Everyone knows that websites have to look good to stand any chance of providing users with a positive experience. But in today’s digital landscape, it’s not enough for a website to just look good – it also needs to be optimised for search engines so that it can be easily found by potential customers.

There’s no point in designing a visually stunning website if no one can find it. Likewise, there’s no point in creating a perfectly optimised website if it’s so ugly that no one wants to stay on it.

This raises the question – which is more important in web design, aesthetics or SEO?

Which Should You Focus on When Designing Your Website: Aesthetics or SEO?

The answer, of course, is that both are important. But the truth is, there will always be a slight trade-off between the two.

The problem is that visually appealing websites often contain more code, higher-resolution images, and even videos on crucial pages such as the homepage. The issue with these elements is that they can slow down your website loading, which is a major no-no for SEO.

A fast website is essential for good SEO because search engines consider website loading times when ranking websites. So, if your website is slow, it will likely rank lower on search engine results pages than its faster counterparts.

On the other hand, if you focus too much on SEO and offer up a minimalist website that loads quickly but is devoid of any personality or visual appeal, users are likely to click away pretty quickly.

So how can you get the balance right? Below are our top tips for striking the right blend of aesthetics and SEO in web design.

Ensure Your Website Design is Mobile-Friendly

Websites are now accessed on mobile devices more than ever before, so it’s important to ensure that your website design is mobile-friendly. Mobile-friendliness isn’t just a ranking factor for search engines; it’s also vital for delivering a positive user experience.

If your website design isn’t mobile-friendly, users are likely to click away pretty quickly, resulting in a high bounce rate (another ranking factor for search engines) and lost potential customers. Therefore, ensure your website design is responsive so that it can be easily viewed on various mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets.

Use Minimal Code

The more code your website contains, the longer it will take to load. That’s why it’s important to use minimal code when designing your website.

If you’re not a web developer, then this may sound like a daunting task, but there are some simple things you can do to reduce the amount of code on your website.

First, avoid using unnecessarily large images. If you must use large-file-size images, compress them, so they don’t slow down your website. You can also try using HTML5 instead of JavaScript as it’s more efficient and can help to reduce the amount of code required to load your website.

Make Clever Use of Whitespace

Remember, less can be more when it comes to designing websites. While you don’t want your website to be too minimalist, making clever use of whitespace can help to create a more streamlined and visually appealing design.

Whitespace refers to the space on a webpage that is not occupied by text or images. It’s often underestimated but can actually be used very effectively to draw attention to your website’s critical elements and create a more cohesive overall design.

So, don’t be afraid to use negative space to your advantage in web design and provide a sleeker and faster website.

Use Colour to Draw Attention to Important Elements

Colour is a powerful tool that you can use to draw attention to essential elements on your website. If used correctly, it can help to guide users’ eyes to the most critical content on your website (such as your navigational menu) and make your overall design more visually appealing, delivering an excellent visitor experience.

However, it’s important to use colour carefully and not go overboard. Too much colour can be disorienting and actually make your website harder to navigate. A good rule of thumb is to use a maximum of three to four colours in your website design so as not to overwhelm visitors.

Speak to Ctrl Alt Create for The Perfect Blend of Aesthetics and SEO for Your Business Website

So, what’s the verdict? Aesthetics or SEO?

The truth is, you need both. Aesthetics are important for delivering seamless navigation and a positive user experience, which, in the case of e-commerce websites, leads to more sales. By contrast, SEO is essential for ensuring that potential customers can find your website in the first place.

The good news is that Ctrl Alt Create can help you to achieve the perfect blend of both. Our team of web design and SEO experts will work with you to create a stunning website that not only looks great but also ranks highly in search engines.

To find out more about our web design and SEO services, or to discuss your specific requirements with us, contact Ctrl Alt Create today.