You’ve invested in a beautiful website, but your Google rankings are still underwhelming. What gives? The truth is, SEO and web design are deeply connected — and poor design choices can silently destroy your rankings.
If you’re a business in Vancouver or anywhere in Canada, here are 10 common web design mistakes that could be hurting your visibility in search results — and how to fix them.
1. No Mobile Responsiveness
Google uses mobile-first indexing, meaning it primarily evaluates your mobile version for ranking. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, it’s likely losing both traffic and search engine trust.
Fix: Use responsive design and test regularly on real devices.
2. Slow Page Speed
A slow-loading website frustrates users and hurts your SEO. Google has clearly stated that page speed is a ranking factor.
Fix: Optimize images, use proper caching, and consider lightweight themes or CDNs.
3. Poor Navigation Structure
If your menu is confusing or buried in submenus, it’s bad for both users and search engines. Google relies on clear internal linking and logical structure to understand your content.
Fix: Use clean menus, consistent hierarchy, and a sitemap.
4. Missing H1 or Improper Header Tags
Some designers forget to use proper heading tags, or overuse H1s. This confuses search engines and weakens your content’s clarity.
Fix: Use only one H1 per page, and organize the rest with H2, H3, etc.
5. Non-SEO-Friendly URLs
URLs like maplewebdesign.ca/page?id=123 offer no context to users or search engines.
Fix: Use clean, descriptive slugs like maplewebdesign.ca/seo-pricing-vancouver.
6. Using Text as Images
Designers sometimes create entire text blocks inside images — which Google can’t read.
Fix: Always use HTML text for content. Save images for design, not message delivery.
7. Overuse of Animations and Popups
Heavy use of popups, auto-play videos, and entry animations slow down your site and distract users — which increases bounce rate and hurts rankings.
Fix: Use animations sparingly and ensure popups are not intrusive.
8. Lack of Image Optimization
Large, uncompressed images can slow your site and affect Core Web Vitals, key metrics Google uses for ranking.
Fix: Compress images, use proper formats (like WebP or AVIF), and always include alt text.
9. Not Using Schema Markup
Without schema, Google may not fully understand your content, missing opportunities like rich results or better categorization.
Fix: Use basic schema (local business, article, product) on key pages.
10. Ignoring Accessibility
SEO and accessibility overlap. If your site isn’t accessible, you risk losing both users and rankings.
Fix: Use proper contrast, alt text, focus indicators, and semantic HTML.
Design is more than aesthetics — it directly impacts SEO, user experience, and ultimately, your success. At Maple Web Design, we create websites that don’t just look great but also perform well on search engines.
Need help fixing your SEO-damaging design issues?
Contact us or explore our Website Redesign Services in Vancouver.
