website in search engines, it is essential that you work on optimising your SEO positioning. A well put together SEO strategy will allow you to appear at the top of the search results when a user makes a query related to your business on Google.
90.63% of the total number of websites on the Internet do not receive organic traffic from GoogleDo you know why? Simply because they are not on the first page. The second page of Google is the best place to hide a corpse. Therefore, it is essential to have an excellent SEO positioning strategy to be in the top 10 results. On Marketzilla SEO Agency we are the best in Spain helping companies large and small to achieve top rankings on page 1 of Google.
To boost your SEO positioning, it is essential to consider a wide variety of aspects. The web design is the foundation of a successful SEO strategy. A website designed without thought or planning for SEO will not rank, and even if some keywords do, it will not convert.
What is SEO web design?
The SEO Web Design is a comprehensive approach to website construction that goes beyond simple aesthetics. This approach combines the creativity of graphic design with the technical subtleties of search engine optimisation (SEO), creating websites that are not only attractive, but also highly efficient in terms of online visibility.
When we talk about SEO Web Design, we refer to a process that considers search engine positioning from the initial phase of building a website. Google, the search engine with the largest market share, evaluates a number of factors when deciding the ranking of a website in its search results. Web Design and SEO ensures that all these factors, from the structure of the website to the quality of the content, are optimised for optimal search engine performance.
The importance of SEO Web Design lies in its dual focus: improving the user experience and increasing the visibility of the website. A good Web Design for SEO strives to create a website that is not only easy to navigate and visually appealing to visitors, but also one that is easily decipherable and valued by Google's algorithms.
At the end of the day, what really distinguishes the SEO Web Design is its long-term vision. Instead of focusing solely on the visual appeal of a website, the SEO optimised web design also cares about how the website will perform in the future. He focuses on building a solid SEO strategy that allows the website to gain relevance and authority over time, bringing it to the top of the search results and keeping it there.
Therefore, Web Design with SEO is much more than just making a website look good; it is a strategic approach to making a website perform well, in all aspects, in the long term.
PHASE 1 OF SEO WEB DESIGN:
- Analysis of the business and marketing strategy and the company's objectives.
- Competitor analysis
- Keyword analysis
- Developing an SEO strategy
- Planning the structure of the website
- Decision of the CMS to be used depending on the previous study
The above points are the basis for developing a website from an SEO perspective. If we analyse each point in detail we will see how important it is to develop this scheme in order to be successful.
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Analysis of the business and marketing strategy and the company's objectives.
It is essential to know the business and marketing strategy of the company. We must understand its products or services, and even test them if possible. In such a study, we need to extract answers to questions such as:
- Why should the customer buy from you and not from your competitors?
- What do you do better than the competition?
- What is the competition better at than your company?
- Once the customer arrives on your website, what do you want them to do (buy, fill in a form, make a phone call), we have to decide what a conversion is for us as understood in G" (Google Analytics 4)
Then we must establish what the company's objectives are. The web should be an instrument not only to communicate the commercial or marketing strategy, but the vehicle to achieve the business objectives in whole or in part.
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2. The importance of competitor analysis in SEO Web Design
Keyword analysis
En el universo del SEO, las palabras clave son el puente que conecta a los usuarios con el contenido que buscan. Su importancia no puede ser subestimada, especialmente cuando se trata de diseñar una web SEO-optimizada. Antes de iniciar el desarrollo de un sitio web, es esencial llevar a cabo un exhaustivo análisis de palabras clave. El análisis de palabras clave es el proceso de identificar y estudiar términos de búsqueda relevantes que los usuarios utilizan para encontrar productos, servicios o contenido relacionado con tu negocio. Este análisis es fundamental para determinar la demanda, la competencia y la relevancia de estas palabras clave. Específicamente, es crucial centrarse en las palabras clave de intención comercial y transaccional. Estas son las palabras que los usuarios utilizan cuando están listos para comprar o están en las últimas etapas de su proceso de decisión. Por ejemplo, palabras como «comprar», «precio», «descuento» o «envío gratuito» pueden indicar una alta intención comercial o transaccional.Incorporating these keywords into your SEO strategy is vital for driving high quality, relevant traffic to your website. It also helps you structure your site effectively, creating pages and content that respond directly to your users' needs and questions.
In summary, keyword analysis is a fundamental component in the development of an SEO-optimised website. Not only does it allow you to better understand your target audience, but it also provides you with the necessary roadmap to build a website that aligns with their needs and search intentions. Without this analysis, you run the risk of getting lost in the vast digital ocean, without a lighthouse to guide your potential customers to you.
4. Developing an SEO strategy
An effective SEO strategy is much more than just keyword listing and meta tag optimisation. From a web development perspective, SEO strategy plays a crucial role in site structure and functionality, and can be the difference between a site that attracts high quality organic traffic and one that gets lost in the depths of the search results.
First of all, website architecture is a critical component of any SEO strategy. A well-organised site structure will make it easier for search engines to index and crawl your site. This means having a clear, easy-to-follow sitemap and an intuitive navigation hierarchy. In addition, your page URLs should be SEO friendly, which means they should be short, descriptive and easy to understand for both users and search engines.
In addition, site performance is another vital factor. Page load speed, image optimisation, efficient use of code and mobile-friendliness are all essential elements that search engines consider when determining your site's ranking. A site that loads quickly and looks good on any device will provide a better user experience, which in turn can increase dwell time and decrease bounce rate, both key factors for good SEO.
Another important aspect is the optimisation of your site's content. Each page of your site should be focused on a relevant keyword or phrase and should provide high quality content of value to your visitors. Effective use of header tags, the inclusion of relevant internal and external links, and the creation of an attractive meta description are all tactics that can help improve your site's visibility in search engines.
Finally, web development from an SEO perspective must also consider site security. A secure site (HTTPS) is not only essential to protect your users' data, but is also a ranking factor for Google.
SEO Strategy and Commercial Strategy: Crossing Paths
Understanding a company's business and marketing strategy is fundamental to the design of an effective SEO strategy. In other words, the SEO strategy must be aligned with the business strategy to meet the objectives set out in the strategy.
For the SEO strategy to work in concert with the business strategy, the products or services that the company offers must first be thoroughly understood. Detailed knowledge of the product or service will identify the relevant keywords and the search intent of the target audience.
In addition, it is essential to identify and understand the company's unique value proposition - why customers should choose your company over your competitors. The answer to this question can help inform web content and highlight the features and benefits that make your offering unique and valuable.
In turn, it is crucial to understand the competition - what they do best, where they fail. This competitive analysis can provide valuable insight that can help optimise SEO strategy and identify opportunities to outperform competitors in terms of search engine visibility.
Defining what action you want users to take when they arrive at your website is also an important component. This 'conversion' can be a purchase, requesting a quote, subscribing to a newsletter, and so on. This definition of conversion will help guide web optimisation and ensure that your SEO strategy is aligned with your business objectives.
Finally, it is vital to establish the company's objectives. The SEO strategy should be designed to help the company achieve these goals. This may involve increasing brand visibility, attracting more traffic to the website, increasing online sales, or any other business goals the company may have.
In conclusion, an effective SEO strategy goes hand in hand with a company's business and marketing strategy. Understanding the company's unique value proposition, the products or services it offers, its competition and its business objectives are all key factors in designing an SEO strategy that will lead to success in search engines and in the marketplace.
5. Website Structure Planning: A Crucial Step in SEO Strategy:
An essential part of SEO web design is the planning of the website structure. A well-planned website structure improves the user experience and facilitates search engine indexing, two fundamental factors for SEO success.
1. Web hierarchy:
The first step in planning the structure of your website is to determine a clear and logical hierarchy. This hierarchy, also known as information architecture, should be based on the needs and expectations of your users and the nature of your business. In general, the hierarchy should start with the most important pages (such as the home page, product or service pages, and the contact page) and then branch out to more specific pages.
Intuitive navigation and good user experience UX:
Accessibility and user-friendliness are crucial aspects of any website, and intuitive navigation plays a crucial role in this. When designing your site, you should make sure that your visitors can understand and use the navigation effortlessly. This implies that elements such as menus, links and buttons are clear, visible and consistent across all pages of your site.
In addition, the three-click rule should be adopted. This web design principle holds that users should be able to find any information or reach any page within your site in three clicks or less from the home page. The goal is to minimise the time and effort users have to spend to get the information they are looking for, thus improving their overall experience.
Remember, poorly designed navigation can confuse users, cause frustration and ultimately cause them to leave your site. On the other hand, intuitive navigation can increase the time visitors spend on your site, improve their interaction and ultimately lead to higher conversions.
In addition to menus, links and buttons, you should also pay attention to elements such as the search bar, category pages and filtering options, as they are also part of the navigation structure of your site. All of these components should be consistent and work efficiently to provide users with a smooth and satisfying navigation experience.
3. SEO Optimised URLs:
The structure of your website's URLs is a vital aspect that should not be overlooked when implementing an SEO strategy. These web addresses not only serve as indicators for users, but also provide search engines with valuable clues about the content of your pages.
URLs should be short, but at the same time descriptive and easy to understand. A user should be able to get a clear idea of what they will find on the page just by looking at the URL. Descriptive URLs are also preferable for search engines, as they allow them to understand and rank the content of the page more effectively.
Incorporating relevant keywords in your URLs can also be beneficial for your SEO. However, it is important that it is done in a natural and meaningful way. It is not about stuffing your URLs with meaningless keywords, but selecting terms that are relevant to the content of the page and are likely to be used by your target users in their search queries.
Another important aspect to consider is the hierarchy of your site. URLs should follow the structure of your website, reflecting the relationship between different pages and subpages. This helps search engines understand how your content is organised, and makes it easier for users to navigate your site.
Finally, it is always a good practice to use hyphens instead of underscores to separate words in your URLs, as search engines read hyphens as spaces, which makes URLs easier to read. In short, a well-structured and SEO-optimised URL can be a valuable asset to improve your online visibility and offer a better experience to your users.
4. Responsive design:
In today's digital age, the ability of your website to adapt to different screen sizes, or what's known as the responsive designis not merely desirable, but essential. This is especially crucial given the increasing and predominant use of mobile devices to access the web.
Responsive design ensures that your website looks and functions optimally on all devices, whether it's a mobile phone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer. Not only does this provide a smooth and consistent user experience, regardless of the device they are using, but it also has positive SEO implications.
Google and other search engines favour mobile-friendly websites because of their commitment to the user experience. A non-responsive design can make it difficult to navigate on mobile devices, which can result in higher bounce rates and ultimately lower rankings in search results.
In addition, a responsive design can help to slow down the loading speed of your site on mobile devicesAnother important consideration for SEO and user experience. Faster websites tend to have higher conversion rates, as users do not abandon your site due to long load times.
5. Loading Speed and Image Optimisation:
The loading speed of your website is an essential element that influences both the user experience and the performance of your website. SEO positioning. A website that loads quickly can contribute significantly to retaining visitors and reducing bounce rates. In addition, Google has confirmed that site speed is one of the factors it uses to rank pages, making it a vital consideration for any SEO strategy.
To improve the loading speed of your page, it is essential that you optimise your images. This means reducing their size without compromising their visual quality, which in turn reduces the amount of data visitors have to download. There are several online tools available such as TinyPNG o ImageOptim that can help you in this process.
In addition, minimising the use of JavaScript y CSS can also help to increase the loading speed of your website. Removing or reducing unnecessary scripts and styles can reduce browser processing time and speed up page display.
Compression and browser caching are two other effective methods for improving loading speed. Compression reduces the size of your page files, while browser caching allows returning visitors to load your site faster by storing some of your site's data on their device.
To measure the loading speed of your website and get recommendations on how to improve it, you can use tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix o Pingdom. These tools analyse your website and provide useful suggestions to optimise your loading speed and, consequently, improve the user experience and your SEO ranking.
6. Internal links:
The internal links represent a powerful resource for optimising the usability of your website, properly distributing link juice (link value) throughout your site and supporting search engines in understanding the relationship between the different pages of your website.
You should think of internal links as a network of paths that connects all the pages of your website. This network helps guide visitors and search engine robots through your content, ensuring that every page is just a few clicks away.
In addition, implementing effective internal links can help increase the time visitors spend on your site by encouraging them to explore more related content. This can lead to better conversion rates and increased customer loyalty, as visitors regularly find valuable and relevant content on your site.
In conclusion, a carefully planned and SEO-optimised website structure not only facilitates indexing and search engine ranking, but also significantly improves the user experience. This combination of factors can lead to higher conversion and customer loyalty, which ultimately translates into the success of your online business.
7. Optimisation of image files:
It is essential that all images you incorporate into your website are properly optimised. Unoptimised images tend to be heavier, which can significantly slow down the loading time of your page.
This problem is particularly acute when dealing with a large number of images, even to the point where some of them may not load completely. However, by optimising your images, they will load much faster, making the site easier to navigate and improving the user experience.
8. Optimisation of the content according to the SEO strategy:
The content you integrate into your website must be meticulously optimised for SEO. When you write with an SEO focus, it is essential that you write in a precise and straightforward manner. For a good search engine ranking, you should consider the keywords relevant to your page, and avoid the temptation to craft excessively long sentences.
The content of your page should be easy to read. Avoid incorporating paragraphs that are too long and may discourage your readers. It is also crucial that you pay attention to visual aspects, such as colour selection. Opt for a colour palette that is pleasing to the eye and does not hinder the readability of the text.
Select a clear and legible typography, which aligns with the aesthetics of your page and makes it easy to read. Strive to be concise and effective in your descriptions, avoiding unnecessary digressions that may divert your readers from the main message.
Last but not least, remember that original content is vital for SEO. Avoid copying text from the internet, as Google may detect duplicate content and penalise your site in search rankings. Instead, strive to produce unique and valuable content that brings real value to your readers and that, in turn, is favourably evaluated by search engine algorithms.
9. Focus on the User's Search Intent:
One page designed web with SEO in mind by experienced professionals not only improves your site's visibility, but also aligns closely with user search intent. This is a critical component in today's SEO ecosystem, as search engines like Google have become increasingly sophisticated in interpreting the intent behind every search.
Search intent refers to what a user expects to find when they make a query on a search engine. By understanding and adapting to this intent, you can ensure that your website is one of the top choices presented by Google when a user performs a search related to your business.
Although it may seem like a no-brainer, it is vital to stress the importance of appearing in search results when a user makes a query related to your business. If you don't, you are missing a great opportunity to attract potential customers and ultimately increase your sales.
In addition to simply appearing in search results, it is also essential that your website offers relevant and valuable content that satisfies the user's search intent. This not only improves the user experience on your website, but also increases the chances of visitors converting into customers.
In short, a SEO strategy Effective search engine optimisation should go beyond basic optimisation techniques and focus on understanding and meeting the needs and expectations of users. By doing so, you not only improve your search engine rankings, but also ensure you deliver a superior user experience, which in turn can lead to greater engagement and ultimately greater success for your business.
10. Maximising the Browsing Experience:
By working with a company that specialises in SEO web design like Marketzilla SEO Agency, you will be optimising the browsing experience for your users. This user-centric approach not only makes your page more attractive, but also increases the likelihood that visitors will stay longer on your site. Ultimately, this increases the likelihood of achieving the much-desired conversion.
When navigation is fluid and consistent, users find what they are looking for more easily. This saves them time and minimises frustration, which in turn promotes a positive perception of your brand. By prioritising the navigation experience, you're showing your users that you value their time and interaction with your site, which can translate into increased loyalty and, over time, increased conversions and sales.Choosing an SEO Domain and Implementing a Secure SSL Protocol
11. Choosing an SEO Domain and Implementing a Secure SSL Protocol
The choice of the domain name may not be in your hands, but it is advisable to suggest a thorough analysis before deciding on it. The reason for this is that we want to make it easier for search engines to find any pretext for not indexing and positioning the content of the website correctly.
A domain containing the keyword or niche market the page is targeting is often more effective than simply the name of the brand or company.
With regard to the secure protocol (SSL - HTTPS), it is crucial to make sure that your website developer implements it from the start.
Recently, in 2017, search engines such as Google have emphasised the importance of using a secure protocol for the SEO of a website. Therefore, adopting this protocol from the beginning of web development is more practical than having to migrate to a secure protocol once the website has already been developed.
Although it may seem a simple process, migration from one protocol to another can be a delicate task involving database changes, redirections, etc., especially on large websites.
Therefore, in order to achieve SEO web design from the start, you should have on your to-do list the request for SSL security certificates in order to implement these protocols from the beginning.
12. Structured information according to Schema.org:
Structured information refers to data sets that assist search engines in interpreting the information they are processing. Is it essential for indexing? Absolutely it is.
The language that search engines use to understand this structured data is defined by the Schema.org conventions, so it is crucial to be familiar with its coding.
Importantly, this structured information is then used to set up rich cards in search engines. These cards make it easier for users to find what they are looking for, and increase the likelihood that they will click through to your website.
But you can not only rely on the information from Schema.org. Google provides a tool for examining structured data, which shows any errors you may have. In addition, Google provides a data markup tool that can assist you in managing rich data.
13. Reviewing and Enabling GZip Compression
In today's digital environment, the loading speed of your website is of vital importance to provide an optimal user experience and improve SEO performance. A crucial component to improve loading speed is GZip compression.
The GZip compression works by reducing the size of the data that is sent from your server to the user's browser. This is achieved by compressing your web files into a zip format, which is significantly smaller in size. When a user accesses your site, the compressed files are quickly decompressed, resulting in a much faster page load.
Nowadays, most web servers, such as those using cPanel, usually have GZip compression enabled by default. However, it is essential to check and make sure that it is enabled. If your server is based on cPanel, you can easily do this by navigating to the "Optimise Web" section and verify that compression is enabled.
If it is not enabled, you can activate it with just one click. This is a small but significant step to improve the efficiency of your website and ensure that visitors enjoy a fast and smooth browsing experience.
What SEO tools can be important to know if your web design complies with the fundamental rules of SEO?
Screaming Frog is one of the essential tools in any SEO professional's toolbox. This desktop application, available for Windows, MacOS and Ubuntu, acts as a web crawler, scanning websites in the same way that a search engine like Google would. But its real value lies in the wealth of information it can provide about any website.
The first thing Screaming Frog does is review all URLs on a website, identifying errors such as broken links, incorrect redirects or pages that cannot be found. This allows SEO professionals to correct these problems and improve site performance.
In addition, Screaming Frog can analyse site structure, allowing SEOs to understand how link juice or link authority is distributed throughout the site, as well as identify opportunities to improve internal link structure.
One of Screaming Frog's most powerful features is its ability to analyse metadata, such as page titles and meta descriptions. This can reveal opportunities to improve on-page SEO, allowing SEOs to optimise these elements to improve site performance in search engines.
The Mobile-Friendly Test is another invaluable tool provided by Google, which helps you check how well your website is optimised for mobile devices. In today's age, where users prefer to access the web via their mobile phones, having a mobile-optimised website is a must for good SEO.
This tool is easy to use: simply enter your website URL and the system examines it in detail. It identifies any issues that may affect the display and functionality of your website on mobile devices, providing you with a detailed report of the areas that need attention.
In addition, it not only points out problems, but also suggests viable solutions to improve the mobile optimisation of your website. This can include problems with text size, content that cannot be rendered, links that are too close together and many other factors that can affect the user experience on mobile devices.
The Mobile Friendliness Test is therefore an essential tool that provides a solid foundation to ensure that web design and SEO are well synchronised, with a user-centric approach.
By addressing both the technical and visual aspects that provide the best user experience, you are likely to see significant improvements in your website's ranking in Google search results. It is therefore essential to use this tool and take its recommendations seriously to ensure maximum visibility and usability of your website on mobile devices.
The Google Rich Results Test is an invaluable tool for any SEO expert looking to optimise the visibility and attractiveness of their website in search results. Rich results, also known as rich snippets, are web page snippets displayed in Google search results that provide more information than a standard result. This can include images, star ratings, prices, and other details that can make your website stand out in search results and attract more clicks.
Google's Rich Results Test tool allows you to check if your website is set up correctly to display these rich results. You simply enter your page URL, and the tool analyses your site's code and tells you if your page is structured correctly to display rich results.
This tool can also display any errors or issues that may be preventing rich results from displaying correctly. This can include problems with structured data markup, which is the code Google uses to understand the information on your page and present it in a rich result format.
In addition, Google's Rich Results Test also offers a preview of how your page would look in the search results, allowing you to see exactly how your information would be displayed.
In conclusion, SEO and web design are two inextricably linked elements that must be addressed together to maximise a website's performance. In this definitive 2023 guide to SEO web design, we have covered a number of essential aspects that play a crucial role in ranking your site in search engines and providing an exceptional user experience.
We discussed the importance of intuitive navigation, SEO optimised URLs, responsive design, loading speed and image optimisation, as well as the implementation of effective internal links. We also addressed the relevance of having an SEO domain and a secure SSL protocol, as well as the need for Schema.org structured data and mobile compatibility testing.
In addition, we have highlighted the importance of tools such as Screaming Frog and Google's Rich Results Test to analyse and optimise the performance of your website.
Remember, SEO is a constantly evolving field, so it is essential to keep up to date with the latest trends and changes. In 2023 and beyond, the key to successful SEO web design will be the ability to adapt to the changing needs of users and search engine algorithms.
Ultimately, good SEO web design is not just about techniques and tactics. It's about creating websites that are useful, attractive and accessible to users, while remaining visible and relevant to search engines. At Marketzilla, we are dedicated to helping you achieve exactly that with our SEO web design services.