With over 835 million websites using WordPress and over over 4.25 million small businesses in California, standing out is crucial. Luckily, custom WordPress development can make all the difference.
Unlike ready-made WordPress themes, custom development gives you the flexibility to design a website that fits your specific needs, helping to improve everything from site performance to SEO. Plus, it’s always nice to come across a website that breaks away from the crowd, and offers something unique instead of the same old, cookie-cutter design built from the usual handful of WordPress themes.
However, if you’re not that well-versed in the world of custom development, here’s how this can help your business stand out in search results and attract even more customers.
1. Faster Page Speed and Better Performance
Did you know that a one-second delay in loading time can increase bounce rates by 123%, and that 83% of online users expect websites they visit to load in three seconds or less? (Google) (Clutch) If this doesn’t make you want to improve your site’s speed, we don’t know what will.
Essentially, page speed is a critical factor for both user experience and search rankings, because Google takes site speed seriously when figuring out where to rank your website. With custom WordPress development, you can optimize your website’s code, eliminate unnecessary features, and improve overall performance, without being necessarily tech-savvy. This means your site will load faster, improving both your UX and your chances of ranking higher on Google.
2. Better Site Structure for Easier Crawling
For Google and other search engines to rank your site, they need to be able to “crawl” it easily, which means quickly understanding how your site is structured.
For example, imagine you have a huge library filled with tons of books, but they’re all scattered around with no order. It would be really hard for anyone to find the book they’re looking for, right? Well, your website is kind of like that library, and search engines (like Google) are the people trying to find the right pages (or “books”). Structuring your site is like organizing that library. It’s making sure all the books (or web pages) are neatly arranged and labeled so the search engines can quickly find them. And when they can find and understand your site easily, they can show it to more people searching for things online. So, even if it’s not the most exciting thing to work on, it’s important for getting your site noticed!
With custom development, you can create a strong hierarchy for your pages, improve internal linking, and make sure your most important content is easy to find. And, not only does this make it easier for users to navigate your website, but it also helps search engines like Google index your pages more efficiently, which can help make you one step closer to that #1 spot in search results.
3. Mobile Optimization in a Mobile-First World
With over 50% of web traffic coming from mobile devices, having a website that looks and works great on both phones and computers is crucial. (Google) Plus, Google’s mobile-first indexing means that the mobile version of your site is the one Google uses when deciding how to rank you. But don’t just take our word for it! 61% of consumers say they are more likely to purchase from mobile-friendly sites. (Wpbeginner)
So, if your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you could be missing out on valuable traffic, sales and losing out in search rankings.
Just make sure your website is responsive, meaning it adjusts to different screen sizes, loads quickly, and offers a smooth experience on any device. Custom WordPress development makes this easy by ensuring that your website is fully optimized for mobiles.
4. Leveraging SEO Plugins and Schema Markup
If everything you’ve seen so far is making your head hurt, don’t worry. One of the biggest benefits of custom WordPress development is that it lets you integrate advanced SEO plugins, easily. Yoast SEO or Rank Math, for example, can help you manage key SEO elements like meta tags, sitemaps, and schema markup without even lifting a finger.
On the other hand, if you work with, or have read/heard about SEO, you probably know that the most important thing for search engines is to actually understand what your content is about. This is, in essence, what schema markup does. It’s essentially a type of code you can add to your website that helps search engines understand your content more clearly, as it gives them extra details about the information on your pages. How does it do this? By using specific tags (called microdata), you’re giving search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo the tools to show your content in more engaging ways.
So, instead of just showing a title and link, schema lets search engines feature things like rich snippets, knowledge panels, or even carousels.
Think star ratings, product prices, or event dates showing up right on Google’s search page. This not only makes your listing more appealing but also improves your chances of getting clicks, because rich snippets increase your click-through rate (CTR) and make it easier for local customers to find you.
5. Make Sure You’re Implementing Local SEO
Speaking of letting local customers find you, if you run any type of business in LA, local SEO is a must-have. Local SEO, meaning making sure your business shows up when people search for services or products in your area, is incredibly important if you want more visibility, especially if your business relies on local customers.
When someone searches “best pizza near me” or “plumber in Chicago” on Google, local SEO helps your business appear in those top results.
Here, custom WordPress development gives you the tools to optimize your site for location-specific SEO strategies, like improving your Google Business Profile, targeting local keywords, and building local backlinks. All of these help make sure your business ranks higher in local searches, bringing more people through your doors and increasing your online conversions.
In a competitive city like Los Angeles, standing out locally is probably one of the best things you can do to drive traffic and grow your customer base.
Final Thoughts
If you want your business to climb higher in search rankings, having a solid SEO strategy is the way to go, and custom WordPress development is the way to do it. By taking advantage of this, you can attract more organic traffic and stand out in a crowded market.
Ready to take your website to the next level? EpicDevs can help. Contact us today to learn how custom WordPress development can improve your site’s SEO and boost your business.