How To

How to Optimize a Website

When people want to research a product or find a store near them, they often turn to the Internet. With so much of today’s shopping happening online, you need to ensure your website is getting noticed and driving leads to keep your brand afloat.

What does site optimization mean?

Website optimization improves your site’s performance through various tools, experiments, and strategies. It helps drive more traffic to your pages and increases conversions, all with the end goal of growing revenue.

There are many ways to optimize your website, and these strategies tend to fall under one of two umbrellas — search engine optimization (SEO) and user experience (UX). SEO practices help people find your brand easily and quickly, while UX aspects persuade people to stay on your website and make a purchase.

Why is optimizing your website important?

Designing a high-quality website is an effective way to get your brand noticed in the world of ecommerce. When you optimize your website, you are putting yourself on the map, helping potential customers recognize you as a business that can meet their needs.

An optimized website generates traffic, which will improve brand awareness and help customers notice your business. Effective optimization also turns the traffic into valuable leads and conversions by giving users a positive experience. When you build trust with your target audience, they are more likely to purchase from you and support your business in other ways.

What are some ways to optimize a website?

As mentioned before, website optimization efforts tend to fall into two categories — SEO and UX. Here are some steps to take to ensure your website is operating at peak performance:

1. SEO optimization

SEO optimization tactics help your website rank higher on search engines, so users are more likely to notice you and click on your link. Some critical factors to consider when improving your SEO include:

• Keywords: Trigger your website to appear in more relevant search results and drive interested people to your page by using keywords. You will need to conduct some keyword research to discover what your target audience is searching for and how you can meet their needs. Long-tail keywords of three or more words are beneficial because they will help find valuable traffic, and quality is more important than quantity.
• Header tags: Headers make your content digestible, so readers will likely stick around and keep reading. When consumers stay on your page, it signals to search engines that your content is valuable and relevant, boosting your rankings. Header tags also help search engines understand the context of your page, which then increases your chances of ranking for your keywords.
• Meta descriptions: These are the small descriptive paragraphs located under the titles that pop up when someone conducts a search. They provide the perfect opportunity to tell users how your content answers their questions. Aim to use 160 characters or less and include a keyword if you can — the more succinct and accurate your meta descriptions, the more traffic you will get.
• Linking: Internal and external linking practices are some of the best ways to boost your SEO. Internal links help search engine crawlers efficiently scan your pages, and external links to authoritative sites and links to your site from other pages will help the crawlers see you as a credible source. Make sure all of your links are valid, taking the time to fix any broken or irrelevant links.
• Content: Quality content is key to increasing traffic and leads, so you want to provide educational, easy-to-understand material to persuade users to stay on your site and work with your business. Your content is the place to establish yourself as an authority and prove you are helpful and valuable to users. Keep your target audience in mind when you write, and use short sentences and bullet points to keep your content skimmable.

2. UX optimization

Once your SEO tactics have successfully generated traffic to your website, your UX design will come in handy to keep visitors on your site continually reading, browsing, and eventually purchasing. The key aspects to remember with user experience are:

• Responsive design: People access the Internet on a variety of devices, so you want to ensure users have an enjoyable experience viewing your site whether they are using a smartphone or a desktop. Make sure your design can adjust so your website is always easy to use and navigate. Creating a responsive design will help keep traffic on your page longer, boosting your search ranking.
• Fast speeds: To encourage viewers to stay on your page instead of bouncing to a competitor’s site, optimize your website’s speed. One of the best ways to increase speed and load time is by compressing image sizes.
• Readability: When visitors can effortlessly read your content, they are more likely to stay and continue browsing. Consider your copy’s font, format, and text size, and ensure it is readable for big and small screens. Having clear headings, bulleted lists, and ample white space will make reading a more enjoyable experience for your readers.

How do I know if my website is optimized?

There are several SEO tools you can use to check if your optimization efforts work. One of the best is Google Analytics because it provides you with a wealth of information about your website, such as the amount of traffic you are getting, how long users stay on your site, and your conversion rates. Constantly monitor and adjust your website to keep increasing your traffic and leads.

Optimize your website with WebFX

Getting the most out of your website is easy with a partner like WebFX! With 25+ years of experience providing digital marketing services, we know how to boost SEO and UX design to increase traffic and drive leads. You can speak with a strategist by calling 888-601-5359 or contacting us online today.

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