In this post I am sharing the reason why organic SEO strategy is the first thing I do when designing custom websites.
Most people first think about colours, fonts and design layout when getting started with their web design project. But the truth is: a beautiful website without an organic SEO strategy is like hosting a birthday party and forgetting to send out the invites.
That’s why my custom website design process always includes SEO strategy right from the beginning! The entire website, which pages and content we include, are based on SEO keyword research and competitor analysis. This way we know your website will get found because your ideal clients are actively searching for the SEO keywords we optimize your website for.
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TL;DR: Why I Use organic SEO strategy in Website Design
- An organic SEO strategy from just being beautiful to actually being found on the internet!
- Starting SEO early avoids redoing work later and sets up a long-term SEO strategy.
- Why focusing on SEO keyword strategy, content planning, and optimization before designing is so important
- Organic SEO strategies make your site visible in Google search results and AI search tools like ChatGPT and Google’s AI Overview.
- A website that combines design + SEO works harder for your business from day one and provides on-going results; making it one of the best content marketing strategies.
How Website Design and SEO work together
Your website is so much more than just a digital business card or a place people come to get info. It’s a powerful marketing tool that can attract and convert new clients. As you may know, I design and develop websites on Showit. It’s an incredible platform to design creative websites on. However, having a beautiful design customized for your brand doesn’t guarantee visibility.
That’s where organic SEO strategies come in. When your site is structured with the right content, keywords, and information your clients are actually searching for – Google (and now AI search tools) can understand what you do and recommend you to the right people.
Why I include organic SEO strategy in my Showit design process
When I first started my business I was only offering website design services. And to be fair, website design on its own holds a lot of value too.
Some reasons you might want to invest in ONLY website design:
- You’re just starting out and want a place simply to provide information
- It’s a place to send people to book with you/buy from you
- You have a solid marketing strategy elsewhere (socials, etc.) and already have traffic to send to your website
All of these are great reasons to invest in website design alone without paying for a Custom Website and SEO package. Yes, I always say start with SEO from the beginning. However, it’s better to get your website up and running as soon as you can. If you aren’t ready to invest in a full website and SEO package then even just having your website live starts to build domain authority. So whenever you are ready to get started with SEO you will be one step ahead. In that case, starting with a VIP Design Day is a great option for you!
If you know you want to use your website as a marketing tool (which you absolutely should!)
Then it’s a non-negotiable to start with SEO first! I’ve seen it too many times: someone spends months perfecting their design only to realize later that their site doesn’t show up anywhere in search results. Then they have to go back, rework content, and basically rebuild parts of the site.
By including an SEO strategy plan from day one, I help my clients:
- Design and develop a website based on research and data
- Save time and money in the long term
- Create a long-term SEO strategy that grows with their over time.
Design and SEO shouldn’t be thought of separate from one another. They’re the two crucial parts of a well-oiled marketing system.
My step-by-step SEO & Showit design process
Here’s what a blended SEO strategy and website design process look like:
1. SEO keyword strategy
Before I even start thinking about the design layout, I do the research! I use SERanking to do SEO keyword research and competitor analysis. This helps me see what users are actually searching for in relation to the industry and services you are providing. Using this data I build a keyword strategy for SEO and determine what pages and content we need on your website.
2. Content planning
Using the data from our SEO research we map out the structure of your site. I will present what pages I believe we should add to your website and the content within that page. We look at all of this together and I take your suggestions and feedback to build out the content plan for your website.
I’ll help you create an SEO strategy that supports your goals—whether that’s attracting clients to your services, or growing through blogging.
3. Design with SEO keywords top of mind
Every headline, navigation link, and section of your site ties back to your SEO keyword strategy. I do want to mention; yes, we are adding these keywords to optimize for SEO but we want to keep humans top of mind. This means avoid adding keywords if it doesn’t make sense. We want to make sure it’s easy to read and make sense for the user. This is actually a criteria for Google within their Helpful Content Update:
“The helpful content update is a significant change to Google’s algorithm that rewards high-quality, user-focused content in search results and demotes low-quality pages created primarily to rank well in search engines.” – Semrush.
This means designing a site that feels natural to read while also making sense to search engines and AI search.
Client homework
At this point I leave you with some client homework. I create personalized copywriting guides using the SEO research we have done. Your job is to fill out those copywriting guides – this will be the copy (text) on your website. And don’t worry, I make this as easy as possible for you. I tell you exactly what to write on each page and section of your website.
Your client homework includes:
- Write your copy using the personalized copywriting guides
- Upload your images
- Share your branding
Once you’ve completed this I can get started on your website design and development!
5. On-Page SEO Optimization
Your website design layout will be structured with SEO in mind. I add all of the on-page SEO required to optimize your website on Showit, this includes:
- Page Title
- Meta Description
- Share Image
- Image Title and Image Alt Text
- HTML Text Tags
- Page URL
- Page Content
- Internal Linking
If you would like to learn how to add SEO to your Showit website, I have a step by step guide here: Showit SEO: How to Add SEO to Your Showit Website the Right Way
6. Website launch + long-term SEO strategy
Launching your website with SEO from the start sets you up for success. You can leave it at that but if you truly want to use your website as a marketing tool then I highly recommend implementing a Blogging strategy.
Consistently posting to your blog is helpful because:
- You are continuously adding fresh content, keeping your website active.
- Providing valuable information to your users (a part of Google’s Helpful Content update).
- Adding more pages to your website that have the opportunity to rank in search results and AI search.
- Ultimately, you are continuously growing your SEO
Think of it this way: you and your competitor launch an SEO optimized website at the same time. One of you continues to publish consistent blog posts the other doesn’t. The one who is blogging will have a lot more opportunity to show up when your clients are searching for content related to your business. They will also build a loyal audience and community over time as they’re providing free information that’s helping their ideal clients.
They’re also building more trust with search engines and AI search tools by continuously updating their website. It’s honestly the best way to rank for SEO!
And the great thing about Blogging as a part of your marketing strategy is that it has a snowball effect. Your content will continue to grow over time and attract clients for years to come. That’s the greatest ROI you can have on content creation!
Why an SEO strategy plan works best from day one
Full transparency, SEO takes time to start seeing results. It can take anywhere from 6-12 months to start seeing some real results and an increase in organic SEO traffic. But if you are in business for the long-game then this amount of time really isn’t that big of a deal! I bet you would rather invest this time and get long-term ROI!
Because of this I highly recommend starting with SEO from the beginning. This way you can start to build up your SEO over time and start attracting clients sooner than later!
This is especially important now with the rise of AI-driven search. Tools like Google’s AI Overview and ChatGPT pull answers directly from well-optimized sites.
My goal is to make SEO feel cozy and simple for my clients!
SEO doesn’t have to be overwhelming. I break it down into a simple, approachable process to make it feel super cozy for you. Because after all that’s what an Organic SEO Strategy should do for you. Help you build a cozy business where you don’t have to be on all the time. You don’t have to show up daily on social media and use up all your energy on keeping up with trends and algorithms. You can simply optimize your website for SEO and implement blogging as your marketing strategy so you can comfortably and coz-aly grow your biz! (yes, I’m making up words now…)
Think of me as your SEO strategy consulting partner – the person making sure your site gets found while you focus on your business.
This isn’t about becoming an influencer or constantly being online. It’s about being discoverable by the right people, quietly and effectively.
How to get started with SEO in your own website design
If you already have a website and are not ready to invest in a full SEO and website optimizing service, I have a couple of resources for you!
You can do your own SEO keyword research and implement your own on-page SEO on Showit using these guides:
Or, if you’d rather not do it alone, I’d love to help. With my Custom Website and SEO service we’ll launch a custom-designed site with an SEO strategy built in from the very beginning.
FAQ SEO strategy and Showit website design
What is an organic SEO strategy?
An organic SEO strategy is a long-term plan for improving your website’s visibility in search engines without relying on paid ads. It includes keyword research, content creation, site optimization, and ongoing updates.
How do I create an SEO strategy for a new website?
Start by identifying your target audience and researching what they search for. Build your site structure around those keywords, write clear and helpful content, and optimize your pages for SEO from day one.
Do I need SEO strategy consulting if I’m using Showit?
Yes – while Showit makes it easy to design beautiful sites, SEO doesn’t happen automatically. Working with someone who knows both design and SEO ensures your site is set up for success.
What’s the difference between a short-term and long-term SEO strategy?
A short-term strategy focuses on quick wins (like optimizing a few pages), while a long-term SEO strategy is about consistently creating content, building authority, and growing traffic over time.
How does SEO affect AI search tools?
AI-driven search tools (like Google’s AI Overview) pull from websites that clearly answer questions. If your site includes helpful content that explains things like “how to build SEO strategy” step by step, you’re more likely to be featured.
Final thoughts
Your website deserves more than just pretty design – it deserves to be seen. By weaving organic SEO strategy into the design process from the start, we make sure your site becomes a long-term business tool!
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