Designing a Google-friendly website can be a gift, a curse or a little of both. As with most things in life, the key is finding balance. “What are you balancing between,” you may ask. That would be designing a user-friendly website and a Google-friendly website. One of these is meant for human eyes, and the other is meant to please pandas, penguins and any other animal Google’s robot pals choose to identify with. Finding harmony between these two worlds can be a daily struggle. Just ask Dale and Shelley, who have to magically fit key phrases (for Google) into interesting content (for users) that still make grammatical sense (for their own sanity).
There are definite perks to choosing sides in the epic battle of rankings versus user experience, but they go hand in hand with some serious flaws that we’re not too big to point out. A lot of companies will toss user experience to the wind in exchange for favorable Google rankings. This may earn your website a higher ranking but send potential clients fleeing from the avalanche of spam. (Spamvalanche?) Conversely, some companies dare to defy Google with sites so user friendly and aesthetically pleasing they develop trust and promote brand recognition, but they also sit several search result pages out of site organically.
So how do you do it? How do you please everyone?
Start your quest for success with fresh and original content. Key phrases are great for rankings, so find ways for them to naturally fit into your content. Do not, I repeat, do not stuff your pages with spammy, repetitive key phrases. If you can’t get a key phrase in without sounding like you’re brand new to the English language, it’s better to leave it out completely. For example, your reviews page is an important way to connect with your customers. A lot of websites try to rank that page with titles like, "Dry Cleaning in San Antonio Reviews." We recommend you should say something like, "Happy Customer Reviews" or "Hear From Our Customers."
Always think of your audience first. The more professional you make your website look, the more trust there will be in your brand. Maximizing load speeds, ease of navigation and the overall appearance of your site will is key. Sprinkling in Google-pleasing keywords in seemingly natural ways will be the icing on the cake.
Who would we be to dish on this topic if we couldn’t use our own website as an example. Check out this homepage.
SNAZZY DESIGN? Check
KEY SERVICES? Check
FAST LOAD SPEED? Check
EASY ACCESS TO CONTACT FORM? Check
KEY PHRASES SPRINKLED IN? Check
So good luck in your search for online balance. Remember to think of the users, your clients and customers first. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Leadhub today!
