History of the internet
Internet in the United States got its start as a way for scientists and researchers to communicate during the Cold War. Thanks to international collaboration from nations such as the United Kingdom and France, computer scientists developed the internet into what it is today, building on the data-sharing platform to create an information system containing a series of interlinked documents: the World Wide Web. Today, the internet has a hand in almost every aspect of human life. For years, despite growing importance, web pages were not particularly aesthetically pleasing, and search engine optimization was not something many people had heard of. Today, it could not be more important.
Importance of design
Design not only makes websites look fantastic, but it also aids search engine optimization — explained fully later — and helps visitors navigate successfully and easily. Web design should be eye-catching: from designing a logo to filling it with engaging and original content, the layout of a site should take the visitor’s attention precisely where you want it. This ability to draw the reader’s attention will help generate leads and increase sales, as excellent web design should show them where to click to find your products and services, as well as how to get answers to any queries they might have. A website that is not well designed could be attempting to sell a truly brilliant product, but if the images and navigation are poor or unclear and the product descriptions are bad, then sales are naturally going to be low.
What is SEO?
To make the most of an excellent website, SEO should be a priority. Optimizing a website for search engines means it will appear higher up the results pages of Google, for example, meaning more visitors find their way onto the website. This is aided through the use of keywords, having businesses registered with Google, uploading new and original content to the website, and having a high number of internal and external links within, and coming to, the website. This is all aided by a web design that facilitates such practices.
Telling a good website from a bad one
Generally speaking, a good website must look brilliant. No matter how functional and smooth operating it is, if it looks terrible then visitors will not stay. It should also keep customers on web pages for longer, both through engaging content and by containing internal links that allows the reader to click around the same website.
In summary
To summarize, the internet has come a long way from simply being a method of communication. It now runs businesses and has nuances such as SEO that cannot be ignored if one is to be successful. Excellent web design and SEO go hand in hand, and, without either, a website is unlikely to fulfill its potential.
