It’s a story we see too often. A brand invests time, energy and budget into a new website. The design looks great. The build is smooth. Everyone signs it off. Then it launches…and nothing happens.
Traffic drops. Rankings disappear. Leads slow down.
And suddenly, the question is “why isn’t this working?”
Most of the time, the answer is the same “SEO wasn’t part of the process from the start”.
the problem
seo and web design treated as separate projects
There’s a common misconception that SEO is something you “add on” after a website is built. In reality, that’s where things start to go wrong. SEO isn’t just researching and adding in keywords. SEO includes the structure of a website, the UX (user experience), UI (user interface), navigation (think menu and the 3 click rule), the content, images, and more.
When SEO, UX, design and development run as separate workstreams, you often end up with:
- A website that looks good but doesn’t perform
- Content that isn’t aligned to search intent
- Site structures that don’t support ranking
- Missed opportunities for conversion and tracking
It’s not about poor design or development. It’s about the order in which decisions are made.
so, what happens when seo comes in late?
When SEO is brought in after design or development has started, things get messy (and expensive). Things we’ve seen:
1. site structure decided too late
Pages are built before keyword research is done, meaning URLs, hierarchy and navigation need reworking. Missed website goals, everyone has a main goal for their site, it could be to get enquiries, buy a product, download something, and if this isn’t known at the start of the web build process, your business objectives can get lost in the website. We want them prominent and easy to find to help increase those conversions.
2. content written without search intent
Content gets created based on assumptions, not data. Then has to be rewritten later to align with what people are actually searching. And content writing isn’t a quick job!
3. technical issues in the build
What do we mean by “technical issues”? Things like:
- Poor page speed
- Weak internal linking
- Indexing issues
- Missing metadata
All harder (and costlier) to fix after launch.
4. tracking and conversions missed
Forms go live without:
- Conversion tracking
- Analytics setup
- Clear goals
- Testing
Which means you can’t measure what’s working, because you don’t know.
5. scope creep begins
This is the big one! Suddenly the project includes:
- Extra development time
- Design revisions
- Content rewrites
- SEO fixes
What should have been part of the original process becomes additional time, cost, and frustration for everyone involved.
why "just try it" won't work
We’ve all heard it “let’s just try this and see what it looks like.” It sounds harmless. Creative perhaps. But without strategy behind it, it leads to:
- Inconsistent design decisions
- Scope creep (more money spent)
- Confusing user journeys
- Poor UX (user experience)
- Missed conversion opportunities
Every element of a high-performing website should have a purpose:
- Layout
- Navigation
- Content
- Keywords
- Design
- CTAs (call to actions)
Good website design isn’t guesswork, it’s informed by data, user behaviour and clear objectives This is how we know what works, and what doesn’t.
what happens when seo is involved at the start
When SEO is built into the project from day one, everything changes. Instead of reacting, you’re planning with purpose.
clear site structure from the start
Keyword research informs:
- Page hierarchy
- Navigation
- URL structure
No rework needed later.
content that's built to rank
Each page is created with:
- A clear target keyword
- Defined search intent
- Structured headings
This supports both SEO performance and UX (user experience).
better ux and ui decisions
SEO data highlights:
- What users are searching for
- How they navigate
- What they expect to find
This feeds directly into UX design and UI design, creating smoother journeys and better engagement.
technical seo built in (not added on)
Things like:
- Page speed
- Mobile responsiveness
- Crawlability
- Sitemaps
- Image alt tags
- Image formats
- Indexing
These are all handled during development and not fixed afterwards.
conversion tracking (from day one)
Forms, buttons, downloads, and any key actions that are applicable to your business objective are tracked properly from launch. No guesswork.
the bigger picture
a website that actually performs
When all the digital services come together, SEO, design, and development work, combined with graphic design, means you’ll get a platform that:
- Ranks in search engines
- Engages users
- Converts visitors into leads
- Supports ongoing marketing activity
Winning. That’s the difference between a website that exists and a website that actually works.
why accessibility should be included
Accessibility is often treated like SEO used to be, something to “review later” once the website is built. But just like SEO, leaving accessibility until the end creates the same problems:
- Extra development time
- Design rework
- Increased costs
- Missed opportunities to reach more users
- Scope creep
- Delays
- Added cost
And more importantly, it can exclude people from using your website altogether.
what do we mean by accessibility?
Accessibility means making your website usable for as many people as possible, including those with:
- Visual impairments
- Motor difficulties
- Cognitive differences
- Temporary limitations (like a broken arm or poor internet connection)
What does this look like for a website build though? It means you need to make sure you cover things like:
- Clear colour contrast
- Readable font sizes
- Logical navigation
- Keyboard friendly functionality
- Screen reader compatibility
- Clear hover states
why accessibility is important in a web design build
The easiest way to say it is good implemented accessibility, means better UX (user experience) for everyone. Accessibility doesn’t just benefit a small group of users. It improves the experience for everyone. Accessible websites are typically:
- Easier to navigate
- Faster to use
- Clearer to understand
- More structured for search engines
Which means accessibility naturally supports:
- Better user experience (UX)
- SEO performance (so your new website actually gets seen)
- Conversion rates (usually the main goal)
key points
Fixing a website after launch is always more expensive than building it properly in the first place. More time. More cost. More frustration. More ad hoc work which could mean communications get lost in translation. Starting with the correct SEO in place doesn’t slow things down, it prevents problems before they happen.
And ultimately, it creates websites that don’t just look the part…but actually deliver results.
If you want to find out whether your website is built correctly, or you’re looking for a new build, we’re happy to chat about your project.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Should SEO be done before building a website?
Yes. SEO should always be done before and during a website build, not after. It informs site structure, content, keywords and user journeys, helping your website rank and perform from day one. Adding SEO later often leads to rework, delays and extra costs.
2. What happens if you don't include SEO in a website build?
If SEO isn’t included from the start, your website may struggle to rank on search engines, attract the wrong audience, or miss key conversion opportunities. Fixing these issues later often requires redesigning pages, rewriting content, additional development work, and therefore, more costs.
3. Is UX and accessibility important for SEO?
Yes. Good UX (user experience) and accessibility make your website easier to use, faster to navigate and more inclusive. Search engines prioritise websites that provide a positive user experience, so strong UX and accessible design can directly improve your SEO performance and rankings.
4. How do you build an SEO friendly website from the start?
An SEO friendly website can start with with keyword research, clear site structure wireframe designs, optimised content, fast load speeds and mobile responsiveness. It also includes accessibility, technical SEO setup and conversion tracking from the beginning to make sure long-term performance.
