4 min read 
October 27, 2021Many businesses make the mistake of building a website first and worrying about SEO later. This often leads to wasted time, higher costs, and missed opportunities to rank well on Google and AI-driven search platforms. The truth is, SEO should be part of your website development process from day one.
Here’s why.
1. How Does SEO Improve User Experience?
Search engines reward websites that deliver value to users. User experience is influenced by:
- Easy-to-read, relevant content.
- Clear navigation and logical structure.
- Mobile responsiveness and accessibility.
- Engaging visuals and optimized layouts.
Why This Matters: If you wait until after launch to fix SEO issues, you may need to restructure content or redesign pages — a time-consuming and costly process.
2. Why Should You Optimize Website Speed Early?
Website speed is a direct ranking factor. A slow website:
- Frustrates visitors and increases bounce rates.
- Reduces conversion rates (a 1-second delay can cut conversions by up to 7%).
- Hurts your rankings in Google and AI-powered search engines.
Best Practice: Optimize images, streamline code, and invest in quality hosting during development — not after.
Tools to Use:
3. What Role Do Plugins Play in SEO?
On platforms like WordPress, plugins can make or break your site’s SEO. The right ones:
- Generate structured data and schema markup.
- Create XML sitemaps for crawlers.
- Improve on-page optimization and internal linking.
The wrong ones, however, can slow down your site, cause errors, and hurt rankings.
Why This Matters: Choosing reliable plugins during development ensures your site is SEO-ready from the start.
4. Why Must Websites Be Indexable From Day One?
It’s not uncommon to see beautiful websites that don’t show up in search engines. This often happens when:
- Developers forget to remove “noindex” settings.
- Robots.txt is incorrectly configured.
- The site lacks proper meta tags and sitemaps.
Why This Matters: Without indexability, your site is invisible to search engines — defeating the entire purpose of having a website.
5. How Does SEO Future-Proof Your Website?
When SEO is built into development, you’re not just optimizing for today’s algorithms but also preparing for evolving search trends, including:
- Answer Engine Optimization (AEO): Making your site discoverable in AI-powered search tools.
- Voice Search: Optimizing for conversational queries.
- Core Web Vitals: Prioritizing real-world user experience metrics.
Why This Matters: An SEO-first website is flexible, scalable, and built to perform long term.
Final Thoughts
SEO is not something to “add later.” It must be integrated into your website development process — from platform selection and code quality to speed optimization and indexing settings. By aligning development with SEO, you’ll save time, reduce costs, and give your business the best chance of ranking well.
At SHJ International, we specialize in building SEO-friendly websites that don’t just look good but perform in search. Whether you need a new site or want to optimize your current one, we can help you create a strong digital foundation for growth.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Why should SEO be included in website development?
Because fixing SEO after launch is costly. Building SEO into the process ensures better performance, higher rankings, and improved user experience.
Q2. Does website speed really affect SEO?
Yes. Page speed is a confirmed ranking factor. Faster sites rank better and convert more visitors into customers.
Q3. How do I know if my website is indexable?
Check your robots.txt, meta tags, and use tools like Google Search Console to confirm your site is being crawled and indexed.
Q4. Which plugins are best for WordPress SEO?
Popular choices include Rank Math, Yoast SEO, and AIOSEO. The key is to use trusted plugins sparingly to avoid bloat.
Q5. Can SHJ International make my site SEO-friendly?
Yes. We design and develop custom websites with SEO and AEO best practices baked in, ensuring your site performs from day one.
