SEO for Graphic Designers
& Graphic Design CompaniesWhen business owners need help with print or digital graphic design projects, they use a search engine to find a graphic design company.
Learn how you can use SEO and get more business for your graphic design firm.
Exactly What is SEO?
SEO, short for Search Engine Optimization, helps get your graphic designer company’s website to appear in search engine results when people are searching for keywords like “graphic design company,” “logo design,” “print design” and other terms people enter when searching for graphic design services.
The Cost
What Does SEO for Graphic Designers Cost?
Help from a pro costs between $500-750 (or even more per month), and your actual cost will depend on the scope of the SEO engagement.
Freelancers and small graphic design shops need a more affordable solution. If you have some time to work on your marketing, consider a DIY SEO option for graphic design companies like the one offered by Jess. For $29 per month, you get step-by-step instructions that show you exactly how to optimize your website yourself, analytics tracking that measures your results, and access to “Office Hours” webinars to get tips from our SEO experts
How Does SEO Make My Graphic Designer Company Website Rank Better?
SEO involves making many small changes to the pages on your business website that makes them more likely to rank higher in the search engines. When users type in keywords, they are really asking questions. Pages that answer these questions better, load quickly, securely, and without errors, and are viewed as more trustworthy by search engines are more likely to rank higher.
In theory, it’s pretty straightforward, but it takes time to optimize your graphic design website. It involves:
- Making sure your current website thoroughly describes all of the print and digital design projects you can deliver
- Improving user experience throughout your website
- Showing your website is authoritative and trustworthy
- Developing new content on your website that describes what makes your graphic design business different in more detail or that educates your prospects and customers about design best practices or design trends
The above outcomes are achieved through SEO tactics called on-page optimization, technical SEO, link building, and content development.
On Page Optimization
Keyword Research
On-page optimization involves knowing what terms people use when searching for someone to create graphics or illustrations for a web or print project and making sure you use these words and phrases on your site. The first step is keyword research which helps you know exactly what people are searching for and how often. “Graphic design” is the most popular keyword phrase people search for when they are looking for businesses like yours and “graphic artist” is the second most popular. Depending on your specialization, you can optimize your site for one or both of these terms. It also helps to know about more specific keywords people use to search. For example, people search for logo design and help with illustrations. Next, you place keywords on your page in your site’s title tag, meta description, page text, and headings. While there are plenty of keyword research tools and articles on how to title tags, you will get better results and save hours of time by hiring an SEO pro or leveraging a DIY SEO platform with suggestions specifically for freelance and small graphic design companies, like Jess.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO makes sure your site is fast, secure, and can be crawled by search engines. Google’s Page Experience that went live in June, 2021 makes technical SEO a bigger priority than ever. Contact your web developer if your site isn’t secure or if it seems slow. They should be able to help you speed it up. You can also improve site speed yourself by editing your portfolio or staff images so they are as small as possible as well compressed and optimized for use on your graphic design website.
Content Development
Most graphic designer’s websites are just a few pages. This doesn’t give you much space to tell search engines or your prospects much about your services and rates. If this describes you, consider adding some new pages to your website. Consider creating separate pages that go into detail about your process or individual services like sign, brochure, or business card design.