When building a website, most people focus on the look—colors, fonts, and flashy animations. But what if I told you that no matter how beautiful your site is, it won’t matter if people can’t find it on Google?
That’s where SEO-friendly website design comes in. Whether you’re doing it yourself or working with a website development company in Dubai, this guide will walk you through step-by-step how to build a website that both looks great and ranks high.
And if you’re looking for a partner who gets both design and SEO right, you’ll see why Devherds is known as the best web development company in Dubai.
What Is SEO-Friendly Website Design?
An SEO-friendly website is built so search engines can crawl, index, and rank it effectively. But it also ensures users have a great experience—fast loading, mobile responsiveness, and easy navigation.
Think of it like this: a regular website is like a beautiful shop in the middle of a forest. An SEO-friendly one? That shop is right on the highway, with signs pointing to it from miles away.
Why SEO-Friendly Design Matters
It’s not just about rankings—it’s about visibility, usability, and growth. Here’s what you gain from an SEO-friendly site:
- Higher Google rankings
- More organic traffic
- Better user experience
- Faster page speed
- Increased conversion rates
That’s why leading web design companies in Dubai, especially Devherds, make SEO a built-in part of every project.
Step 1: Start with a Solid Website Structure
A clean, logical site structure helps both users and search engines find what they need. Here’s what a good structure looks like:
- Clear navigation
- Pages grouped by topic (silos)
- Logical hierarchy (Home → Services → Web Development)
Use internal linking between related pages to boost SEO even more. Devherds, a smart website developer in Dubai, uses this strategy in every project.
Step 2: Use a Mobile-First Design
Google prioritizes mobile-first indexing. That means your mobile version is what gets indexed and ranked first—not your desktop version.
Mobile-first means:
- Responsive design
- Touch-friendly buttons
- No horizontal scrolling
This is non-negotiable in 2025, and something every web development company Dubai worth hiring should already do. (Spoiler: Devherds does it perfectly.)
Step 3: Optimize Page Speed
Page speed is a direct Google ranking factor. Plus, a faster site keeps users happy and reduces bounce rates.
Ways to improve speed:
- Compress images
- Minify CSS, JS, HTML
- Use caching plugins
- Choose fast hosting
- Implement lazy loading
At Devherds, site speed is baked into every project, making them a trusted web development company in Dubai for performance-focused clients.
Step 4: Create SEO-Friendly URLs
URLs should be clean, readable, and keyword-rich. Avoid long, messy strings of numbers or special characters.
Bad:www.example.com/page?id=12345
Good:www.example.com/seo-friendly-web-design
Simple, right? This helps both users and search engines know what the page is about instantly.
Step 5: Use Proper HTML Tags and Structure
HTML structure isn’t just for developers—it’s key for SEO. Use:
<h1>
for main titles (only one per page)<h2>
and<h3>
for subheadings<p>
for text content<alt>
tags for images
This tells search engines what’s important on the page. It also improves accessibility—an often-overlooked SEO booster.
Step 6: Optimize All On-Page Elements
Great design meets smart content. Here’s what to optimize:
- Title tags: Include your main keyword
- Meta descriptions: Summarize the page clearly
- Image alt texts: Describe images with keywords
- Internal links: Connect related pages
This is where the real SEO magic happens, and why hiring a full-service website development company in Dubai like Devherds pays off.
Step 7: Write Keyword-Rich, High-Quality Content
Design pulls users in, but content keeps them there—and converts. Make sure every page has at least 300–500 words of relevant, useful text.
Tips:
- Use your target keyword naturally
- Answer common user questions
- Avoid keyword stuffing
- Use synonyms and variations
At Devherds, copywriting is part of the design strategy—not an afterthought.
Step 8: Optimize for Core Web Vitals
Core Web Vitals are Google’s user-focused performance metrics. They include:
- LCP (Largest Contentful Paint): Load speed
- FID (First Input Delay): Interactivity
- CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift): Visual stability
Pass these tests and you’ll be rewarded with better rankings. Fail, and your competition wins. Devherds takes Core Web Vitals seriously in every site they build.
Step 9: Ensure Crawlability and Indexing
Make sure search engines can find and read your website. You need:
- A clean robots.txt file
- An XML sitemap
- A search console setup
This is technical SEO—but it’s vital. If you’re not sure how to do it, work with experts like Devherds, a trusted web design company in Dubai.
Step 10: Secure Your Website (HTTPS)
Google confirmed that HTTPS is a ranking signal. Users also trust secure sites more.
Make sure your site has:
- An SSL certificate
- HTTPS redirection
- Secure headers (like HSTS)
Security and SEO go hand in hand. Any serious web developer in Dubai should make HTTPS a standard feature.
Step 11: Build with Clean, Semantic Code
Search engines love well-structured, readable code. Avoid messy inline styles or overuse of JavaScript. Use semantic HTML5 elements:
<header>
,<footer>
,<article>
,<section>
This not only helps SEO but improves maintainability and accessibility. At Devherds, clean code is a core part of development culture.
Step 12: Integrate Social Sharing Features
While social signals aren’t a direct SEO factor, they influence visibility and traffic.
Make it easy for users to:
- Share content on social platforms
- Like and comment on blog posts
- Follow your business pages
This builds authority and engagement, both of which help with rankings indirectly.
Step 13: Make Navigation Simple and Intuitive
Easy navigation helps users explore your site and reduces bounce rates. Google picks up on those behaviors.
Tips:
- Keep the main menu simple
- Use breadcrumb navigation
- Add a clear call-to-action (CTA)
Devherds, a user-focused web development company in Dubai, is known for creating intuitive navigation systems that also boost SEO.
Step 14: Use Schema Markup
Schema tells search engines more about your content—like product info, reviews, FAQs, and more. This can boost your visibility through rich snippets.
Example:
htmlCopyEdit<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "How to Create an SEO-Friendly Website Design",
"author": "Devherds"
}
</script>
Advanced? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely. Done by Devherds? Every time.
Conclusion: Design for People and Rank for Google
An SEO-friendly website doesn’t mean stuffing keywords or compromising design. It means creating a site that’s easy to use, fast to load, and loved by search engines.
If you’re building from scratch, follow these steps. But if you want it done right the first time—with style, speed, and SEO—partner with Devherds, the best website development company in Dubai. They combine stunning design with airtight technical SEO to give you a competitive edge online.