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Web Design

How Responsive Web Design Helps Your SEO

No matter which industry you’re in, you want your website to show up in searches. This is how the majority of your visitors are going to find you. And as any SEO company in Nashville will tell you, not all websites are created equal in the eyes of search results.

SEO stands for “search engine optimization.” The goal of SEO is to get your website to show up as close to the top of the list of search results as possible when someone types in a query that relates to your services.

There are many different practices that can be implemented to get your website higher in the search result rankings. In fact, just about every aspect of your website can be optimized—everything from the images, to the text, to the layout.

However, there is one particular aspect of a website that is continually growing more important: responsiveness.

But what does that mean? And why does it help in search result rankings?

What Does It Mean to Be Responsive?

A responsive website is one that loads smoothly and quickly on multiple devices and screen sizes. This has become increasingly important as a large number of internet users are moving away from their computers and relying on mobile devices.

In a literal sense, the term refers to the ability of a website to adapt itself to the size and shape of a screen. Various elements are utilized in order for a singular website to be able to display itself in a number of different ways.

For instance, a desktop website might have a large banner image across the top that will get automatically resized when viewed on a smaller, mobile device. Or maybe the content is laid out in multiple columns that simply won’t fit on a smaller screen. A responsive website will adjust the amount of columns, or perhaps move them to save the visitor the hassle of scrolling left-to-right in order to read all of the content.

NoSweatWeb is a Nashville SEO company that also knows website design. Visit us today to see what we can do for you.

Why Is It Important?

Google isn’t the only search engine, but they do have a massive slice of the industry. 76% of desktop traffic and 86% of mobile traffic, to be specific.  And they’ve recently altered their search result rankings to favor websites which are better-suited for mobile  use. This shift is a result of the increased tendency for people to use the internet on their mobile devices.

The main goal for Google is to provide an experience that is user-friendly. After all, there are plenty of options on the internet, and people are going to gravitate toward that which is easiest to use. A responsive website is inherently easy to use, and is therefore rewarded with higher rankings in Google’s search results because of it.

How Do You Make Your Website Responsive?

Make It Fast

Page load time is factored into Google’s search results. They know that waiting for a website to pull up pictures and text makes the user’s experience less pleasurable. And a website that has been designed with an eye toward responsiveness will generally load faster because it isn’t trying to fit something where it wasn’t meant to go.

Make It Easy to Use

The amount of time a user spends on your site is important. However, users are likely to go elsewhere if they can’t easily find what they need. Responsive website design ensures that no matter how someone is viewing your content, it will be laid out in a coherent fashion.

Make It Easily Shared

A responsive website will be tailored for social media shares simply because of its design. And while this might not directly influence your search result rankings, it can be a great source of traffic. Links on various platforms can be continually shared, exposing your content to new readers and potential visitors.

Make It Engaging

The bounce rate tracks how quickly people leave your website. Do they dig deeper or do they leave without exploring other pages? A website that has a short average amount of time spent on a website is an indication of subpar content. This is reflected by lower search rankings. However, design plays as much a role in a user’s decision to leave a website as content.

Minimize Duplicate Content

One method of making a website viewable on both desktops and mobile devices is to have two separate URLs with similar content but different layouts. However, Google doesn’t understand this idea and can lower your rankings based on the existence of duplicate content alone.

Are You in Need of Website Design in Nashville?

NoSweatWeb is your one-stop shop in Nashville for both SEO and website design. We know what it takes to get results and have been helping Nashville businesses optimize their content as well as their website design.

Are you looking for a Nashville SEO company that can also help with website design? Visit NoSweatWeb today!

Categories
Web Design

The Importance of a Mobile-Friendly Website in 2020

Everywhere you look, people are on their phones. And when they’re not on their phones, they’re looking at their tablets. This is no secret, but some websites have yet to optimize their layouts and displays to properly fit on these smaller screens. However, the time has come where this can no longer be put off. Internet users will only dig more into their mobile devices in 2020. And if your website isn’t set up to accommodate this, you’ll be in trouble.

Let’s look into why and how a mobile-friendly website is essential to compete in 2020.

Increased Use of Mobile Devices

It’s estimated that there are around 4.4 billion people on the internet. And of those people, it’s estimated that 2.87 billion people will use a mobile device in 2020. That’s almost two-thirds of all internet users. In fact, it’s been estimated that more people in the world own a smartphone than a toothbrush.

And this has changed the way people interact with websites. Gone are the days of sitting behind a desk, booting up the computer, and navigating search results with a keyboard and a mouse. Most people explore the internet with taps and drags. And if your website isn’t set up to accommodate this method of exploration, users are likely to move along to a website that will.

The attention span of the average internet user is pretty short. They won’t tolerate a slow-loading website or one that is difficult to navigate. You could have the most attractive website in the world, complete with animations and buttons, but you stand to lose a lot of possible visitors if it doesn’t flow on a mobile device.

This tendency can be used to your advantage. Optimizing your website for mobile usage can attract this large section of the internet-using population.

Ready to get make your e-commerce website mobile-friendly? Visit NoSweatWeb in Nashville for expert web design today

Enhanced Customer Experience

A good, easy-to-use website that is also attractive will bring visitors back. This is a simplistic way to look at it, but it’s true. There is a lot more that goes into website design, but visitors will appreciate a website that looks good. Likewise, a website that is difficult will convince your visitors to go elsewhere.

Mobile-friendly websites are intuitive, easy to navigate, and attractive on a smaller screen. This translates to a better experience for the customer because they don’t have to scroll around to find the buttons, task bars, and menus. Pictures will be an appropriate size. And the website will load quickly and cleanly.

This is an important factor. A mobile website that takes a long time to load is likely to lose visitors.

The convenience of a mobile website is one of the main reasons people are trending toward heavier mobile usage. Being able to download a ticket to a concert, for instance, means your chances of losing it are drastically reduced. Online shopping is another example of why mobile usage has increased so dramatically. The susceptibility of people to impulse purchases on their mobile devices can be a great advantage for e-commerce websites. And having a website that is easy to use from a mobile device is absolutely crucial to converting these visitors into customers.

Better Rankings

Google’s search ranking algorithms take numerous factors into account when they compile search results. Mobile usability is one of the more important factors that are considered when someone searches for your keywords.

The increased visibility that comes along with this is essential to help potential visitors find your website. After all, you could have the best service in the world but no one will know if they can’t find your website.

This idea of optimizing your website for mobile devices is no secret. In fact, there’s a good chance your competitors are taking this into account for their own websites. Mobile usability is essential to remaining competitive. You don’t want your competitors to have an advantage, so you need to make use of every available tool you can use. And making your website as mobile-friendly as possible not only gives you the advantage of a better customer experience, but it helps with search rankings as well.

And if people can find your website easily, and then enjoy their time while they navigate it, you’ve already provided a positive experience for them before they’ve even engaged with your content.

NoSweatWeb not only knows how important a mobile-friendly website is for a small business, but we also know how to make it a reality. Visit us to see how we can help you today.