Introduction
Webflow is a website design and development platform that continues to grow in popularity thanks to its simple drag-and-drop interface combined with powerful customization options. In 2024, the importance of staying up-to-date with the latest SEO tactics is more crucial than ever, underlining the need for a dynamic, well-oiled SEO strategy to propel your Webflow site to the forefront of the digital stage.
As with all website builders, it s important to understand the SEO features built into the platform and how to maximize your website s visibility. With Webflow, developing a relevant SEO strategy to outperform your competitors and maximize your online presence isn t just a dream; it s a tangible reality.
Launching a website is just the first step. Learn how to use SEO on your Webflow site to start generating traffic and revenue for your business, leveraging Webflow s integrated SEO tools that are your best allies in making your site a true force of nature on the web.
You ve used Webflow to design a beautiful website and you re wondering what to do next. Search engine optimization or SEO is a marketing channel not to be overlooked. In 2024, the seamless integration of Webflow with an array of digital marketing tools means that your site is not only beautiful, but also perfectly equipped to climb the Google ladder.
Search engine optimization, or SEO, is a marketing channel not to be overlooked. Search engine optimization is the process of improving a website s appearance and positioning in organic search results. In other words, SEO is what enables you to rank in the top results on Google for the keywords your audience is already searching for.
To rank on the first page of Google with your target keywords, you need to provide valuable content and a quality user experience to Google users. There are many "ranking factors", and the more you optimize your Webflow site for SEO, the more your ranking will improve.
The great thing about SEO is that once your site is ranked, little maintenance is required. There s no advertising spend or big marketing needs - it s essentially free traffic. However, SEO is a competitive business and you may need to hire an SEO expert to get started.
What is Webflow?
Webflow is a modern "No-code" website designplatform that allows users to create, launch and monetize a website from scratch. In 2024, Webflow revolutionized website creation by combining the simplicity of traditional site builders with the power of an advanced CMS and the flexibility of hand-coding, all accessible without requiring a single line of code.
Think of it as a mix of standard website builders like Wix, combined with the advanced CMS features of WordPress and the ability to code website elements yourself.
It s this flexibility that has made Webflow such a popular choice among businesses. With Webflow, creating responsive websites that adjust perfectly to all screens and devices becomes child s play.
Is Webflow good for SEO?
Webflow has many built-in SEOfeatures that you can use to optimize your website. Its ability to generate clean, polished code is like offering a gourmet dish to search engines: they love it.
Webflow certainly provides you with everything you need to achieve page 1 rankings, and with a solid SEO strategy, there s no reason why organic traffic shouldn t generate maximum revenue for your Webflow site...
SEO is an excellent marketing channel to focus on for your new Webflow site. By implementing best practices and creating optimized content, you can drive organic traffic to your site and rely less on other channels such as paid search (via Google Ads in particular) that can weigh on your advertising spend.
Just as WordPress has its own SEO features and drawbacks, so does Webflow. So in this detailed guide, we ll look at how you can improve the SEO of your Webflow site!
How to create an SEO-optimized Webflow site
Before we get into the details of Webflow, we need to cover the basics of SEO. To get the most out of your website, you need to configure certain SEO settings by default.
Make sure your website is indexable
It s possible to hide your website from search engine spiders so that it s not indexed and therefore invisible in search results. This option is often used to hide websites that are still in "work in progress".
To ensure that your website is accessible to search engines, you need to check that indexing is enabled.
To do this, go to: Webflow Dashboard > All projects. Select your current Webflow project and go to : Settings > SEO > Indexing.
As long as the "Disable Webflow indexing" button is disabled, your website will be accessible and configured correctly.
Install an SSL certificate for your domain
Google strives to display in its results only secure websites that will ensure the best experience for their users. An SSL certificate is a security measure that enables you to offer a much more secure user experience.
You may have noticed that some websites use an http:// protocol in their web address. Sites with a valid SSL certificate use the https:// protocol, which looks like this https://www.ouiflow.io
The extra "s" means that you are connected to a website via a secure, encrypted connection, making it much more difficult for third parties to access your data.
SSL certificates are a confirmed ranking measure in search engines. It makes sense that Google prefers sites that use more secure technology and therefore gives them priority in its users search results.
Webflow provides integrated SSL certificates for websites. If your website does not display https, it may be that several SSL certificates are in conflict.
Configure Google Search Console for Webflow
Google Search Console lets you monitor your website s performance in searches and understand how Google is treating your site.
You can examine the "coverage" of your website. You ll see all the pages on your website that google knows about, as well as pages with problems such as 404 errors or pages considered to be duplicates.
You can also use the performance indicator to examine clicks, impressions and click-through rates for your pages and keyword rankings. This data can be very useful in helping you prepare your SEO strategy and find the most relevant keywords or topics to target.
Set up your website in Search Console as a domain property. You will then need to select one of the verification methods to prove that you arethe owner of the website. Webflow offers a simple solution for verifying your site.
In Search Console, select the "HTML tag" verification option. You can then copy and paste your unique verification code directly into Webflow by accessing Project > Settings > SEO > Google Site Verification. It couldn t be simpler.
Submitting a sitemap to Search Console
Once Search Console is up and running, the next step is to submit a sitemap. This is essentiallya map of your website, detailing the URL of each indexable page. A sitemap is submitted as an XML file that Google can easily process.
A sitemap file should only include live, indexable URLs (avoiding pages that are 404 errors or redirects). It s a list of the pages you want to be indexed and suggested to search engines.
Most web designers do this, and so does Webflow. It automatically creates a map of your website. Make sure this is configured by going to Project > Settings > SEO > Sitemap and selecting "yes".
Sitemaps generally use the same URL structure. You can find yours by visiting monsite.com/sitemap.xml.
Once you ve found your sitemap, go back to Search Console and submit it to Google here : Sitemap > Add new sitemap. All you have to do is paste the URL of your Sitemap.
Configuring Google Analytics for Webflow
Google Analytics is the benchmark analysis tool that lets you analyze all your website s input and output data. It s a comprehensive tool that tells you everything you need to know to optimize your search engine optimization.
Google Analytics is completely free, and Webflow has an integrated verification tool to make your life easier.
First, go to Google Analytics and create an account using the same e-mail address you use for Search Console. Once the account has been created, you ll receive a unique tracking code, which you ll find in Administration > Property > Dataflow > Measurement ID.
This code can easily be added to your Webflow site by going to the Webflow dashboard > select project > Integrations > Google Analytics. Enter your unique tracking code and Google will start tracking visits to your site.
Google Analytics is unable to display historical data. Data will start to appear as soon as the code is entered. To make sure your tracking code is working, you can check the "Real Time " report in Analytics and try visiting a website to make sure everything is set up correctly.
Please note, however, that this method is only available for Google Universal Analytics. Ifyou re already using GA4, youcan configure your Google Analytics view via Google Tag Manager . For this configuration, follow this Webflow tutorial.
Setting up technical SEO on your Webflow site
Technical SEO plays a crucial role in improving the crawling and indexing of your site by search engines. Here are some key elements to optimize for Webflow sites:
Building an optimized site structure
Site structure is the way in which the different pages and categories of your website are organized. A clearly defined site structure will make it easier for Google to understand, crawl and rank your site.
By optimizing your site s structure, you ll greatly simplify navigation for visitors, which will improve their experience and therefore your SEO.
You need to start building your site with an optimized structure as soon as you create it, because the more established your site is, the more difficult and risky it will be to modify its structure.
Ideally, you don t want to have to modify URL paths when your site has thousands of monthly visitors, as the slightest error could cost you a huge amount of traffic and therefore money.
To build an optimized structure from scratch, start by categorizing your pages. The main pages of your site, such as the home page, the "About" page and the "Contact" page, will have priority and will be on the first level.
You can then map your website s secondary structures. For example, you might have your main services page at the heart of your site, with your individual services located below the parent services page.
TheURL structure for this might look like this:
It s up toyou to design the structure, but don t forget to categorize everything logically, and make sure your most important pages aren t too far from the home page. Your site s navigation should also reflect this structure.
Carry out keyword research
Keyword research is an extremely important part of SEO, and should be carried out while you re designing the structure of your site. Keywords are words or phrases that people use when searching for results on Google.
By placing yourself on the first page for keywords related to your services or products, you can attract new customers and de facto generate sales directly from searches.
Use tools like SEMrush or Ubersuggest to identify relevant terms. Integrate these keywords into your content, titles and meta descriptions to improve your visibility.
So what s the best way to find the best keywords? Keywords are often divided into two categories.
1. Informative keywords
These areall keywords that a user searches for to find more information on a particular topic, company or product. These users aren t ready to buy an item, so they re at the top of the sales funnel.
By targeting informative keywords via articles and guides, you can reinforce your brand s reputation and authority. So when a user is finally ready to buy, it s your brand they think of first.
2. Commercial keywords
Also known as "purchase intent keywords", these keywords come from users who are ready to buy a product or service. They often include words like "buy" or "best", for example "buy sneakers online".
These keywords should be prioritized as they will bring new customers and additional revenue to you and your business. However, these are much more competitive keywords, so ranking for them requires more time and investment on your part.
To find out which keywords would be a good target, it s best to use a keyword research tool. These tools will give youkeyword suggestions based on your current ranking, and will even provide you with the number of monthly searches each keyword receives, so you can decide on their value.
SEMrush is a paid search tool that does much of this work for you. Google s Keyword Planner or Google Trends are free options that can also provide keyword information, but with less data.
Another excellent tactic for keyword research is to analyze competitor rankings and traffic. A tool like SEMrush will allow you to go into any website and view all the site s current rankings and high-value pages.
This will allow you to see which keywords are most useful to your competitors, and give you a good overview of the topics you could also start targeting.
Optimize site speed
Site speed is an important ranking factor. With Google s Core Web Vitals, the focus is even more on user experience metrics. If your site loads quickly while offering quality content, your rankings will improve considerably.
To examine your website scurrent speed and any major problems, we recommend running your site through PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix. These are free tools for measuring page speed. If you take the time to analyze a handful of your site s most important pages, you ll be able to find the problems and fix them.
Common site speed improvements :
- Optimize your images. Compress images to optimize their weight, and make sure they use the right dimensions to improve your page loading time. A heavy image will considerably slow down a site s loading time. Webflow now uses the TinyPNG API, which allows you to resize and compress images when you upload them to your website. You can also convert them directly to WebP
- Implement"lazy load on scroll". When "lazy load" is activated, the browser first loads images and elements at the top of the page, where the user will be. It then moves on to resources further down the page. This gives the user the impression that the page is fully loaded, which improves retention and, above all, shows the user a quality web page. If you need to change this setting (for example, to absolutely display an image as soon as the page loads). You can do this in the settings by selecting your image and choosing "Eager".
- Optimize CSS. If you ve mastered CSS (the code responsible for page layout), you can resolve some common inefficiencies. By using inline CSS and combining files, you can drastically reduce the number of requests when loading a page.
Set up an internal link structure
Backlinks aren t the only type of link that s important for SEO. Internal links are links from one page of your website to another. These links allow you to distribute links evenly throughout your site, and provide Google with information about the keywords for which certain pages should be ranked.
For example, the home page will be the most linked page on your site, making it a very powerful resource. You can direct some of this link authority to other pages on your site by setting up internal links to product or service pages.
Another tactic is to set up internal links in your blog posts to business pages on your site. In this way, you can take advantage of the authority and relevance acquired by your articles and direct them to pages that are competing for keywords with higher commercial value. You can place these links at the end of articles, for example with the mention "related articles", to keep users on your site and maximize traffic.
Ideally, ensure that every page on your Webflow site receives at least one internal link, to avoid orphan pages that are difficult for Google s algorithm to identify and rank.
On-page optimization for Webflow sites
On-pageoptimization consists of optimizing pages for specific keywords to improve their visibility and traffic. This is achieved by implementing modifications on the page to improve its ranking.
Home page optimization for key pages
Using the keyword research we discussed earlier, you can now begin on-page optimization. Decide which pages you want to rank for which keywords, and prioritize pages that target higher-value keyword groups.
A good starting pointfor on-page optimization is to monitor which competitors are ranking for your target terms. What tactics are competitors using? What topics do they cover in their content?
Try to ensure that your page contains the same topics and uses formats with similar content. Ideally, you want to create a page with an optimal structure to offer your users the best possible experience.
You can then start adding keywords to your content. Make sure your target keywords are present on your page, especially in the title, in headings and in text. By including keyword variants, you can optimize your chances of competing for multiple terms.
Focus on adding keywords to important elements of your content and using multiple keyword variations to increase your organic traffic. Write for the algorithm, but above all for the user
Just make sure you don t over-optimize your keywords. SEO techniques of the past manipulated Google s rankings by abusing the "hack" and placing as many keywords as possible on their pages. This is a phenomenon that Google is now well aware of and knows how to recognize. It doesn t like it, and won t put such a page forward.
Optimize meta titles, meta descriptions and URLs.
Meta titles, meta descriptions and URL s are the most essential elements of your page from an SEO point of view. You ll see that Google displays each of these elements directly in the search results.
URL = The destination URL of a search result, displayed at the top of a list.
Meta Title = Also known as the title tag, this is a brief description of the page that appears in blue text in the search results.****
Meta description = This element is a slightly more detailed description that summarizes a page and appears directly in the search results below the title tag.
Fortunately, Webflow allows you to easily modify each of these elements for any page you create, thanks to built-in SEO functionality.
Page titles remain without doubt the most important element for page optimization. Google uses the title tag to understand what your page will be about, and which keyword groups it should rank for.
The meta description is not so much a place to add your keywords. Use it more as a means of attracting the user. Write a catchy description of your page and include your main selling propositions. For example, the meta description of a product page might include information on free shipping or fast delivery times.
The best way to do this is to include your priority keywords in the page title. Also consider that this is an important element of your SEO in search results, and that an attractive, eye-catching title tag will drive users to your page, resulting in a better click-through rate.
The best URLs are clean, simple, short and include your most valuable keyword. Don t overthink or overuse keywords in your URL. A short, simple URL structure will have the best chance of achieving optimal rankings.
Establish an editorial calendar
Developing and maintaining an editorial calendar is extremely important for keeping your website up-to-date and continually adding new, informative keywords to your portfolio.
An active blog, backed up by keyword research, will enable you to provide your audience with quality content and attract new prospects into your sales funnel. Don t forget to optimize your page and offer in-depth, detailed content to outperform your competitors.
Develop a continuously updated content plan to target informative keywords related to your products or services. This will enable you to continue adding value to your domain, build internal links to business pages and increase traffic to your website.
To create your editorial calendar, you can use the Notion tool, which will become your best ally. Find out more about the benefits of Notion in this article.
Off-site optimization for Webflow sites
Off-page optimization refers to any activity carried out outside your website to improve your search engine rankings. Off-page optimization typically revolves around link building and developing your site s authority.
Why link building is important
Link building involves creating "backlinks " from external websites that link back to your site. If another website links to you, it s a backlink.
A link is essentially a vote of confidence from one site to another. Google uses links as signals to understand the relevance and authority of a website.
If your competitors have more links, or links from higher quality sources, they will have a competitive advantage in search rankings.
The number and quality of links to your website are very powerful ranking factors. Not all links are created equal. Give preference to high-authority links like .gouv.fr for example.
Authority metrics explained
Authority metrics are used to measure the quality and strength of a website s backlink profile. Google s authority metrics are built into the algorithm and are no longer publicly available.
Instead, SEO algorithms use metrics such as Moz s Domain Authority (DA) orAhrefs Domain Rating (DR) to examine a site s authority.
Essentially, the higher your authority metrics, the better your rankings. To increase your authority, you need to build links from relevant, quality websites. It s a good idea to compare your authority with that of your competitors to see if there s ground to make up.
How do you create backlinks to your Webflow site?
There are many ways to create links to your website. In general, you ll want to combine several types of links to create a diverse and natural link profile.
Guest posting
A common method of link building is guest posting. Identify websites, blogs and magazines in your industry that accept guest authors and offer to contribute content.
A quick search on "guest post + any topic" will reveal some initial opportunities. In your content, you can add a backlink to your website to enhance your authority. Cover relevant topics and keywords in your guest post to increase relevance.
Building broken links
Web pages are permanently deleted or erased. All websites linking to these dead pages now have a broken link on their site, which can have a negative impact on the user experience.
These broken links can be an opportunity. For example, you could contact a site hosting a broken link and offer them a page from your site as a replacement URL.
By highlighting the broken link and proposing a suitable replacement, you can create powerful and relevant links to your site.
Directories, profiles and comments
These types of links are often referred to as backbone links. Although they are not as powerful as tactics such as article publishing, they are nevertheless necessary to create a natural backlink profile.
By submitting your website to various professional directories in your region or industry, you can quickly accumulate initial backlinks. You can also look for opportunities to add comments to relevant articles and pages on the web, linking to your site as a resource somewhere in the text.
Unrelated mentions
If you already have some brand recognition, your name may already be mentioned on the web without a link being included. You can simply contact the sites that have mentioned your brand and ask them for a little credit in the form of a backlink.
Produce quality content
Not all links have to be created manually. By producing valuable content that includes unique formats, data or graphics, you can get links without any outreach. People will find your content on their own and want to link to it because of the interest it brings to their audience.
Advanced SEO strategies for Webflow sites
If you have a good knowledge of SEO and would like to take optimization a step further, here are a few tips.
Implement Schema markup
Schema markup is a form of structured data (code) that is placed on a website to help search engines return more qualitative results to users. It structures your metadata and provides Google with a subject about the purpose of certain elements on a page.
It s Schema that allows you to integrate rich snippets into search results, such as reviews, FAQs, blog posts and more. These elements are added to your search listing and can be used to increase your click-through rate.
Adding this markup to your site could certainly be a competitive advantage. Here s a good place to start.
Use 301 redirects
A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect that passes all link equity (ranking power) to the redirected page. It is used when a page is deleted. By implementing a 301 redirect, you can redirect all traffic from the old URL to a new page.
If you re planning to change the structure of an existing Webflow site, you ll want to use 301 redirects to match the old URLs to your new structure and ensure that no SEO value is lost.
Webflow makes 301 redirects easy to implement. Go to the Webflow dashboard > Project settings > Hosting > 301 redirections. There you can see all the 301 redirection rules in force on the site and add new rules if necessary.
Targeting site snippets
Featured snippets appear at the top of search results for certain keywords. They provide key information to help answer a search query. Only one featured snippet is displayed for a keyword.
You can get featured snippets like this for your site. Snippets can be huge traffic generators, helping you reach the top of the rankings directly.
The best way to optimize the use of featured snippets is to modify your content formats. Start by identifying the featured snippets that are already appearing for your target keywords.
Some featured snippets can be displayed as bullets, others as tables and still others as standard text.
If a table appears in the results, you can add a table to the content of your page that includes similar (or more detailed) information. If your page is already more informative than your top-ranked competitor s, and you now have the correct format to get the featured snippet, it should only be a matter of time before you reach the top position!
Create a customized 404 page
Webflow makes designing 404 pages very simple. This is useful because it s essential to keep users who visit 404 pages on your site.
When a user lands on your 404 page, he hasn t had the best user experience. After all, he either wanted to learn or do something on the page that no longer exists.
To avoid landing on a page due to mishandling, it s advisable to create a customized 404 page that includes easy-to-use and accurate navigation. The aim is to enable the user to return to your site s content and sales funnel without difficulty.
Creating a 404 page in Webflow is simple. Create a page entitled 404, give it a URL ending in /404, and design it as you like.
Optimize your robots.txt file
Unlike many competitors, Webflow gives you direct access to your robots.txt file. You can find it in the SEO tab of your site s settings.
A robots.txt file allows you to provide instructions to search engine spiders, informing them which pages or sub-folders they should not access or index. This is useful if you have internal pages or PPC pages that you don t want to appear in search results.
You can find your existing robots file at votresiteweb.com/robots.txt.
Conclusion
Overall, Webflow is the perfect platform for launching your online business, and its SEO features surpass those of most competing website-building platforms. By integrating these advanced SEO strategies into the design and development of your Webflow site, you can significantly improve its visibility and search engine ranking.
Webflow offers you the convenience of built-in SEO options, but also, if you wish, the ability to go further and access elements such as sitemaps or robots.txt for customized optimization.
If you d like to launch an SEO strategy but need help getting started, talk to our team of SEO experts today.
