This is part 1 of a 3 post series meant to help you identify some areas to focus on when choosing a web designer who also understands SEO. Keeping these ideas in mind during the building process may help you to get the most out of your designer’s “on-the-clock” hours.
Aesthetic appeal is subjective, but the objectives of your website should be a fully conscious, coordinated effort. If you build with search in mind, it will be much easier to get qualified traffic in effective queries rather than trying to retrofit a built and indexed website with an SEO campaign. Obviously the ladder is still very plausible but in terms of business, may cost you more dollars than sense.
The following are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a designer for a new website. (Note: For the purpose of this discussion we’ll assume that content is not up to the designer.)
Choose a web designer that understands how to build for the search user.
Collaborate with your designer about search accessibility. How should your pages look when brought up in search results? When you have determined what you want to show your visitors, think about how you will leverage your knowledge of your audience for your presentation.
Cohesion
Although it can easily fall into the category of usability, retention makes a high ranking worthwhile. Yes they clicked on your listing, but are they in the right place? Make sure that your description, title, and page message are consistent. Show the searcher what they expect to see. They followed the link, so naturally they are interested in the topic you provided for them. Be predictable and carry that subject into the actual page. Showing something unrelated or disconnected from the subject you brought them in with will almost always get a back button response.
Presence
What visual and navigational queues can you use to say; “This is the right place to find the most exclusive handmade soaps in Paris,” or, “We are the authority in small business consulting,” or, “Look no further for definitive restaurant ratings in greater Tokyo?”
Are the title and descriptions for each page relevant to the page’s context? How do they introduce each page? Make sure your web designer understands where you need to place emphasis for groupings of themes and specific subjects. (Themes: e.g. wrenches, hammers, saws) (Specific Subjects: e.g. Wrench Model 11a, Wrench Model 11b)
Landing Pages
How will the structure of your website contribute to what a search user sees first? How can you impact them most effectively if given only a few moments of their time? Where will you lead them after they have absorbed a concept? Think of landing pages that grab attention and introduce users to other areas of your site. Sketch out a diagram of your key concepts and structure each one to become a core component of your site. Are there certain concepts that need to be understood before a sale/signup/conversion can be made?
Seek Working Examples
Using the a site search (site:example.com) in Google is a great way to evaluate your competition’s understanding of search user awareness. Can you tell what they are trying to be found for? Start a brainstorming session where you identify the core components of your website and compile a list of topics for each main component. This structural grouping of components should help your designer understand how you intend to build out the site and ultimately provide a basis for the wire frame they were hired to build.
Manage Scope Creep
Having a clear understanding of what you intend to achieve with the site will help you to determine the scope of the project. An accurate scope of your own project paired with your awareness of the search user during the development stage may help you qualify a designer better able to execute your vision the first time around.
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Quick Reference:
How to choose a web designer that also understands SEO
Part 1: Choose a web designer that understands how to build for the search user.
Part 2: Choose a web designer that understands usability.
Part 3: Choose a web designer who understands the crawl.