What Makes a Website SEO-Friendly? A Checklist for Small Business Owners
When it comes to building an online presence, most small business owners know that "SEO" is important. But what does it really mean for your website to be SEO-friendly? And more importantly, how can your web design help your ability to rank in search results?
SEO shouldn’t be an afterthought. A well-designed website can lay the foundation for long-term success by helping your customers find you when it matters most. Here at Third Eye, we’ve compiled a checklist to help you evaluate your SEO, or build it from scratch.
1. Mobile-First Design
Today, most searches happen on smartphones. Google now indexes the mobile version of your site first. As a result, an effective website must:
Load correctly on all screen sizes — phones, tablets, etc.
Avoid tiny text or hard-to-click buttons
Offer a seamless experience across devices
Tip: There’s a number of online tools that let you preview and test your website’s responsiveness based on screen sizes (e.g., BrowserStack, Responsinator, etc.). Depending on your website editor, this functionality may also be built-in.
2. Fast Page Load Speeds
Users (and search engines) expect websites to load in under three seconds. Slow sites will frustrate visitors but also get penalized in search rankings. Therefore, it’s vital for you to:
Optimize images and media files
Minimize use of heavy scripts and plugins
Use reliable hosting and a content delivery network (CDN) if needed
3. Clear Site Structure
Both users and search engines need to understand how your website is organized. Without a clear navigation throughout your website, you’re also—broadly speaking—doing your business a disservice. Instead:
Use logical navigation menus
Create a sitemap for search engines (some website editors may do this for you)
Group related content together in meaningful categories
In other words: Think of your website like a bookstore. If a customer can’t find what they’re looking for, they leave.
4. SEO Basics in the Code
Your site's behind-the-scenes details make a difference.
Use proper heading tags (H1, H2, H3) to structure and organize content — be consistent with how these are used
Add alt text for images
Include meta titles and descriptions for every page
Ensure clean, readable URLs (e.g., yoursite.com/about vs yoursite.com/aboutourstoryandmeetthe-team23-40015-v2 )
Why are these so important? These small tweaks add up to make your site "understandable" to search engines.
5. Quality Content That Serves a Purpose
At the end of the day, no amount of technical SEO can replace the value of great content.
Create pages that answer real customer questions, like FAQ pages
Update your content regularly and consistently
Focus on helpful, original writing rather than stuffing keywords — particularly nowadays, search engines know how to penalize this.
Tip: A simple blog or resource section can make a huge difference over time.
6. Secure and Accessible
Trust matters online. Google favors websites that are secure and accessible to all users.
Install an SSL certificate (your site should show "https")
Design with accessibility in mind (e.g., readable fonts, color contrast)
And yes: Security isn't just for e-commerce sites. Even informational websites need to protect user data.
Why Design and SEO Go Hand in Hand
Many businesses underestimate the power of their website — likely because it hasn’t been optimized before. In reality, your website is an ultra-powerful tool to attract and convert visitors. Great design and strong SEO practices aren't separate efforts; when planned together, they multiply your chances of success.
At Third Eye, we specialize in creating custom websites that are not only beautiful but built to perform. From intuitive layouts to technical SEO foundations, we help small businesses set themselves up for sustainable online growth.
Want to see how SEO friendly your current site is? Contact us for a free evaluation.
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