When using an agency that specialises in digital strategy and web design in Stroud, customers tend to commonly ask when they should consider applying SEO tactics to their website. We take a closer look.
The short answer to the question, is that you should begin to implement SEO strategies as quickly as possible. Firstly, it is essential to build or rebuild a website using a reputable design agency that understands SEO and digital, otherwise there is a risk that errors will be made in the back end that affects rankings. For example, a redeveloped site will require a redirect plan, to send traffic to the right place. SEO is important to help your business stand out from your competitors. For example, a Bristol CCTV Installation company will want to be ranking higher up in the search rankings than their nearest local competitor.
The Interplay of Development Elements
Design is also key. If you redesign a site and have pages in your original that are particular high performers in terms of traffic, you must be able to preserve those SEO assets – again, this means using professionals who really know their craft.
For new sites, and redesigned sites alike, it’s vital that SEO work begins and progresses in tandem with the web design or UX. A good agency will also have developers and SEO experts with particular knowledge in the field, so that the final website links all of these elements carefully.
Remember, it is far more time-consuming and expensive to try to ‘fix’ SEO later down the line, than it is to integrate it at the start. By doing this, you’ll get results quicker. This is because a lot of SEO work takes place behind the scenes of the website; carrying out in-depth analysis, data collection, strategising and planning work.
The Case for In-House SEO
Of course, once your site is live, and it has been well structured, considered and built in the first place, with excellent design and UX, then there’s a case for using trained in-house resources to maintain SEO tactics for your site – including regular updates to news and other functions, keyword rich content, social media backlinks and so forth.
Remember too that your SEO activity will never be finished – it isn’t a one-off activity, and it will need to be constantly updated and refreshed with new strategies, as search engines change their algorithms and find content differently. Only by doing this will your website perform as it should.