Content Layout - What It Is and Why It’s Important
When it comes to web design, the layout of your website content is just as important as the content itself. It should be visually appealing, easy to navigate, and optimized for search engines. But why is layout so important? Let’s take a closer look at what makes website layout so critical.
User Experience Matters
When someone visits your website, they should be able to easily find what they’re looking for with minimal effort. In fact, visitors feel more relaxed, and as a result more likely to read through your offers, if your website looks a bit like everyone else’s.
Visitors to your website expect to find a menu, a description or list of services, and a way to contact you - all in the top fold of your website. In a recent article, Squarespace explains that people visiting your website will feel more comfortable if elements of content are where they expect them to be. No one opens a restaurant and puts the check-in stand at the back of the establishment–it’s usually located by the front door. Just as the placement of key elements matters to a physical business, it’s equally as important to website elements.
For example, your navigation. This is where people expect to find a menu of all the pages on your site. Imagine visiting a website that does not have a menu at the top of the page somewhere. If you had time to explore, you might continue but it’s very likely you’re busy and will bounce away from the site looking for a better landing spot.
A good website layout helps ensure that visitors can quickly find the information they want without becoming frustrated or overwhelmed. Your layout should guide users in the right direction with simple navigation menus, logical page layouts, and clear calls-to-action (CTAs).
And don’t worry! Even with good content layout design in mind, we can still use design and branding in a way that makes your company website unique.
Search Engine Optimization
In addition to user experience, website layout also plays a major role in how well your site ranks in search engine results pages (SERPs). Search engine algorithms use various ranking factors to determine which sites are most relevant for each query. Site structure and page hierarchy can influence these rankings by sending signals about the topics covered on each page and how those pages are connected. Poorly structured sites can make it harder for search engines to crawl and index pages correctly, resulting in lower visibility in SERPs.
Mobile Optimization
More than half of all web traffic now comes from mobile devices, which means you need a website that looks great regardless of screen size or device type. Responsive design is a must if you want your site to be accessible on any device or platform. This involves creating a flexible layout that adjusts automatically based on the size of the user’s screen – no matter if it’s an iPhone XS or an Android tablet. With a responsive design, you don’t have to worry about users missing out on important content because it doesn't fit their device's display properly!
Keeping up with changes in technology and user behavior is essential if you want your business to thrive online. At Goodwin Creative, we understand that website content layout need to be tailored specifically towards providing an excellent user experience while optimizing for search engines and mobile devices alike. Investing time into optimizing your site's structure will go a long way towards ensuring that potential customers can find what they're looking for easily.
Making sure your website has an awesome content layout is absolutely worth doing - not only will it improve usability and SEO performance but also help boost conversions too!
One of the services Goodwin Creative offers is great content layout design, a result of over 30 years in the business of web design. Connect with us today for a quotation on your project.
