What Should a SEO Program Include? – Part 8
SEO Friendly Website Design
Website Design, if not properly done according to proper Search Engine Optimization (SEO), is a complete waste of both time and money.
Those businesses that don’t fully understand just how powerful a properly developed SEO friendly website is, fall into two categories: 1) those that worry about how attractive their website design is; and, 2) those that want a website as inexpensively as possible.
Time and time again I run into prospective customers that understand that having a website is important. The problem arises when they don’t realize just HOW important a properly developed website is. Website design and website development are different in my mind and ‘development’ is what elevates a website into a true business tool.
Attractive Website Design
Yes, having an attractive website design is important, but, it won’t help you attract prospective customers looking for your specific product or service. You need to have a website that is developed according to what search engines want to see. That is why building a SEO-friendly designed/developed website is so important. That isn’t to say you can’t have an attractive website AND attract potential customers, but far too often web designers are too concerned with how pretty their portfolio is. Strictly from a business perspective, I just want a website to be a business tool, not just a business card amongst 100 million other websites on the web. I want my customer’s websites to be found. That is WAY more important.
Websites Built for Cheap
I’m a business owner too so I fully understand that you can only spend a dollar once so that dollar better position you to be able to make two dollars. If you want a cheap website, that is easily done. Everyone knows someone who does websites on the side for a few hundred bucks. Will they work? I guess it depends on how you define ‘work’. Will it be upgradable? Will your web designer still be in business in 12-36 months? Can you control when changes are made? Will it have proper security? Will you be able to utilize proper SEO techniques on the site yourself or will you need professional help each and every time? Who will service it? Knowing that the elements of successful SEO are constantly in a state of flux, does your web ‘guy’ really know what is going on or are they using ‘techniques/knowledge’ that is 6 months, 2 years, 5 years out of date and will harm your online marketing efforts?
The way I think about it is, if a ‘business’ is trying to sell websites for a few hundred dollars, do you think they are making their rent payment each month? Will they need to sell scores of sites in order to make a living? If so, they aren’t really in the website business are they? They do it as a hobby and to buy Christmas gifts, new golf clubs or video games. Guaranteed they won’t know what your business really needs. They are just looking to make a few bucks on the side.
All that being said, you don’t have to spend $10,000 to get a great website, but if you are looking for a website for $500, please don’t contact Advanced Web Solutions as we take a more holistic approach to what your business truly needs in regards to building a website that will facilitate prospective customers in finding your product/service INSTEAD of your competition.
Do you have any words of advice when selecting a website developer?
What should be involved in a SEO program/project? – part 1
SEO Program: Set Your Online Goals – part 2
SEO Program: Technical Website Analysis – part 3
SEO Program: Proper Keyword Research – part 4
SEO Program: Content Development – part 5
SEO Program: Website Links/Backlinks – part 6
SEO Program: Analysis – part 7
SEO Program: Website Design – part 8
