It’s like reaching the end of the race to launch a new website. The pages are sorted out, the buttons function properly, and everything now looks exactly as it did in the original mockup. Yet at that point somebody puts forward an uncomfortable question: has the website been optimized?
If the answer is no, the project might not be as complete as it looks.
SEO is usually put off until later, just as you might add a coat of paint after the ‘real’ work has been completed.
The problem is, however, that SEO has an impact on almost every aspect of a website;
it influences which pages are made, how they are arranged, what content is produced, how fast the site loads, and whether it functions correctly on a phone. Delaying all of this until the end can turn a simple website build into a costly series of amendments.
Should you optimize a website as it is being constructed?
When a website is optimized as it is being built, its content, design, and technical arrangement are able to support each other. Developers can then produce a clear structure, writers can focus on the appropriate search topics, and designers can take speed and mobile use into consideration before the site is launched.
SEO can be carried out on a website that already exists since this is something that happens every day; however, if the optimization starts only after the website has been launched, then correcting the site may require more than just altering a number of headings or adding keywords.
Can a Finished Design Still Be Missing Important Pages?
Picture a local contractor who has had a new website constructed; this website includes a homepage, an about page, a contact form, and a single page listing all of the services that the company offers. It has a neat appearance and the owner is satisfied with it.
Then keyword research begins.
The study finds that customers look for information separately regarding roof repairs, roof replacements, storm damage, and commercial roofing. As all four of these services have been included on a single page, the company does not have a dedicated page for any of them. The website would therefore require four separate service pages, modifications to the main menu, new internal links, and additional content.
There is no way that all this cannot be corrected; the work could have been incorporated from the beginning.
Early research into SEO helps to establish which content should be included on the website and how visitors should navigate it. It can show which services should have their own pages, which questions customers frequently ask, and which locations are worth mentioning. If that kind of research is not carried out, the website’s structure is mostly based on guesswork.
Should Content be Completed Before the Finished Layout?
It seems sensible to design first and then write later, but this changes when the writer comes to a page that has space for only 40 words. Some topics can be briefly explained, while others require examples, additional information, or replies to frequently asked questions.
If the layout has already been finalized, the content might have to be cut back in order to fit the design. On the other hand, a page may have a number of blank sections, in which case the writer is asked to produce filler content just to make the layout appear complete.
The approach in question is of no particular use to the person looking at the page.
Proper SEO content should provide answers to the questions that led the person to the website; for this it may be necessary to give a short explanation on one page and a more detailed discussion on another.
If content planning is carried out at the same time as the website is being built, then the designers will know what each page should contain. This allows the copy and the layout to develop jointly rather than having to compete for space.
Why Should Website Speed Be Considered at the Start of the Build?
Another reason why optimization can’t always wait is the speed of the website.
Delays in loading times could be due to large image files, unnecessary videos, complex animations, an excess of plugins, or code that is more substantial than required. By the time the site goes live, all of these decisions will be built into the site.
Making the necessary corrections might involve compressing hundreds of images, removing features that have been approved, or substituting the software used to create the pages.
It’s better to ask questions at various stages. Does this background video provide sufficient value in relation to its file size? Does the site really need another plugin? Might the same visual effect be achieved in a simpler way? These questions should be considered when making design and development decisions since they also have an impact on website optimization. A visitor will not appreciate a beautiful page if it takes so long to load that they leave before seeing it.
Why Does Mobile Optimization Require Real Testing?
A site might work perfectly on the large screen on which it was designed and at the same time appear rather clumsy on a phone.
The text sometimes breaks off at odd points. The menu covers about half the page. Two buttons which appeared to be nicely spaced on a desktop now appear so close to one another that it’s easy to pick the wrong one. Contact forms are frequently the worst example of this, particularly when they ask mobile users to fill in a long series of small fields.
It takes more than just reducing the size of the desktop version to make a website mobile-friendly. Developers should consider how a person actually uses each page on a smaller screen.
Will the phone number be easy to locate? Will it be possible to fill in the form without having to zoom in? Is the most important information still situated towards the top or has it been pushed below a decorative image?
It is far easier to verify these details during the development process than it is to find them after potential customers have already begun visiting the site.
Why is Technical SEO Easier to Handle Before Launch?
All of search engine optimization does not have to be visible on the page, since search engines make use of technical information in order to locate, organize and understand the content of a website.
Every page should have a reasonable URL and a descriptive title, the headings must be in a clear sequence, alternative text should be provided for the images, and the website should include a correct sitemap.
Additionally, developers might need to insert canonical tags, structured data, set up security options, and include instructions which prevent private test pages from appearing in search results.
A redesign brings with it one additional issue: old URLs. If the addresses of pages change and the redirects are not remembered, then people may come upon error messages when they follow the older links. Meanwhile, search engines also fail to maintain the link between the original page and the one that has replaced it.
Since these tasks aren’t very exciting, it isn’t uncommon for people to put them off until the last minute. However, they do form part of creating a working website and are not optional items that one can consider months later.
The Takeaway: Build with Purpose from the Beginning
A website should not merely appear attractive; it has to function for people who are searching for the business, such as those who access it on a phone, need a quick answer, or are completely unfamiliar with the company.
Incorporating SEO during the process of building the website ensures that all decisions are aligned with that broader objective. It provides content with a sensible home, prevents technical details from being overlooked, and picks up performance issues before they turn into expensive repairs.
A website can always be improved after launch, and it should be. The point of optimizing early is to spend that time moving the website forward instead of rebuilding what was just completed.
Good SEO Begins with Better Website Planning
At Web Fox Marketing, we approach web design, SEO, and content as connected parts of the same project. Planning them together from the beginning can help create a website with the right pages, a logical structure, useful content, strong mobile performance, and fewer problems to correct after launch.
Whether you are building a new website or replacing one that no longer supports your business, our Livonia, Michigan digital marketing team can help you plan a site that is designed with search visibility and your customers in mind from day one. Contact Web Fox Marketing to discuss your website, SEO, and content strategy.