Design a site for search engines

Design a site for search engines

July 14, 2016
3:33 pm

Having a website that is great to look at but does not really deliver a message to potential viewers does not serve any purpose at all. If you want to have a site that makes a difference, then you should consider having your web site design done on the basis of search engine optimization (SEO) principles. These are pretty simple and can give your site just the leverage it needs.

The first thing to know is that keywords form the basis of your SEO efforts. Using the wrong keywords essentially means that search engines will not pick your site up for the purpose you are looking for. A few things to consider when settling on keywords are the audience you are targeting and their location. Then look into the product/service you are talking about and list down all the potential ways in which to best describe it. Use online programs to evaluate the strength of these keywords before you begin to implement them in the sites design.

These keywords can be placed in a number of places such as the title tags, the Meta descriptions, slogans you have around the websites, in navigation icons among many other places. When designing your website, engine that it is search engine friendly as well. A common mistake among most designers is to design navigation icons as images. This can lead to a lot of confusion for search engines. JavaScript should be avoided as far as possible as the language is confusing to search engines.

When settling on your domain name ensure you have URLs that are search engine friendly and can be used to quickly decipher what a page is about. Using keywords in the URL is a great idea to as it conveys a lot in a short time. When you include images be sure to use descriptive words.

One of the most neglected aspects of website designing is the importance of images from the point of view of SEO. Optimizing your images, allowing them to load faster is very important. Use your images in the context of the text that corresponds with it. This will ensure better visibility and recognition on search engines.

The inclusion of social media in your design is also very important. It allows people to share instantly what they have liked about you. Allowing for links to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and the like will help a great deal in the making of a website design that is based on SEO