Concerned about hiring a Web Design Agency or Company? Why not test their company websites before you hire them? After all, they should all have perfect SEO… right?
Here I reveal 3 easy to use tools to check your prospective Web Designers’ SEO ability. The 3 tools I recommend are easy and free to use. Simply test your prospective web designers’ company or agency website to check their SEO ability. I have also included screenshots of what you should see, taking Stroud Valley SEO as an example.
No time? Just want one tool? Go for the Rank Math SEO Analyzer. A tool that is easy to use and covers most of the bases.
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With so many web designers, it can be tricky to find someone right for the job. Luckily, there are some simple tools to assess the SEO ability of any web designer or web design company – and ensure that they’re up to the task! In this blog post, we’ll look at three easy tools to check a candidate’s SEO skills… And I’ll show you what to look out for!
Most web design companies think that installing an SEO plugin is enough, but as you will see that’s only part of the puzzle.
In addition to an attractive design website, a site must also be optimised for search engines to achieve better visibility and reach. If you are looking for web designers who can create stunning custom websites and understand SEO, this article is for you. We will explore the benefits of hiring web designers with SEO knowledge and present 3 easy-to-use tools to evaluate their SEO abilities.
Benefits of Hiring a Web Designer with SEO Knowledge
What is SEO?
SEO refers to a set of practices and strategies aimed at improving a website’s visibility and organic traffic through search engines. By optimising various elements on the website, such as keywords, meta tags, content, and backlinks, SEO helps search engines understand the relevance and value of the site’s content.
How SEO Can Help with Visibility
When a website is optimised for search engines, it ranks higher in relevant search queries. This increased visibility can lead to more organic traffic, higher click-through rates, and improved brand exposure.
Why it is Essential to Have Effective SEO Built Into Your New Website Design
Having an attractive website is not enough if it cannot be found by the target audience. Incorporating SEO principles into web design ensures that the website looks appealing but also performs well in search engine rankings. This attracts more visitors and potential customers.
Top 3 Free & Easy Tools to Check Your Designer’s SEO Ability
Now that we understand the importance of SEO in web design, let’s explore three user-friendly tools that can help you evaluate the SEO abilities of the web designers you are considering.
Rank Math SEO Analyzer, Google Mobile-Friendly Test Tool and Google PageSpeed Insights Tool are free tools available to webmasters and web developers to analyse and optimise website SEO potential. They offer specific diagnostics to check for essential elements of website optimisation such as URL, meta information, headings, content and structure. In addition, they check crawlability, mobile-friendliness and page speed.
Let’s look at each one. Starting with the Google PageSpeed Insights tool…
Google PageSpeed Insights Tool
Page speed is one of the ranking factors in search engine optimisation.
Why Page Speed Matters to Google
Page load time is how long it takes for a website to appear to a visitor. Bounce rate is the percentage of visitors who leave the website from the same page they entered without viewing any other pages. A high bounce rate indicates visitors are displeased with the page and quickly leave.
The probability of bounce increases 32% as page load time goes from 1 second to 3 seconds.
Google recommends that a page should load within 2 to 3 seconds to reduce the rate of users leaving. Slow page loading speed will frustrate visitors as they will have to wait longer to see the content. In turn, this can lead to a higher bounce rate and cost you valuable visitors. It can also hurt your search engine rankings as Google may crawl fewer pages due to the time it takes to complete the crawl.
Google PageSpeed Insights is a free tool that analyses the performance of a website on mobile and desktop devices. It provides a score based on various factors such as loading speed, server response time, and render-blocking resources crucial for user experience and SEO. With a focus on loading speed, this free tool provides a score and valuable recommendations for enhancing your website’s performance.
The Google PageSpeed Insights tool offers information regarding your website’s performance, such as:
- Loading speed on desktop and mobile devices
- Identifying reasons for any slowdowns
- Recommendations for enhancing website performance
- A score reflecting the loading speed
How to Use the Google PageSpeed Insights Tool
To employ Google PageSpeed Insights, enter a design company website’s URL (e.g. https://stroudvalleyseo.co.uk/) and click “Analyze.” The tool will scan the website, generating a report displaying loading speed for desktop and mobile devices, as well as personalised suggestions for optimisation.
Below you can see how this website design performs in Google PageSpeed Insights.
Green is good, you’re looking for scores close to 100% across the board. If your web designer’s site and hosting perform well (on both mobile and desktop) that’s what you will see.
Google Mobile-Friendly Test Tool
With an increasing number of users accessing websites on mobile devices, it is essential to have a mobile-friendly website. This tool ensures that the designer has created a site that adapts well to different screen sizes and devices, improving SEO rankings for mobile searches.
Mobile-Friendly Websites Are Responsive Websites
Responsive websites are those using technologies that enable them to be viewed on all types of devices, from PCs to smartphones to tablets. They scale to fit whatever size display they’re viewed on. They use a combination of techniques, such as flexible grids and layouts, images and cascading style sheets, to adjust their appearance. This makes the content readable and usable on any size or type of screen. This helps to ensure that users on any device have a great experience when visiting a website.
The Google Mobile-Friendly Test Tool is a free tool provided by Google to assess a website’s mobile-friendliness. It will provide information on how Google can view and assess a website’s mobile performance. This includes usability issues, how the text looks and if all links are properly navigable.
The Google Mobile-Friendly Test tool offers information regarding your website’s Mobile-Friendliness, such as:
- Mobile-friendliness status of the website
- Recommendations for enhancing mobile-friendliness
How to Use the Google Mobile-Friendly Test Tool
To employ the Google Mobile-Friendly Test, simply input one of the website URLs (e.g. https://stroudvalleyseo.co.uk/) and click “Test.” The tool scans the website, generating a report detailing mobile-friendliness and offering suggestions for improvement if needed.
Below you can see how this website design performs in Google Mobile-Friendly Test tool.
Again green is a good thing, but look for the “This page is easy to use on mobile” message. Anything else is a less-than-stellar result.
Rank Math SEO Analyzer
From the makers of one of my favourite SEO tools the Rank Math SEO plugin for WordPress. Rank Math SEO Analyzer is a free tool that checks various elements of a website’s SEO performance. It provides an on-page analysis as well as a detailed list of optimisation tasks to ensure that the most essential criteria have been met. With over 30 different SEO checks, including title tags, meta descriptions, content, internal and external linking, and technical SEO, it provides a holistic assessment.
The Rank Math SEO Analyzer tests 21 technical SEO markers and delivers:
- A comprehensive list of SEO issues identified on the website
- Actionable suggestions to address the identified SEO issues
- A score reflecting the website’s overall SEO performance
How to Use the Rank Math SEO Analyzer Tool
To use the Rank Math SEO Analyzer, input your web designer’s website’s URL (e.g. https://stroudvalleyseo.co.uk/) and click “Analyze.” The tool will then scan each potential designer’s website and provide a report featuring all identified SEO issues.
Below you can see how this website design performs on the Rank Math SEO Analyzer tool.
Once again green is good and you want the site in question to pass as many of the 21 tests as possible.
FAQ’s Hiring a Web Design Agency or Company
What information should I get from my web designer before hiring them?
Before hiring a web designer, always request a detailed proposal of their services and an estimated project timeframe. Also, consider reviewing the article The Ugly Truth! 14 Signs Your Web Design Company is Clueless About SEO!
How much does a web designer charge?
The cost varies depending on the project scope, duration, and the designer’s experience. On average, web design services range from £250 to £2,500.
What information should be considered when checking a web designer’s SEO ability?
When assessing a website’s SEO, consider elements like URL structure, meta information, headings, content, and accessibility for crawlers. You should also consider mobile-friendliness and page loading speed.
Are there any advanced tools for evaluating a web designer’s SEO capabilities?
Yes, there are several useful paid tools available. SEO audit tools like SEMRush or Ahrefs can assess a website’s SEO health and compare it to competitors.
What are the benefits of working with a local web designer?
Working with a local web designer has several advantages. It allows for face-to-face meetings, fostering better communication and a closer client-designer relationship. Moreover, local web designers are likely to be more familiar with local SEO trends and insights.
How do I find a web designer or web design company?
The easiest way to find a web designer or company in Stroud for example is to use online search tools such as Google. You can search for ‘web designer Stroud’ or use a more specific query such as ‘freelance web designer Stroud’. You can also check out local directories and forums for recommendations from other web professionals in the area.
Contact Stroud Valley SEO for Professional SEO-Friendly Web Design!
Don’t settle for any web designer. I specialise in creating stunning websites that look great and are optimised for Google. My web design services will make your business stand out and attract more customers. Whether you need a custom website design for your business or a sleek e-commerce platform to boost sales, I’ve got you covered. My designs are tailored to meet your needs and exceed your expectations.
Maximise your marketing efforts with Stroud Valley SEO, where I understand SEO’s importance and its impact on your business growth.
Take the first step towards online success – contact me today and let’s discuss creating the right website for your business!