Introduction: Steps To Create An SEO Friendly Website
What Is SEO?
SEO stands for search engine optimization and is optimizing your website to increase relevant and organic traffic when users search for related topics via search engines such as Google.
Search engines aim to provide users with relevant and valuable information based on their search queries.
Search engines crawl, search engines find, and then search engines rank web pages based on numerous factors such as content, page speed, and more.
The main goal of SEO is to improve your search engine ranking and increase organic traffic to your website.
A strong SEO strategy results in increased website traffic, leads, and sales on your website.
An SEO-friendly website is a website that has been designed and optimized in a way that makes it easy for search engines to crawl, index, and understand its content.
This means that the website follows best practices for search engine optimization (SEO), including relevant keywords, high-quality content, and optimized metadata (such as titles, descriptions, and headers).
An SEO-friendly website should also have a clear and logical structure that makes it easy for search engines to navigate and should be free from technical issues that could prevent search engines from crawling or indexing the site.
Creating an SEO-friendly website involves various techniques and strategies, including keyword research, on-page optimization, technical optimization, and link building.
By following these best practices, website owners can help their site rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), which can drive more organic traffic and improve the overall visibility and authority of the website.
Why Having An SEO Friendly Website Matters
One of the main benefits of having an SEO-friendly website is that it can help you reach more potential customers.
Additionally, having an SEO friendly website matters because it can
Drive more traffic & sales: When your website ranks well in search engine results, more people are likely to see it when they search for keywords related to your business. This can lead to an increase in traffic, leading to more leads and sales.
Improve user experience: SEO-friendly websites are typically well-organized, easy to navigate, and have high-quality content. This can make it easier for users to find what they’re looking for, leading to higher engagement and a lower bounce rate.
Increase trust and credibility with your target audience: When your website appears at the top of search engine results, it sends a message to potential customers that your business is a reputable and trustworthy source of information. It can also help establish your brand as a leader in your industry, ultimately leading to more customers and revenue.
What Is The Best SEO Friendly Platform For Web Design?
The best SEO friendly platform for web design is WordPress.org.
WordPress is an excellent option for web design for several reasons:
User-friendly: WordPress is a user-friendly platform that is easy to use, even for beginners. It offers a range of customizable templates and themes that can be easily modified to suit your needs without requiring extensive coding knowledge.
SEO-friendly: WordPress is designed with SEO in mind and offers a range of plugins and tools that can help optimize your website for search engines. These plugins allow you to easily add meta tags, sitemaps, and other SEO elements to your website.
Customizable: WordPress is highly customizable and allows you to easily add new features and functionality to your website. There are thousands of plugins and themes available that can help you enhance the look and functionality of your site without requiring extensive coding knowledge.
Large community: WordPress has a large community of developers, designers, and users who constantly develop new plugins, themes, and features for the platform. New tools and resources are always available to help you improve and optimize your website.
Secure: WordPress is a secure platform regularly updated with new security features and patches. This helps ensure that your website is protected from security threats and vulnerabilities.
How Do I Make My Website SEO Friendly?
The following 13 steps will help you create a SEO friendly website.
SEO Tip #1: Strategically Choose Heading Tags
For blog posts, your heading tags make up the table of contents for your post. This table of contents is from our blog post: How To Choose Your Domain Name.
One of the most important things to consider when it comes to the structure of your website is the use of heading tags.
Heading tags, also known as H1, H2, H3, etc., indicate your content’s hierarchical structure.
Search engines use these tags to understand the importance of different sections of your website.
Headings also help readers skim and digest your content more quickly.
The H1 tag is considered the most important and should be used for the main title of your page; H2 and H3 tags should be used for subheadings.
Remember that H1 tags should not be confused with title tags, which are used to summarize the post and displayed on the search results.
Heading Best Practices
Use H1 tags for your main headline: The H1 tag should be used for the main headline of your blog post, as it is the most important heading on the page.
H2 and H3 tags for subheadings: Use H2 tags for subheadings within your post to break up the content and make it easier to scan.
Use keywords in your headings: Incorporate relevant keywords to improve your SEO.
Keep headings short and descriptive: Similar to the blog post headline, your heading tags should be brief and accurately reflect the content they introduce.
Use headings consistently: Use headings consistently throughout your post to maintain a clear hierarchy and make it easy for readers to understand the structure of your content.
SEO Tip #2: Implement the Right Meta Description
Image of the Yoast SEO Plugin for WordPress showing the meta description for this blog post. The meta description is displayed on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP).
Another critical aspect of website structure is the use of meta descriptions.
Meta descriptions are short summaries of the content on a webpage that appears in the SERPs.
They provide additional information about the page and can help entice users to click through to your website.
Meta descriptions should be unique and accurately describe the content on the page and be under 160 characters.
How To Write A Great Meta Description
Keep it short and concise: Meta descriptions should be a max of 155 characters in length. Iy should clearly and concisely summarize the content of your page.
Use keywords: Incorporate relevant keywords that people may use to search for your topic, but use them naturally and don’t stuff them.
Use action words: Use words that encourage clicks, such as “learn,” “discover,” or “find out.”
Be unique: Each page on your website should have a unique meta description that accurately reflects its content.
Use your brand name: Include your brand name in the meta description to increase brand awareness.
Test and optimize: Try different meta descriptions to see which performs better.
Avoid duplication: Don’t use the same meta description for multiple pages, as this can negatively impact your search engine rankings.
SEO Tip #3: Don’t Forget Image Alternative Text
This is the Alternative Text field in WordPress
Alternative Text, also known as Alt text, is used to describe your website’s images, which are essential for SEO and accessibility.
Search engines use alt text to understand the content of images, and screen readers use them to describe images to visually impaired users.
Alt text should be descriptive and include keywords relevant to the image and the page’s content.
Image Alt Text Best Practices
Keep it short and descriptive: The alt text should be brief and accurately describe the image.
Use keywords: Incorporate relevant keywords that people may use to search for your topic, but use them naturally and don’t stuff them.
Be specific: Be specific about what is shown in the image, and avoid using generic phrases such as “image of” or “picture of.”
Use your brand name: Include your brand name in the alt text to increase brand awareness.
Use empty alt text for images that don’t convey information: If an image is used for decorative purposes only and doesn’t convey any information, you can use empty alt text alt="".
Avoid duplication: Don’t use the same alt text for multiple images, which can negatively impact your search engine rankings.
SEO Tip #4: Ensure Easy Site Navigation
The Samantha Digital website leverages easy navigation so users can quickly find what they are looking for.
Another critical aspect of website structure is the use of clear and logical site navigation.
Your website’s navigation should be intuitive and allow users to find the information they are looking for quickly.
Search engines also use navigation to understand the structure of your website and how different pages are related.
Site Navigation Best Practices
Keep it simple: Navigation should be easy to understand and use, with a clear hierarchy of pages.
Use descriptive labels: Navigation labels should be clear and descriptive, so users know where they will go when they click on a link.
Use a consistent layout: The navigation layout should be consistent throughout the site, so users know where to find the necessary links.
Use drop-down menus: Use drop-down menus for sections with multiple pages to reduce clutter and make it easier for users to find what they’re looking for.
Include a search bar: A search bar can be valuable for larger websites, allowing users to find the content they’re looking for quickly.
Highlight the current page: Make it easy for users to see which page they’re currently on by highlighting the corresponding link in the navigation.
Provide a link to the homepage: Ensure to include a link to the homepage in the navigation so users can quickly return to the starting point.
Don’t forget internal links: Internal links are critical to a website’s SEO friendliness. Including internal links on each web page to other relevant content makes it easier for search engine crawlers and users to find more of your content.
In addition, it’s essential to have a well-structured URL structure.
URLs are the addresses of web pages and are used by users and search engines to understand the content of a page.
URL Structure Best Practices
Use a consistent structure: URLs should have a uniform structure throughout the site, so users can easily predict the URL for a specific page.
Use keywords: Use keywords in URLs to help with search engine optimization.
Keep it short and simple: URLs should be short and straightforward, making them easy to read and remember.
Use hyphens to separate words: Use hyphens to separate words in URLs, as search engines may interpret words joined by underscores as a single word.
Avoid special characters: Avoid using special characters in URLs, as they can cause issues with some servers and browsers.
Use lowercase letters: URLs should be in lowercase letters, as some servers and browsers may have issues with uppercase letters in URLs.
Organize your URLs in a logical hierarchy: URLs should be organized in a logical hierarchy, with categories and subcategories that reflect the website’s organization.
Your website should have a clear and consistent message and contain valuable information that answers the questions your target audience is searching for.
Additionally, it’s essential to include keywords in your content that are relevant to your business and industry.
When creating content for your website, it’s essential to have a clear and consistent message.
Tips For Clear and Consistent Messaging
Define your target audience: Clearly define your target audience, and tailor your message to their needs and interests.
Develop a brand voice and tone: Develop a consistent brand voice and tone that reflects your company’s personality and values.
Use a consistent layout and design: Use a consistent layout and design throughout your website, so users can easily recognize and navigate your site.
Use consistent messaging and language: Use consistent messaging and language throughout your website to avoid confusion and ensure that users understand your message.
Use calls to action: Use calls to action throughout your website, to encourage users to take specific actions, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.
Keep your website up to date: Regularly update your website with fresh content and ensure that information is accurate.
SEO Tip #7: Valuable Content
The Samantha Digital blog provides valuable content to new and aspiring small businesses that want to grow online.
In addition to having a clear and consistent message, it’s also important to create valuable content that answers your target audience’s questions.
Your website should be filled with valuable and relevant information for your target audience.
This can include blog posts, articles, guides, and tutorials.
Tips For Providing Valuable Content
Understand your audience: Understand the needs and interests of your target audience and create content that addresses those needs.
Use keywords: Use relevant keywords in your content to improve your search engine rankings.
Use different types of content: Use various types of content, such as text, images, videos, and infographics, to keep your audience engaged.
Keep it fresh: Regularly update your website with new content to keep your audience interested and coming back for more.
Use internal and external links: Use internal and external links to provide additional resources and information for your audience.
Use headings and subheadings: Use headings and subheadings to break up your text and make it easier to scan.
Keep it simple: Use plain language and avoid jargon to make your content accessible to a wide audience.
SEO Tip #8: Choose The Right Keywords
Image of the Yoast SEO Plugin for WordPress showing the Focus Keyprahse for a blog post focused on ‘SEO in Web Design.’
Another important aspect of SEO is including keywords in your content.
Keywords are the words and phrases people use to search for information online.
Including relevant keywords in your content can increase the chances of your website appearing in the SERPs when people search for those keywords.
However, using keywords naturally and organically is essential, and not stuff them into your content.
Tips For Choosing The Right Keywords
Understand your audience: Understand the needs and interests of your target audience and choose keywords that reflect those needs.
Use long-tail keywords: Use long-tail keywords, which are more specific and less competitive, to target a more specific audience and improve your search engine rankings.
Leverage keyword research tools: Use keyword research tools, such as Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, SEMrush, to find keywords that are relevant to your industry and have a high search volume and low competition.
Incorporate keywords in your content: Use keywords in your content, such as in your headings, subheadings, and throughout the body of your text, to improve your search engine rankings.
Use keywords in your meta tags: Use keywords in your meta tags, such as your title tag and meta description, to help search engines understand the content of your page.
Use keywords in your URLs: Use keywords in your URLs to help search engines understand the content of your page.
Add keywords in your image alt tags: Use keywords in your image alt tags to help search engines understand the content of your images.
Incorporate keywords naturally: Use keywords naturally and avoid keyword stuffing, as this can negatively impact your search engine rankings.
Monitor your keyword performance: Monitor your keyword performance, and make adjustments as needed to optimize your search engine rankings.
Leverage LSI keywords: Use Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) keywords to help search engines understand the context of your content and improve your rankings.
SEO Tip #9: Incorporate Media
In addition to textual content, images, videos, and infographics are also important in SEO.
They can make the website more engaging and informative.
Remember to optimize images and videos for search engines by providing relevant and descriptive file names and alt tags.
SEO Tip #10: Prioritize Design and User Experience
Your website’s design and user experience are critical to your search engine rankings.
Search engines consider the user experience of a website when determining its ranking.
Your website should be easy to navigate, load quickly, and be mobile-friendly.
A well-designed website will not only rank better in search engines, but it will also increase user engagement and conversion rate.
When it comes to the design of your website, it’s essential to remember that less is more.
A clean and minimalistic design will look better and make it easier for users to navigate and find the information they want.
Design & User Experience Tips
Understand your audience: Understand the needs and preferences of your target audience and design your website to meet those needs.
Keep it simple: Use a simple and clean design, with a clear layout and easy-to-read text, to make it easy for users to navigate and find the information they need.
Use a consistent design: Use a consistent design throughout your website, so users can easily recognize and navigate your site.
Use images and videos: Use images and videos to supplement your text and help convey your message more effectively.
Optimize for mobile devices: Make sure your website is optimized for mobile devices so your audience can easily access your content on the go.
Use white space: Use white space to create a visual hierarchy and make it easier for users to scan the content.
Use easy-to-read typography: Use easy-to-read typography to make your content easy to read and understand
Test with real users: Test your website with real users, and use their feedback to improve the design and user experience.
Keep it up to date: Regularly update your website to keep the design and user experience fresh and in line with current design trends.
Keep your website secure: Keep your website secure by implementing a valid SSL certificate and regularly updating the software and security features.
Use color and contrast effectively: Use color and contrast effectively to guide users’ attention and create a visually appealing design.
SEO Tip #11: Ensure Device Responsiveness
Additionally, it’s essential to ensure that your website is responsive, meaning that it adapts to different screen sizes and resolutions.
With more and more people accessing the internet through their mobile devices, having a mobile-friendly website is essential for SEO and user experience.
When it comes to user experience, it’s essential to ensure that your website is easy to navigate.
This means that your website should have clear and logical navigation that makes it easy for users to find the information they want.
Additionally, it’s essential to make sure that your website loads quickly. Slow loading times can frustrate users and lead to high bounce rates, negatively impacting your search engine rankings.
Tips For Ensuring Mobile Responsive
Use a mobile-first design approach: Design your website with mobile devices in mind first, and then adapt the design for larger screens.
Use a responsive design: Use a responsive design that adapts to different screen sizes and devices automatically to ensure your website looks and functions well on any device.
Use flexible grid-based layout: A flexible grid-based layout allows elements to adjust and rearrange depending on the screen size.
Use appropriate font sizes: Use them and ensure they are easy to read on small screens.
Use appropriate button sizes: Use buttons that are easy to tap on small screens, with a minimum size of 7mm x 7mm.
Optimize images: Optimize images to reduce loading time and data usage on mobile devices.
Use touch-friendly elements: Use touch-friendly elements, such as larger buttons and links, to make it easy for users to navigate on touch-based devices.
Use mobile-specific navigation: Use mobile-specific navigation, such as a hamburger menu, to make it easy for users to find the information they need on small screens.
Test on multiple devices: Test your website on various devices, including different screen sizes and operating systems, to ensure it functions correctly on all devices.
Keep it simple: Keep the design and functionality of your website simple to make it easy for users to navigate and find the information they need on mobile devices.
SEO Tip #12: Prioritize Backlinks
Backlinks are links from other websites that point to your website. Search engines view these links as a signal of the popularity and authority of your website.
It’s essential to obtain high-quality backlinks from reputable websites, but avoid buying links or participating in link farms; these practices are considered black hat SEO and can result in penalties from search engines.
When it comes to backlinks, quality is more important than quantity.
A high-quality backlink from a reputable website can be more valuable than many low-quality backlinks.
Search engines use the quality and relevance of backlinks to determine the authority of a website, so it’s essential to focus on obtaining high-quality backlinks from reputable websites.
Tips for Obtaining Backlinks
Create high-quality content: Create high-quality, informative, and engaging content that is valuable to your audience, as this is the most effective way to attract backlinks.
Guest post on other websites: Write guest posts on other websites relevant to your industry and include a link to your website.
Participate in online communities: Participate in online communities, such as forums and social media groups, and include a link to your website in your signature or bio.
Leverage infographics: Create informative and visually appealing infographics, and include a link to your website when you share them.
Use broken link building: Use broken link building to identify broken links on other websites and offer to replace them with a link to your website.
Be patient: Building backlinks takes time and effort, so be patient and consistent.
Monitor your backlinks: Use tools such as Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Majestic to monitor your backlinks and keep track of your progress.
Backlinks are links from other websites that point to your website. Search engines view these links as a signal of the popularity and authority of your website.
Learn more about building backlinks in Backlinko’s Backlink Guide.
SEO Tip #13: Always Satisfy Search Intent
To improve your website’s search engine optimization (SEO), it’s essential to focus on the user experience.
One of the most critical aspects of user experience is satisfying search intent.
Search intent refers to the purpose behind a user’s search query.
When someone performs a search, they have a specific goal: finding information, purchasing a product, or solving a problem.
If your website provides relevant and helpful content that satisfies the user’s intent, it’s more likely to rank higher in search engine results.
To ensure that you satisfy search intent, it’s essential to understand your target audience and their needs.
Conducting keyword research can help you identify what your audience is searching for and what their search intentions might be.
From there, you can create content tailored to their needs and meets their search intent.
Conclusion: Create An SEO Friendly Website
In conclusion, creating an SEO friendly website is crucial to your online business success.
In this guide, you learned 13 tips for creating an SEO Friendly website. With this information, you can get started improving your site now.
Samantha is the founder of Samantha Digital, a leading web design and SEO company specializing in empowering small businesses. With a passion for digital marketing, Samantha has helped numerous clients enhance their online presence and achieve their business goals. With her expertise in web design and search engine optimization, she is dedicated to delivering tailored solutions that drive visibility, engagement, and growth for her clients. Samantha's commitment to excellence and her creative approach to digital strategies make her a trusted partner for businesses seeking to thrive in the digital landscape.
