The 3 Main Steps to Web Design and Search Optimization
A complete web project has three important parts: 1 – research, 2 – design and optimization and 3 – the launch. Unfortunately most just focus on the first, what the site is going to look like. Few have clear goals other than they “want to be found”.
All of our web projects cover THE 3 BUILDING BLOCKS of a complete web design.
This gives you a maximum chance for success and a solid foundation on which to build your Web presence.
1. Research and keywords
This is possibly the most important step. Why? Because the proper choice of keywords crucial. This list is one of the most valuable pieces of information you will get. Your keywords are not just for Google but you will need them everywhere. You will use them to optimize the site, you will use them to list the site, and they will go in your content, advertising, sales materials and your socials. You get the idea. They are very important and they change so need to be updated every six months or so.
Without keywords you cannot tell the search engines where to list you. True you don’t necessarily need a keyword Meta Tag but you do need the words for everything else. By that I mean page titles, file names, header tags, content, link text, listing and indexing and your advertising. See why it is so important?
2. Design & Optimization
This is a two part step and you can’t have one without the other.
Part A is the visible human side containing the design. The graphic design and how the web site handles are very important to the conversion rate. Your web design should be both pleasing and functional. This is where Chris’s marketing and design backgrounds play an important role.
Part B is the code side, what your browser and the search engines see. Google has very strict rules for page load times, content placement, content to code ratios etc. Using the keywords from above this includes page titles, file names, header tags, content, link text, and descriptions. It is very important to have the optimization and design work together here. One of the values of Lone Bird is the ability blend these two parts together. This save time, money and produces a much more effective end result.
3. Initial Launch
By far the most overlooked step of the three and it is every bit as important as the first two. Listing your site is really important. The big mistake frequently made is not properly listing the site, even with Google. Just going “live” with the website is not enough. Google alone can run 8 weeks before indexing the site. You will want to list your website as many places as possible. Putting the site up and not “working it” is the kiss of death and voids all the above.
