SEO, or “Search Engine Optimisation,” is the process of improving your website's visibility in search engines like Google. As a graphic designer or website owner, you might worry that some platforms are better for SEO than others, including Rocketspark.
Here’s the truth: while platforms vary, the differences aren’t as significant as you might think. Rocketspark is excellent for SEO, but the quality of your content and design, along with proper SEO practices, truly make the difference.
Shaun Kirkham, Olympic gold medal-winning rower and owner of web design business SK Digital, supports this by saying, “Rocketspark does a fantastic job of walking you through how to get the most out of your website’s SEO. The platform has inbuilt tools such as Flint, which uses clever and simple AI to guide the designer into optimising their website for Google.”
It’s not the platform but how you use it that counts
First things first, you can create high-ranking websites with Rocketspark. It’s not the platform but how you use it that counts. Every platform, including Rocketspark, gives you the tools to optimise your site for search engines. But even the best tools won’t help if your content isn’t good and your site isn’t well-organised.
High-quality content is key for SEO. Google loves fresh, relevant, and valuable content. A well-designed site with engaging content will always perform better than a poorly designed site. Focus on creating content that resonates with your audience.
Andrew Roughton, Head of SEO at Duoplus (a Google Partner), has worked with all the major web platforms and notes, “Duoplus has clients absolutely dominating their industry using Rocketspark, ranking #1 and #2 for all their keywords. I have private clients using Rocketspark, who are not doing ongoing SEO, but who are still featuring very high in search engines simply because the site was optimised.”
David Remmerswaal from Dimple Digital, a digital marketer with significant experience in WordPress websites, has recently been building websites on Rocketspark. Dimple is an official Google Partner and David shares his insights:
"Building a custom WordPress website that performs well in search engines requires knowing which plugins to choose, how to configure them, and the ongoing effort of keeping them updated. If you're not an SEO specialist, this can be overwhelming.
Rocketspark, on the other hand, is built with SEO best practices in mind right from the start. It's designed to be user-friendly, so you can get great results without needing to be an SEO expert."
Rocketspark’s own website uses Rocketspark
Did you know that Rocketspark’s own website is built using the Rocketspark platform? We use the same tools and features to ensure our site is well-optimised for SEO. This firsthand experience proves our platform works, delivering results for both you and us.
And we’re getting results. With over 1.5 million Google search impressions in the last year, we’re ranking well for competitive keyword phrases and specific article topics alike. (A search impression is when a page from your website shows up in search results.)
Do the fundamentals of SEO well on Rocketspark
SEO expert Sam Frost believes that SEO is less complicated than it seems.
Sam shares that “The main thing to understand is that Rocketspark as a website design and build platform is equipped with all the tools you need from an on-page SEO perspective to be able to build websites that rank highly in Google.”
He likens Google's search algorithm to KFC's secret herbs and spices—a bit of a mystery, but understandable when broken down. Essentially, Google focuses on two main components: on-page factors and off-page factors.
On-page SEO involves picking keywords that align with your business, like "golf lessons Christchurch." Frost explains, "This includes a range of factors such as how your content is written and structured and the extent to which you use your focus keywords in the content, how you use concepts such as SEO titles and descriptions to deliberately inform Google what your page(s) are about, and how your pages are interlinked to make it easier for Google to understand the context of your site.”
Off-page SEO focuses on getting other websites to link to yours. These links are like 'votes of confidence' for Google. "Off-page SEO is about other websites linking to yours. Quality links boost your site's credibility," says Frost.
User experience matters
When it comes to SEO, user experience (UX) is key. Google’s ranking algorithms favour websites that are easy to navigate and provide valuable content. As long as the user experience of your page is under 2 or 3 seconds, you’re fine. Andrew Roughton adds, “I’ve heard Google say it’s more of a penalty factor than a rank-boosting factor – that is, there is a minimum threshold to meet to stay ranked, but at some point, making it faster won’t help you rank higher. Just do the obvious things and don’t sweat it.”
How important is pagespeed?
John Mueller from Google has also highlighted that while page loading speed is important, it’s not the be-all and end-all of SEO, “we focus on the difference between something that is reasonably okay and something that is very slow…But, what you don’t tend to see is big ranking changes overall for that but rather you would see changes for queries where we have similar content in the search results. If someone is searching for your company name, we would not show some random blog just because it was a little bit faster instead of your home page. We would show your home page even if it’s very slow. On the other hand, if someone is searching for “running shoes,” and there are lots of people writing about running shoes, then this is where the speed aspect does play a bit more of a role”.
But how does Rocketspark fare in this space? Andrew Roughton shares: “Most of the factors that cause speed issues like caching, HTTP requests, etc., are managed incredibly well by Rocketspark – as good as any platform I’ve worked on. The biggest issue is large images, especially near the top of the page. Get them down to 100-300kb and everything speeds up.”
Beyond traffic: conversion matters
Getting traffic to your website is only part of the puzzle. You also need to make sure your site is effective at converting that traffic into customers or clients. This means having clear calls to action, engaging content, and a seamless user experience. Rocketspark helps you achieve this with its intuitive design features and robust support.
Conclusion
While website platforms differ in SEO, the differences aren't as significant as many think. Rocketspark stands out as one of the best. The real magic happens with high-quality content, good design, and a focus on user experience. With Rocketspark, you’re equipped to create a site that ranks well and converts visitors into loyal customers.
Ready to see what Rocketspark can do for your website’s SEO? Give it a try and let your content and design shine! 🚀
Key takeaways and recommendations
To ensure your website is well optimised, consider the following tips:
Use Rocketspark’s Flint SEO Tools: Rocketspark’s Flint uses clever and simple AI to guide you in optimising your website for Google. This is the easiest and most affordable DIY approach to SEO.
Refer to Rocketspark's SEO Guide: Check out Rocketspark's SEO guide for detailed advice and best practices. There’s a lot of information here but if you follow it methodically and put in the effort it can be key to an effective ranking.
Work with an SEO Specialist: Collaborate with a company that specialises in SEO to get expert advice and tailored strategies. This is a more expensive option than doing it yourself.
Hire a Professional Writer: Use a professional writer who understands SEO to create high-quality, engaging content for your site. As content is such a key factor, you’re getting SEO and text content that’s effective for conversion all in one.
Upskill as a Designer: Learn more about SEO best practices and incorporate them into your design process. This will help you create websites that perform well in search engines.
Monitor Website Conversion: Keep an eye on your website’s conversion rates to ensure you’re not losing potential customers. Make sure your site has clear calls to action and provides a seamless user experience.
By following these recommendations, you can ensure your Rocketspark website is well optimised and ready to rank highly in search engine results.
