What Makes a Website “SEO-Friendly” 7 Key Elements

Some websites are absolutely stunning–sleek design, bold colors, gorgeous fonts. But as impressive as they may look to visitors, they might be telling a very different story to search engines.

And that story could be:

•  “I have no idea what this site is about.”
•  “This page loads too slowly to bother ranking.”
•  “This site isn’t answering any real questions.”

The truth is, Google doesn’t rank websites based on visual appeal. It ranks based on structure, content quality, speed, and how helpful your site is to users. In other words: if your website is all looks but no substance (at least in the eyes of the algorithm), it may never show up when it matters most.

So what makes a site truly SEO-friendly?

In this guide, we’ll show you the 7 foundational elements that help your website make a real connection–not just with your audience, but with the search engines that help them find you. We’ll also walk through how to do SEO, give you smart website optimization tips, and explain how to rank on Google with content that works both on screen and under the hood.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process of improving your website so that it ranks higher on search engines like Google. Specifically in the unpaid, organic search results.

Why should that matter to you?

Because most people don’t click on ads. They scroll down to the real, trusted results–the ones that earned their rank through relevance, content quality, and a good user experience.

That is where you need website marketing through SEO. Instead of shouting “look at me!” through paid promotions, SEO helps your ideal audience discover you naturally when they’re already looking for what you offer.

At Perlee Digital, we describe it like this:

• Without SEO: Your website is a brochure handed to people who already know you.
• With SEO: It’s a glowing billboard in the middle of the busiest highway online–visible to people who are actively searching for what your business offers.

If you want your website to show up, it needs more than good design. It needs structure. Clarity. Speed. And content that actually serves your visitors.

Here are the 7 key elements to build a website that ranks and converts.

1. Mobile Responsiveness

Over 60% of searches come from mobile devices. If your site doesn’t look or function properly on a phone, Google will likely drop you in rankings.

Quick fix: Use a responsive design and test your site on multiple screen sizes. Try Google’s Mobile Friendly Test to see how your site performs.

2. Fast Loading Speed

Slow sites frustrate users and signal poor quality to search engines.

Website optimization tips:

• Compress large image files
• Minimize plugins and third-party scripts
• Use tools like PageSpeed Insights to get speed suggestions

3. Secure and Accessible Website (HTTPS)

Google prefers secure sites with a valid SSL certificate. If your site still runs on HTTP, you’re not just risking security. You’re losing trust and ranking potential.

Also important:

• Use clean, simple URLs
• Set up an XML sitemap and robots.txt to help Google understand your site structure

4. Keyword Optimization

Keywords are what users type into Google–like “how to rank on Google” or “website marketing tips.”

To rank well, your site must include those keywords naturally in:

• Titles and meta descriptions
• Headings (H1, H2, etc.)
• Image alt text
• Body content

Pro tip: Avoid keyword stuffing. Aim for clarity, not clutter. Think of keywords as guideposts, not the entire message.

5. High-Quality, Relevant Content

Beautiful design won’t save you if your content doesn’t serve a purpose.

Google’s goal is to answer users’ questions, so your website should, too.

At Perlee Digital, we helped Park Tavern (a popular Atlanta restaurant) rank #4 for the keyword “sports bar” –a term with 673K monthly searches. How? Not by paying for ads, but by publishing blog content that actually helped users.

Beginner content tips:

• Create a blog and publish regularly
• Answer common customer questions
• Keep your pages updated with accurate information

6. Excellent User Experience (UX)

A cluttered, confusing website causes people to leave quickly and sends bad signals to Google.

To create great UX:

• Use clear navigation
• Make buttons and links easy to find
• Use whitespace and simple formatting
• Keep your design consistent and distraction-free

Remember: a user-friendly site is an SEO-friendly site.

7. On-Page SEO Essentials

These are the small details that help Google understand what your pages are about.

Don’t skip:

• Unique page titles & meta descriptions
• Header tags that structure content (like this post!)
• Image alt text for accessibility and SEO

Internal links to connect pages and guide users

If your business serves a specific region or neighborhood, local SEO is essential.

Start here:

• Set up and verify your Google Business Profile
• Get listed on local directories (Yelp, Bing Places, etc.)
• Collect and respond to customer reviews

As you build your SEO-friendly foundation, watch out for these pitfalls:

• Keyword stuffing or using irrelevant keywords
• Ignoring mobile performance
• Thin or duplicate content
• Relying only on ads
• Forgetting to monitor performance

Here’s how to get started, even if you’re not a tech expert:

1. Run your site through Google Search Console
2. Research 3–5 keywords your audience searches for
3. Optimize your homepage and top service pages with those terms
4. Publish your first blog post focused on a common customer question
5. Track progress monthly and keep improving

At Perlee Digital, we’ve helped brands transform their sites from beautiful-but-buried to high-ranking lead generators. We focus on organic SEO that blends creativity and data, because we believe marketing is both an art and a science.

We don’t use gimmicks or shortcuts. Just thoughtful, proven strategies that work–and we have the results to back it up.

It’s not enough to impress your visitors. Your website needs to make a meaningful connection with the algorithms that decide what gets seen.

Visit Perlee Digital for more website optimization tips, or book a consultation to create a website that’s beautifully designed, strategically optimized, and built to rank.

Your future customers are searching for you–let’s make sure they find you.