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Many of today's web designers assume that search engine optimization, or SEO, is a form of web development that's completely exclusive from web design.

 

However, this couldn't be further from the truth. In 2015, website design and SEO are gradually becoming more intertwined, and clients increasingly expect a combination of effective web design and SEO strategies in their online marketing campaigns as a result. It's hardly surprising, given the fact that content marketing generates three times the leads of outbound marketing, and there are an astonishing 50 million views of online video content per month. Given these facts, the need for dynamic, SEO-ready visual content is key.

 

Whether you're a freelance web designer with years of experience or a newcomer just getting started in the industry, every web designer can benefit from incorporating SEO techniques into their web designs. Here's a look at three essential tips and tools that will help you take on more SEO duties for your clients:

 

 

When coming up with potential keywords to use, many people assume that short, broad keywords are best. However, research has shown that longer, more specific keywords are actually more effective at drawing readers who are looking for the service the website offers. As a result, today's web designers can benefit immensely from long tail keywords.

 

 

Another great way to improve a website design's SEO power is to use sitemaps to your advantage. Sitemaps give search engines a clear picture of what a website is all about, making it much easier for their algorithms to rank the website and boosting targeted traffic as a result. By making search engines work harder to find this information, you risk having the site's ranking penalized.

 

 

Keywords aren't just for written content; they should also be used in a website's URL, meta description and page titles. This will ensure the search engines get a clear message about what's actually on the website -- and signifies that there's going to be high-quality website design present, as well. When an astonishing 70% of mobile searches lead to consumers taking action within an hour, the need for these keywords is clear.

Over the last few years, search engine optimization (SEO) has become one of the most widely-accepted methods of increasing a business' branding over time. It's hardly surprising when you consider the facts that 70% of mobile searches lead to consumers taking action within an hour, and 48% of shoppers start their online experiences with a search engine.

 

And as SEO has become increasingly popular, so has WordPress, a site that offers clean, SEO-ready web design templates that's one of the best places to host one's content.

 

Considering the fact that content marketing generates an impressive three times the leads of outbound marketing, WordPress can be one of the best platforms on which to base your website designing and SEO efforts. But one wrong move on WordPress, and your SEO rankings could ultimately suffer. Here's a look at what you can do to avoid the three most common WordPress mistakes:

 

 

Before moving forward with any part of your web design, it's crucial to make your default setting search-friendly. To do so, simply use your targeted keywords in your permalink structure. Go to Options, then the Admin Panel. From here, select Permalinks and enter “/%category%/%postname%/%post_id” into the Custom text box.

 

 

Duplicate content, even if published unintentionally, can ruin your site's Google rankings. To avoid doing this, try to limit the number of tags and categories you assign to each post. If you have too many tags or assign too many categories to a post, you'll likely end up with duplicate content.

 

 

Lastly, be sure not to overload your WordPress homepage with links. As a general rule, keep your link count below 20 links, including both internal and external links. Additionally, be sure to stay clear of plugins that automatically add links, as they'll likely be low in quality and end up reducing your SEO content.

 

Have any other questions about using WordPress to your search engine optimization advantage? Ask us anything about WordPress and SEO services.

For the last few weeks, the Internet has been abuzz with Google's latest innovation -- its new logo.

 

While the logo retains the bright, primary color palette of Google's past logos, it stands out for its clean, distinctive font. In fact, Google designed an entirely new typeface for this logo, reported TheNextWeb.com. Called Product Sans, the font stands out for its clean lines and simple, eye-catching letters.

 

The choice to design a new logo with such a typeface was wholly intentional. The human brain is hard-wired to process visuals better; studies have found that 40% of web users respond better to information contained in visuals than to text content. As a result, a visually-appealing logo is one of the best ways for Google to convey its brand message to Internet users.

 

Additionally, Google's new logo is all about visibility. About 48% of mobile online shoppers today begin their shopping experiences on Google, and a stunning 70% of mobile searches lead to consumer action within an hour. When Google is essentially the gateway to the Internet, a sharp, eye-catching logo is an absolute must.

 

But what does Google's new logo mean for people working at professional web design and search engine optimization marketing companies? The answer may surprise you. Here's a look at three possible effects Google's latest logo redesign could have on website design:

 

 

As stated before, Google's new logo is built on clean lines and a simple, sans-serif font. This design principle will undoubtedly spread in the coming months as businesses move to make their website design more search-engine friendly.

 

 

The trend of minimalist web design is already on the rise across the web, but Google's new minimalist logo will only solidify minimalist design principles' status on top. When web users want to find the information they need on a website almost instantly, minimalist web design helps connect users with information quicker than ever.

 

 

In addition to its new logo, Google also made big changes to its user experience. Google has introduced a new four-dot animation that lets users know when Google is up and running. For example, the dots act like an equalizer when you give spoken commands and rotate in a circle when performing a web search. This enhanced user experience and ease of navigation will likely translate to the rest of the web as a result.