Your web design refers to how your business’s website appears to your customers when they visit your page.
It also refers to how easily these customers can interact with your content and your services online. While web development is all about the mechanics of building a website, web design complements this by showcasing your content, supporting an incredible experience, and creating a unique but clear aesthetic for your page.
“Custom”, on the other hand, refers to customisation. This is the process by which you gain total control over the design of your website to achieve pages that truly reflect your business, content and branding.
There are plenty of web design templates out there for you to choose from. However, you need to make sure that your web design is wholly your own, which is why custom web design services are so valuable to businesses seeking to strengthen their brand online.
With the right SEO-based web design, you can even boost your search engine optimisation efforts in the process.
Let’s look at how this works…
Web design and SEO
Does a custom web design have a positive impact on SEO?
While it is difficult to provide any kind of concrete answer when it comes to SEO — as Google’s goalposts are always moving — it certainly seems that good web design supports your SEO initiatives.
So what makes SEO and website design so closely linked?
Let’s take a look at some key factors.
- Google’s search algorithms and rankings are not designed to catch businesses out. Instead, they are designed to give searchers a great experience when they look for businesses online. If your web design supports a great user experience, you can expect your search engine rankings to improve.
- SEO algorithms track a wide variety of metrics. Some of these metrics include user bounce rates and page per session data. A great customised web design can help to directly boost these key metrics.
- Google values web pages that are clear, concise, and geared towards providing users with the information and services they require. Web design supports these outcomes, making it more likely that your site will rank highly on Google.
How a custom web design helps you with SEO
What exactly are the mechanics of customised SEO website design?
How exactly does custom web design help with SEO?
Let’s take a look at the more technical aspects of customised web design with regard to search engine optimisation.
Adherence to Google’s Core Web Vitals
Google has a number of different web vitals that are used to gauge the performance of a website, as well as the user experience it offers. At the heart of these web vitals are Core Web Vitals — the metrics that all website owners need to be tracking to ensure great web performance.
These Core Web Vitals are not designed to be static. Instead, they will develop and evolve over time to meet the growing needs of users. In 2020, the Core set of vitals related to page loading times, page interactivity, and the visual stability of the page.
Page loading times: largest contentful paint
Largest Contentful Paint, or LCP, is the main metric you need to track with regard to loading times. This is the point at which the main content of the page — i.e. the content most users will want to access — is fully loaded. A satisfactory LCP time will be 2.5 seconds or less.
Page interactivity: first input delay
First Input Delay, or FID, is the critical vital you need to measure to gauge page interactivity. FID measures the time taken between a user action and the execution of the outcome — for example, how long does it take for a form to load after the user clicks the relevant button. Pages should end up with an FID metric below 100 milliseconds.
Visual stability: cumulative layout shift
Cumulative Layout Shift, or CLS, refers to changes in page layout that are not the result of user actions. All shifts relating to user clicks or scrolls are discounted. Only automatic layout shifts are included in this metric. A high CLS score indicates that the website is not providing a good user experience. You should aim for CLS ratings of 0.1 or less on all pages.
Customised web design supports these critical SEO metrics by putting the power in your hands. You have the capability to make changes and alterations that will improve LCP, FID and CLS ratings. If you rely on a web design template, you might not achieve this level of control.
High levels of responsiveness
If your website is not responsive, this could have a negative impact on your SEO. Unfortunately, this may be the case with templated websites and sites using pre-formulated designs.
Why is this?
It all comes down to the execution code flow. During the process of customisation and SEO web design, the execution code flow is assessed and modified, ironing out any issues and errors along the way. Without these critical errors, the page becomes far more responsive and the site speed is accelerated.
This is one of the things customers are looking for when they visit your page. They do not want to be left waiting around for pages to load or for actions to be logged — instead, they expect a streamlined and swift experience. If you cannot provide this, your users will head elsewhere, which will contribute to your bounce rate and further harm your SEO performance.
Enhanced security
So far, we’ve looked at the performance of the website and the user experience. Both of these elements are crucial to SEO website design because they directly contribute to improved page rankings for your site. However, there is another important element to bear in mind here — security.
Today’s businesses have a responsibility to their customers and to all of their users. They need to make sure that all data is properly protected and safeguarded against data leaks or security breaches. If your website is vulnerable, you may be fined or punished by regulatory authorities. You may also discover that Google is not listing your site on its search engine pages.
When you choose a reputable partner to provide custom web design services, you are working with trusted experts. These experts understand the latest developments in the cybersecurity industry and the evolving threat landscape. By taking control of every aspect of web design, they can make sure that your custom project fully meets the needs of your business and your industry so there are no vulnerabilities that can be exploited. This will help you to remain compliant while also maintaining a strong showing on Google’s search engine results pages.
Showcase your business and boost your SEO with custom web design
To boost your SEO, to provide a great experience to your customers, and to really showcase your business and your brand identity, you need to work with the right custom web design team.
Reach out to our team today to find out more about what SEO web design really means for your company, and to get started on your journey to a fully optimised website design and online presence.
