above the fold (seo)

Good web design is important for SEO. The reason is that web design and SEO both play key roles in turning potential customers into qualified leads.

SEO and Design Have the Same Goals

• SEO gets you in front of a targeted audience – the goal of which is to acquire more qualified leads
• Good design presents key information effectively and creates a positive user experience -  the goal of which is to get customers to take action
• To state the obvious, the ultimate goal of both SEO and design is to get more conversions.

An Aside – yes, there’s bad design, just like there’s bad SEO. And just like there are bad cupcakes that don’t taste good and don’t comfort you when you’re having a crummy day. Assume we’re talking about design that’s appropriate for your audience and that’s focused on engagement and usability.

Design and SEO are Different Steps in the Same Sales Process

Let’s walk through a simple conversion process, step by step.

1. You get found at the top of the search engines with great SEO.
2. The potential customer clicks through and engages your website
3. The customer converts – buying a product, filling a contact form, or picking up the phone

Unless you have some sort of established history with a person, there’s no skipping step 2. They’re going to read more about your company, your product and your service and make sure it’s what they want before they turn into a lead or a sale. And that inevitably means looking at and interacting with your website.

On the Internet, Second Impressions Often Matter More Than the First

For many customers, the first impression happens in the search engine results, while the second impression happens when they arrive at your website.

It may look like you’re a market leader by your position in Google, but if your website is looks clearly dated or unprofessional then people are going to have second thoughts. On the other hand, if your design is professional, modern, and appropriate to your audience then your authority is going to be reinforced.

SEO Gets Them into the Funnel, Design Ushers Them to the End

Effective design carries people along in your sales process. It makes it easy for people to find the key information they need to make a decision. It guides them along visually, and provides a clear path for where to go next. Last but not least, it makes it really obvious what you want them to do.

Ultimately, Your Bank Account will Notice if You Have One Without the Other

As you probably know, if you have an engaging and attractive website, but no one sees it then you’re not going to generate any leads. You have to reach your audience to have a shot at closing the sale – that’s why you invested in SEO.

On the flip side, if your website looks unprofessional or is difficult to use, you’re going to lose a lot of trust and credibility. Potential customers may think your business is neglected, or question whether you’ll actually deliver.

Or, worse yet, they may have difficulty figuring out how to contact you if they’re interested. You may be surprised how hard some companies make this step.

In Conclusion, Design is Important to SEO

• Both play a role in converting potential customers
• Either can lose you customers when executed poorly
• Good design and good SEO add up to a great experience

Are there any other reasons you think web design is important to SEO? Let us know in the comments below! 

Photo by Kelly Sue, licensed by Creative Commons

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• "5 Simple Ways for Small Businesses to Get Links" - Camella Mendez
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• "Does Design Matter to SEO? Yes!" - Jason Stinnett
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• "Why SEO's Are Like Your Mechanic, Only Cleaner" - Scott Dodge
  posted by: Scott Dodge - 08.10.2011