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In today’s digital age, having a website that ranks well on search engines can be critical for the success of your business.

The vast majority of online experiences begin with a search engine, and if your website isn’t showing up on the first page of results, you’re likely missing out on valuable traffic and potential customers.

This is where search engine optimisation (SEO) comes in – the practice of optimising your website to improve its visibility and ranking on search engines like Google. In this article, we’ll explore some expert tips and advice from Gerard Greenan Consulting on how to create a WordPress website that Google loves, focusing on the UK web design industry as a reference. We’ll cover everything from the basics of SEO and mobile optimisation to the best SEO plugins and formatting content for search engines. Whether you’re new to website development or a seasoned pro, these tips can help you create an SEO-friendly website that drives traffic, generates leads, and ultimately grows your business.

Introduction

Gerard Greenan Consulting Limited are a prominent provider of web design and SEO tips and advice for businesses operating in the UK. With over a decade of experience in the industry, our team know exactly what it takes to create a website that Google loves and can help businesses stand out from their competitors. In today’s digital era, having an online presence is no longer an option for businesses; it is a necessity. However, just having a website is not enough; you need to have a website that is optimised for search engines to drive traffic to your site, convert visitors into customers, and stay ahead of your competitors.

The Basics of SEO

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the process of aligning your website with the practices used by Google to rank website pages in search queries. With Google holding a massive 91.9% market share worldwide, it is crucial to approach SEO the right way if you want to connect your website more effectively with people looking for your products and services. In the highly competitive UK web design industry, businesses of all sizes are vying for the top spot in search rankings. We believe that having sound SEO basics is the key to the success of any website.

Making Your Website SEO-Friendly

As a rule, we always suggest several tips to make your website more SEO-friendly. Firstly, ensure your website visibility is switched on so that it is available to search engines. Secondly, use URLs for your web pages that clearly explain what the content is about, ideally with a keyword and a location if possible. Finally, ensure your website is secure by using HTTPS instead of HTTP, using a quality hosting service, securing it with a strong password, and including SSL certificates.

The Importance of Mobile-Friendly Websites

We can’t stress enough the importance of mobile-friendly websites as they have become essential in today’s world. Mobiles have become the preferred device for accessing the internet in the UK, and mobile accounts for 55% of internet traffic worldwide. Over 50% of smartphone users discover new companies and products on mobile searches, and the mobile retail market is set to grow to £105.28 billion from £50.36 billion by 2024. This means that your website needs to be designed using responsive design, dynamic serving, and separate URLs for viewing on devices of all sizes, for fast load times, and optimized for mobile SEO if you want to keep people on your page.

Best SEO Plugins

We always recommend getting to know the best SEO plugins, as WordPress has thousands of additional packs of code that add different functions and features to your website, including SEO plugins. The best SEO plugins include Yoast SEO, All in One SEO Pack, SEOPress, and ShortPixel. Depending on your SEO strategy, you can use plugins to optimise images and compress them without loss of quality, perform SEO audits, assist with keyword research, optimise content, discover search terms, support internal link-building, and much more.

Formatting Content for SEO

We recommend learning how to format content properly. WordPress has some excellent features that help Google’s search algorithm understand your content and rank its relevance, including formatting tools. When posting website or blog content, titles must be formatted as H1 tags, and subsection titles with H2 or H3 tags. These titles should include relevant keywords as naturally as possible, and each piece of content/page should have a title tag (the clickable title on a search engine results page), the meta description (a short description that appears below the clickable title), and a slug (a descriptive link to the content).

Website Speed Optimisation

Another crucial aspect of website optimisation is to ensure

that your website loads quickly. The speed of your website is a critical factor for both search engine optimisation and user experience. A slow-loading website can result in higher bounce rates, which means users leave your website without interacting with it. Therefore, it is essential to optimise your website speed to ensure your visitors have a smooth and seamless browsing experience.

There are several ways to optimise your website speed. Firstly, you can use website speed optimisation tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix, which can help you identify areas that need improvement. These tools can provide you with a detailed analysis of your website’s performance, including load time, page size, and the number of requests. By identifying the areas that need improvement, you can make the necessary changes to improve your website speed.

Another way to improve your website speed is to optimise your images. Images can significantly slow down your website if they are not optimised correctly. You can use image compression tools to reduce the file size of your images without losing quality. By optimising your images, you can improve your website’s loading time and provide your visitors with a better user experience.

In addition to optimising your images, you can also use a content delivery network (CDN) to improve your website speed. A CDN is a network of servers that are located in different parts of the world. When a user requests a page on your website, the server closest to the user’s location delivers the content. This can significantly improve your website’s loading time, particularly for users who are located far away from your server.

Finally, you can also optimize your website speed by minimizing HTTP requests and reducing the number of plugins on your website. HTTP requests are made when a user requests a page on your website, and each request can significantly slow down your website. Therefore, it is essential to minimize the number of requests by combining multiple files into one and reducing the number of plugins on your website.

In conclusion, website speed optimisation is a crucial aspect of website optimisation. By optimising your website speed, you can improve your website’s visibility in search engine results pages and provide your visitors with a better user experience. There are several ways to optimise your website speed, including using website speed optimisation tools, optimising your images, using a CDN, and minimizing HTTP requests and plugins. By implementing these techniques, you can improve your website’s speed and provide your visitors with a seamless browsing experience.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Gerard Greenan Consulting Limited is a leading provider of web design and SEO advice and tips for businesses operating in the Braintree, Essex Area. With over a decade of experience in the industry, their team of experts knows what it takes to create a website that Google loves and that can help your business stand out from the competition.

SEO is essential for any business operating in Essex and Surrounding areas, given the highly competitive web design industry. By following the SEO tips and guidelines we provide to all clients, you can create an SEO-friendly website that will help you connect more effectively with people looking for your products and services.

Remember to focus on the basics of SEO, such as making your website visible to search engines, using URLs that clearly explain your content, and making your website mobile-friendly. Additionally, use the best SEO plugins, format your content appropriately, optimise website speed, create high-quality content, and promote your website on social media to engage with your audience and increase website traffic.

Whether you are a small business owner or responsible for the online presence of a larger organisation, these tips can help you create a website that is optimised for search engines and user experience. By applying these tips, you’ll be well on your way to driving more traffic to your site, converting that traffic into sales, and staying ahead of your competitors online.

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