By Tanya Ganian · · 3 min readIdeally, yes: plan SEO and web design together, even if they don't come from the same person or company. Web design builds your online storefront; SEO makes sure people can find it. When SEO is part of the plan before the site is built, you avoid pages nobody searches for, slow layouts and expensive rebuilds later.
What's the difference between web design and SEO?
Short answer: web design is how your website looks and works for people; SEO (search engine optimization) is how search engines like Google find, understand and rank it.
- Web design builds your online storefront: layout, colours, navigation, forms and the experience on a phone.
- SEO helps people discover where that storefront is: the words people search, the pages you need, technical health and trust signals.
- Both together help visitors find your business and take action.
A beautiful website that nobody finds isn't doing much for your business. And a site that ranks but confuses visitors wastes the traffic it earns.
Why it's better to plan SEO and web design together
When SEO is part of the design process from day one, you avoid the most common (and most expensive) problems:
- Pages that don't target anything customers actually search for
- Slow-loading images, heavy animations and unnecessary features
- Confusing navigation that hides your key services
- Missing or poorly organized service pages
- Having to rebuild pages later to improve visibility
The most important SEO decision happens before any design work: the site structure. Which pages exist, what each one targets and how they link together. Keyword research answers that, and the designer then builds around it.
What does "SEO built in" actually mean?
A website built with SEO in mind usually includes:
- One clear page per main service, and per area if you serve several
- Page titles, headings and descriptions written around real searches
- Fast loading on phones and clean, indexable code
- Structured data (schema) so Google and AI tools read your business details correctly
- Content in French and English when you serve Montreal
- A sitemap submitted to Google Search Console and Bing
That's the foundation. Ongoing SEO, like new content, links and local work, is a separate, longer-term effort. See what SEO actually does for your site.
Can I hire two different companies?
Short answer: absolutely. You can hire a web designer and an SEO specialist separately. What matters is that they talk to each other early.
Ideally, the SEO specialist plans the structure and keywords first, reviews the designs before they're built, and checks the site before launch. If you're redesigning an existing site, the SEO person should also map old URLs to new ones so you don't lose the rankings you already have. Our guide on whether to redesign an outdated website explains why.
One provider or two: how to decide
| One provider for both | Two separate providers | |
|---|---|---|
| Coordination | Built in | You need to make them talk |
| Accountability | One point of contact | Can be unclear when results lag |
| Specialist depth | Depends on the team | Can pick the best of each |
| Best for | Small businesses with limited time | Larger or complex projects |
The bottom line
You don't need one company to do everything, but you do need your website and your SEO strategy working together from the start. A good website is designed for people and built so search engines can understand it.
At Point7 Digital, our web design in Montreal includes SEO planning from day one, and our SEO services keep it growing after launch. Not sure where your current site stands? Start with a free audit.
Frequently asked questions
Should SEO be done before or after web design?
Before. The most important SEO decisions, like which pages exist and what each one targets, shape the site structure. They should be made before the design is built, then checked again before launch.
Do web designers do SEO?
Some include basic SEO setup, such as page titles, headings and a search-friendly structure. Fewer offer keyword research or ongoing SEO. Always ask what is included in writing.
Is it cheaper to do SEO and web design at the same time?
Usually, yes. Building SEO into the structure from the start costs less than rebuilding pages later to fix visibility problems.