Want to learn the secret behind websites that dominate Google and convert traffic?

Two words…

SEO and web design. Most companies approach them as entirely separate initiatives. One team handles the website design. Another team works on SEO.

Here’s the problem though…

When SEO and web design aren’t working together, they both suffer. You end up with a website that either looks pretty but gets no traffic… Or ranks well but converts poorly.

The fact of the matter is that data-driven marketing only works when both sides of the coin are in alignment. And the companies that realize this are the ones growing right now.

In this article you’re going to learn:

• Why SEO needs web design (and vice versa)
• How your website’s design impacts search engine rankings
• How technical SEO factors into web design
• How to use both together for maximum business growth

SEO and Web Design Depend On Each Other

Think about it this way…

SEO gets you the traffic. Web design converts that traffic into actual leads and sales. Without SEO, people can’t find your website. Without good design, the people that do find it won’t take action.

It’s exactly why agencies like LAB Digital Creative approach every project with a data-driven marketing strategy that combines SEO with conversion-focused web design from day one. Every piece of your website is built with both ranking and performance in mind.

Truthfully though, the data speaks for itself. According to BrightEdge, 68% of all online experiences begin with a search engine. If your website isn’t properly optimized for search… You’re invisible to potential customers.

But just getting found isn’t enough.

Did you know that

According to Blogging Wizard, 75% of consumers assess the credibility of a business based on its website design alone. So even if your SEO brings traffic rolling in… A poorly designed website will lose you customers before you ever have a chance to convert them.

Search engine optimization and web design have to go hand in hand. SEO gets the right eyes onto your page. Web design makes sure they take action once they’re there.

How Website Design Impacts Search Engine Rankings

You might be surprised to learn that your website’s design directly impacts your SEO performance.

Google isn’t just looking at keywords and backlinks these days…

Google is looking at how visitors engage with your website.

Page speed, mobile friendliness and user experience are critical factors in how Google ranks your website. A poorly designed website that is difficult to navigate will send Google signals that result in lower search rankings.

Here are some examples of design elements that Google cares about:

• Page speed: If your website takes more than 2 seconds to load, visitors will start bouncing. Page speed is vital to keeping people on your website.

• Mobile friendly: Are you designing your website with mobile visitors in mind? Mobile traffic accounts for over 63% of all website traffic. You need to make sure your site works well on smartphones (and Google will too).

• User Experience (UX): Providing your website with an intuitive, frictionless experience will increase conversions by up to 400%. Google ranks websites based on user behavior metrics like bounce rate and time on site. Improving UX keeps those metrics in check.

Bottom line?

Website design matters. A lot. Don’t think your website’s visuals have anything to do with SEO. Think again.

Why Technical SEO is Important for Web Design

Let’s geek out for a minute…

Technical SEO is essentially the things that make your website easy for Google to crawl, read and understand. And by easy… That means QUICK.

If your website takes forever to load, isn’t mobile responsive and requires your users to click around like crazy just to find what they need… Google is going to notice.

When your web designer builds your site, make sure they emphasize:

• Removing unnecessary aspects of your site’s code (e.g html elements) that slow crawl rate and create extra clutter.
• Designing an intuitive website structure with a logical hierarchy that’s easy for visitors (and search engines) to navigate.
• Including schema markup to help Google better understand what your content is about.
• Following Google’s latest guidelines for Core Web Vitals. Right now, only 40% of sites published are passing this metric.

Think of technical SEO as the foundation your site is built on. Make sure whoever handles your web design development takes the steps to build yours properly from day one.

If not, you’ll be left chasing down SEO problems after the fact. And that always costs more time and money.

Combining SEO and Web Design For Business Growth

Now you know why SEO and web design work hand in hand. But how do you put it all together?

Simple. Adopt a data-driven marketing mindset.

Let data inform every decision you make about your website. Don’t follow SEO or design trends just because some random blogger said they’re cool. Only implement design changes and SEO strategies that your analytics prove will perform.

Here are a few examples:

• Performing keyword research prior to designing your website helps define the framework your website is built on. Periodically revisit your keywords and adjust your design as needed.
• Every page on your website should have a purpose. Is it lead generation? Selling a product? Promoting an event? Knowing your conversion goal for each page will help dictate the layout and design scheme you should use.
• Blogging is helpful for SEO… But only when you create content that your audience is searching for. That means doing keyword research to create blog topics that will rank.
• Once your site is live, your job isn’t done. Use analytics to determine which design elements and SEO strategies are working. Tweak and improve what doesn’t.

Successful digital marketers no longer silo SEO and web design. The best agencies have team members who excel in both.

When you combine a solid understanding of each subject… Incredible things happen for your business. You get more Google rankings. More traffic rolls in. And your conversions skyrocket.

Wrapping Things Up

SEO and web design go hand in hand. If you approach them as separate initiatives then you’re making one of the biggest mistakes businesses make when trying to grow online.

Here’s what you need to remember:

• SEO gets your website found. Web design encourages users to take action once they find you
• Your website’s design directly impacts your Google rankings
• The technical aspects of SEO should be incorporated into your website’s design from day one
• Let data inform every design and SEO decision you make

Now go make sure your SEO and web design teams are aligned. You’ll thank yourself later once you start seeing real results from Google.