A good website can be separated into two main pieces, design and content. Although both elements deserve your attention, in my opinion it is essential for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) that the overall design is structured around the content. Following this simple rule will guarantee your site is built on a foundation of simplicity, positive user experience and effective SEO.
I’m sure you’re thinking “if an SEO-friendly design is centered around content, what am I trying to do with the design?”
The answer is fairly simple. The design should enhance the content and display the information in a way that is accessible for both search engines and users. The best way to achieve this is to make sure your design utilizes white space properly. White space is the area between elements (lines, paragraphs, headers, footers, etc.) of your design. Put simply, white space allows for easy scanning of your content, which is essential. White space helps to reduce the amount of content your users see in one block, preventing them from becoming overwhelmed.
There are many techniques designers use to provide adequate white space. The most popular is a grid system. A well laid-out grid system will effectively divide your page, giving it structure and separating your content from your design in an almost seamless way. Most grids are subtle, sometimes even unnoticeable. A grid system will allow you to properly utilize white space, ensuring your content will shine in the eyes of both the users and search engines.
After you have a grid laid out you can start to design on top of it, layer after layer. The end goal is to create a user-friendly, attractive interface. In my opinion, the most important factor for creating an attractive and effective design is to avoid using any unnecessary extras and add-ons. These will eventually slow your site down and make it difficult and frustrating to use. Of course, the site needs to be visually appealing, but it is essential to remember not to go overboard during the design phase by adding too much unnecessary detail that can in fact detract from the overall appearance and usability of the site.
Add-ons such as JavaScript and Flash are great effects but they should be used sparingly. During the designing process it is key to keep in mind how every element you are designing will function. An excess of JavaScript, Flash, etc. needed for your end result will dramatically slow your page down and require copious amounts of code to operate. The added code will lower your “code to content” ratio, in turn hindering your SEO efforts.
