If there’s a “hottest marketing trend” of the decade, it’s undoubtedly search engine optimization. Believe it or not, as many as 70% of businesses don’t have an SEO strategy.
Luckily for you, that means less competition, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t stiff! However, with the right content marketing strategy and responsive web design, you can still get ahead.
Let’s talk about the benefits of responsive web design and why responsive web design is good for SEO.
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In case you don’t already know, responsive design is a web design approach that aims to make pages render well across various devices and promote user experience.
Before we talk about the specific advantages of improving your website’s responsiveness, let’s quickly talk about why it’s so important to your SEO strategy.
In a nutshell, user experience (UX) and search engine optimization (SEO) go hand-in-hand on every front.
Think about it from Google’s perspective. Their job is to offer their users the most relevant, factual, and reliable content based on their search (as well as other factors).
For that reason, if search engines like Google were consistently offering low-quality content or poorly designed content, then it would reflect poorly on the service they offer.
Every year, you see articles about the “latest Google algorithm updates”, and each of those serves one purpose; to get better at offering quality content to their users.
Essentially, you won’t even have to focus on these updates if you offer a responsive, up-to-date website to your users with relevant, quality content on every page.
Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts in SEO, and if you find one, it won’t last.
Not only is responsive design good for SEO, but it’s also good for your users. If you don’t value your SEO strategy (which you should), then think about your users.
If you want to retain customers, build brand loyalty, improve your conversion rates, or simply drive more traffic to your site, a responsive design will help you the whole way through.
Even if most businesses still don’t have an SEO strategy, many have still caught on to its many benefits.
The competition is only getting more challenging as time passes, and the sooner you get ahead of your competition, the easier it will be to stay ahead on the SERPs.
What we’re saying is that responsive web design is essential to compete in today’s SEO world.
However, the good news is that once you have a responsive web design, there’s little need for updating it!
Related article: A Guide to Boosting Website Traffic With Responsive Web Design
Now that you know why responsive web design is good for SEO, there are some particular benefits that may interest you. Here are some of the most important examples.
There are dozens of features you can make to your website that won’t directly impact SEO but will help key metrics like bounce rate and user interactions.
For example, Google’s algorithm doesn’t directly offer incentives for having a table of contents on your blog.
However, when users click on this and find the information they want, this will improve both interactions and time spent on the page, both of which help boost SEO prospects.
Of course, that isn’t the only example. An overall responsive web design including clean navigation, internal links, and page structure will rapidly boost these metrics.
Also, SEO isn’t the only benefit you’ll see after boosting user retention. Increased user retention will ultimately help improve conversion rates on ads, social media efforts, and email campaigns while also creating a positive association with your brand!
Fortunately, a high-quality website won’t need to be entirely revamped any time soon.
If you’re used to updating your website frequently to keep up with the trends, then try building a modern, responsive website. Once you have that, you’ll only need to make superficial adjustments over time.
However, search engines will take note of this, and your website is likely to see lasting SEO results, and don’t underestimate the benefits of that.
Showing up on the first page of Google on a high-volume keyword can single-handedly keep a business afloat for years. Once you’re up there, it’s a lot easier to stay that way.
Think of it this way; if you build a house with your content marketing strategy, then the quality of your website determines the strength of the foundation.
Now, we know there’s a little more to it than that, but in terms of on-page ranking factors, everything falls on the quality of your website.
Remember, it’s a lot easier to make repairs to a broken house if you know the foundation is solid. A killer content marketing strategy can only flourish if it has the web design to support it.
If your website isn’t the only “foundation” of your strategy, then it has to be your authority.
Well, it’s a lot easier to build backlinks if your website lives up to the quality standards of the time. No SEO content marketer wants to link to a low-quality, DIY website.
With the right responsive design, content marketers in similar industries will have an easier time finding the information you offer, both on your website and on search engines.
Consequently, a responsive website will make it easier to build these off-page ranking factors, which will lead to significantly faster SEO results.
In light of recent updates to the algorithm, Google now prioritizes sites with a “mobile-first” approach. Essentially, they recognize that the majority of online traffic comes from mobile devices.
Moreover, they’ve begun placing more stock into mobile-responsive web designs and websites that prioritize that.
Ten years ago, it made sense for websites to start paying attention to mobile traffic, but now, it should be their primary focus.
Most businesses have no clue how quickly they lose potential customers due to slow load times. Most users leave within the first three seconds.
Well, if you have a high bounce rate, then this is usually the culprit. If you’re unsure, use tools like Google Analytics to track your site’s performance.
By improving your website’s responsiveness, cutting down on junk code, and using more modern tools and practices, your page speed should see a dramatic improvement.
A clean navigation system is important to Google, but the benefits don’t stop there.
If you want users to have an easier time getting to your intended destination (product pages, subscription forms, etc.), then you don’t want to throw any roadblocks in their way.
Consequently, more websites are offering better navigation options internally across their sites, and even on the same page (table of contents).
If you’ve noticed a theme so far, it’s that once you have a responsive web design, it’s easier to receive more free marketing.
Conversely, making it easier to build backlinks, rank higher on SERPs, and improve conversion rates were a few examples of this. Well, you’re also likely to receive more shares on social media.
By improving the responsiveness and UX, users are far more likely to share your content with their followers across various platforms, which can boost your reach substantially and help boost your off-page ranking factors.
The greatest enemy on your website is duplicate content, which can get you hit with the “panda penalty”, severely hindering your SEO prospects.
Conversely, limiting duplicate content (beyond just mobile and desktop versions) will help improve user experience and avoid penalties from Google.
Lastly, our final benefit is that you can hire managed SEO services to get the job done correctly.
Not only does this take the load off your back, but it eliminates the sharp learning curve and the “guessing game” that comes with a DIY strategy.
With the right services, you can build a responsive web design and carry out a long-term SEO strategy that’s sure to come to fruition over time.
In today’s competitive market, there is no DIY equivalent to professional services.
Now that you know the importance of responsive web design, the sooner you improve your website, the sooner you will see lasting results.
Remember, there is no substitute or shortcut for a responsive website in today’s world, so set yourself up for success by getting the services you need!
Keep following our blog for our latest digital marketing tips and don’t forget to book a free consultation today! Don’t worry, we’re very responsive!
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