In Web Design, You Have Two Targets -- Your Prospect AND Google

The expression "Web Design" is misleading if not downright deceptive.

This implies that the look and feel rules when it comes to productive web sites. Most design studios do understand this expression includes navigation ease and in for many of them, they do create websites targeted to the client's ideal prospect. But all of this gets at most is only 50% of what it takes to make an effective web site.

And without the other half, your web site will fail to generate its potential revenue. That's because productive web sites are created for the search engines and not just your perfect prospects.

After all, if no one sees your beautifully designed website, then what good does it do? Web site developers must devote a large portion of their energy and expertise to improve its position in searches related to your products and services.

Qualified site developers know that your site must show up front of searches so people can find you. Once you get past page  2, then few, if any of your targeted prospects will ever find you. Some developers would even go so far as to say that anything beyond page 1 looses 80-90% of your web sites' potential sales.

The bottom line -- web design targets both your prospects and the search engines.

So what rules today when looking for talented web developers?

Precept # 1 - Content rules when it comes to creating profitable web sites.

There is a new type of writer in the direct response field called an "SEO writer."

Good SEO writers write web sites for the two primary audiences. The first is the ideal prospect. This means paying attention to your products' benefits and what problems you solve for your future customers. The call-to-action or offer still dominates and the classic description of a great direct response copywriting continues.

But for the SEO writer, the other no less important target consists of the search engines. So heavily researched keywords, page URLs and the content must attract Google and the algorithms used by the search engines.

All of a sudden, it is no longer technology that rules. The technology is so user friendly now that just about anybody can publish a website.

So let marketing take over your website development. Research keywords, repeat keywords in all pages and saturate your content with those keywords while still selling your services to qualified prospects. This process will improve your circulation among your perfect prospects and assure the pulling power of your website.

One thing you should keep in mind.

Do not rely too heavily on fancy graphics like Flash on your website to tell your story. That's because the search engines cannot see or read graphics. So the "Keep It Simple Stupid" saying used by many direct marketers applies here as it does with most direct response strategies.

2. Website optimization or increasing your site's circulation begins before you develop your web site and not after it is already published.

For some reason, some "Web Design" studios are so inept that they mislead their clients out of ignorance by focusing on the "design" rather than web site optimization. Website search optimization begins before the site copy and design portions.

In fact, web site optimization should holds center stage before, during and to a lesser degree even after publishing the website.

3. To improve the positioning of your website during the design stage and to improve its position on searches, include both inbound and inbound links.  

This means getting high volume web sites that live in your space to link back to you from their web sites. The search engines love this because it means that you are respected and quoted by others in your field.

To a lesser, but still important way, the search engines also want you to link from your site to pertinent sites quoting or referencing them in your material.

The more such links you have, the better your position on the first search page when someone is looking for products and services you offer.

Summary

Organic Search, as opposed to Paid Search, begins before you start writing your web site. If you wait until you develop your site to improve traffic, then you are too late. Only a complete rewrite -- and possibly a complete redesign will make your site search engine friendly if you have relied too heavily on graphics.