Has Your Website Been Dropping from the Ranks? You Might Need a Redesign

1988

16 Feb, 2024

has-your-website-been-dropping-from-the-ranks-you-might-need-a-redesign

Introduction

Search engine optimization is critical for good rankings. It refers to all the steps you take to make it easy for the search crawlers to find your website. Good rankings are critical for better visibility of the online platform. There is a lot of competition, and everyone is fighting for a position on the top results pages.  

If you have been noticing a drop in the rankings, it may be time for a Redesign. Our article will show you things to look out for. Correcting such mistakes will help you optimize better for the search engines. 

Start by Carrying Out an SEO Audit of the Website

An audit of your website will highlight the critical areas you need to address. With the right tools, you get recommendations on what you can do.  

There are several tools you can use for the audit. Such include Ahrefs, SEMRush, and Moz Pro. Google also has some tools that can give you good pointers. Google search console, Google page speed, and Google Analytics are such tools. 

Several factors will determine your ranking on Google. Let's look at some of the critical components that may determine whether you need a redesign.

1. Your Website Has Poor Page Loading Speeds

One of the most significant determinants of good rankings is page loading speeds. The online user has a lot of content available to them. If they do not get the results they want in one place, they will quickly move on to another. 

Ensure that the page loading speeds are fast. It doesn't matter whether the person is using a desktop appliance or mobile. 

High bounce rates are indicative of a problem on the website. Search engines take notice and penalize you with low rankings. 

There are several steps you can take to increase page loading speeds. Such include:-

  • Optimize images so that they do not take up too much space. You can compress or resize them. It is, however, vital that you maintain the quality. Audiences will not interact with grainy, low res images.  
  •  You have downloaded too many plugins to increase functionality. Remember, each plugin takes up a specific amount of resources. The more plugins and extensions, the higher the demand for space. Delete any plugins that you no longer use. 
  • Cache your pages so that you reduce the page loading time.
  •  Avoid having too many ads and pop-ups.
  •  Check that you are not missing any critical files. Also, ensure that you have used the correct coding language. If, for example, you do not use JavaScript correctly, it can impact the page loading speed.

2. The Experience on Mobile Is Not Good

Mobile optimization is another critical element for ranking. Smartphone penetration into the market is currently at 1.2 billion. Up to 40% of the population will browse the internet on their mobile devices before making purchase decisions. It is essential to ensure a seamless user experience for your audience on such devices. 

Unfortunately, most people concentrate on providing the best UX on desktop devices. To adapt the design to mobile does not work as well. Start with the mobile-first approach when designing a website. 

Getting all the design elements right for a small screen is more challenging. If the designer cracks that brief, it will be easier to export it to larger screen sizes. 

Pay attention to image sizes and apply the use of animations in moderation. What you want is the ease of navigation and functionality, resulting in a good user experience.

3. Your Link Building Efforts Are Faulty

According to LinkDoctor blogger outreach service providers, link building is critical for SEO. Unfortunately, many people struggle with how to do it correctly.  The best advice you could get is to hire a professional if you find that you're struggling. 

Link building is so much more than looking for a website and putting your hyperlink.  There are specific things you must take into consideration.

  • Is the site authoritative - A site with a bad reputation could harm your SEO?
  •  Is your content relevant to the site you are linking to?  A sports article on a website that sells baby products may not have too much value.
  •  Are you buying the links hoping for more visibility?  If yes, you could get yourself into trouble with Google. 
  •  Learn more about the search engine before you create links. Nofollow links, for example, have no value on Google but work well on Bing. 
  • Ensure you use anchor texts with relevant keywords to make it easier for the crawlers to find you

4. Your Web Design Is Outdated and Unappealing

There are certain things that you must have in mind all the time. The first is that human beings are visual creatures. You will attract and keep their attention with aesthetically appealing elements on your website. 

The second thing to have in mind is that audiences are ever-evolving. With the explosion of the digital space, there is so much choice.  The result is you have to contend with lower attention spans.  Further, you have an audience that is more demanding of what you give them.  

Take an honest look at your website. Ask a few people in your circle for their honest feedback.  Budget allowing, consider hiring a web designer to give you feedback on what you currently have.  

If you have an outdated website, it is time to bring it to 2021. There are some amazing trends you can use for a more modern-looking website. If you have a cluttered website, you could consider minimalism.  Combine this with a play on typography, such as customizing the fonts you use.  

 Augmented reality, virtual reality, and 3D allow you to take advantage of the benefits of technology. Animations, GIFS, and Emojis bring in a fun yet interactive aspect to the design.

Key Takeaways and Final Thoughts

Your web design will determine your rankings on the search engines. Start by carrying out a site audit to know the areas you need to correct. Ensure fast page loading speeds and relevant content. Your website should be responsive on all devices. 

Use the latest trends to refresh your site to make it more aesthetically appealing. 

Do work with experts when you need to. Such include web designers for the best advice and ideas. Others are linked blogger outreach service providers for the best link building tactics.

Finally, remember to keep on measuring the performance of your website. It allows you to be proactive in correcting mistakes that could impact rankings. 

Interested in our Web Design & Development Services?
  • Achieve Your Brand Vision
  • Drive Customer Engagement
  • Customize UI for Intuitive Digital Interactions

Leave a Reply

avatar
  Subscribe  
Notify of

Talk to Marketing Expert!