When people ask what I do, I usually say I’m a web developer, but the truth is, SEO runs through every line of code I write. Over the years, I’ve learnt that building beautiful websites isn’t enough. If they don’t rank, they don’t convert. That’s why I started approaching every project as an SEO web developer, not just someone who builds pages, but someone who makes them work for search engines and people alike.
What Makes a Web Developer ‘SEO-Focused’?
A lot of agencies will tell you they “do SEO” and they might, to some extent. But for me, SEO isn’t a bolt-on. It’s something that should be embedded into the very foundation of a website. From the moment I structure a page, set up heading hierarchies, or plan the sitemap, I’m already thinking about how Google is going to interpret it.
Here’s what I typically focus on:
- Page speed: Bloated code kills rankings. I keep it clean and lightweight.
- Semantic HTML: Proper tags and structure help search engines understand content.
- Accessibility: Google loves sites that are usable by everyone, and so do I.
- Internal linking: I bake this in during development, not as an afterthought.
- Core Web Vitals: These are part of my build checklist, not something we try to “fix” later.
Why Technical SEO and Development Shouldn’t Be Separate
In my opinion, separating SEO from development is like trying to build a house without consulting the architect. Technical SEO isn’t just a post-launch phase. It’s about:
- How your site is crawled
- How your content is rendered
- How your layout helps (or hinders) engagement
At Corsto Web Design, we’ve rebuilt websites that looked great on the surface but were structurally unsound underneath. Missing metadata, clunky JavaScript, render-blocking resources, or worse, duplicate content issues from poorly managed CMS setups. These things don’t just damage rankings; they damage trust.
Real example?
We had a client come to us whose site had 200+ indexed pages of almost identical product descriptions. They didn’t even realise. A quick review of their URL structure and some canonical logic later, we fixed the issue and saw a 35% uplift in organic traffic in 6 weeks. That’s not just SEO that’s development doing its job.
SEO Web Developer Skills That Actually Matter
When I’m hiring or collaborating with others in the industry, I look for more than just “basic SEO knowledge”. A good SEO web developer needs to understand the real-world impact of their decisions, not just how to write JavaScript, but how to ensure it doesn’t delay rendering; not just how to build a menu, but how to make it crawlable.
Here’s the skillset I think makes the difference:
Semantic HTML: Search engines rely on correct heading structures, lists, tables, and ARIA roles to understand your content.
Performance Optimisation: Tools like Google PageSpeed and Lighthouse reward lean builds. Lazy loading, efficient code, and asset minification are key.
Schema Markup: It’s often overlooked, but adding the right structured data makes your content stand out in search results.
Redirect Logic: 301s, 410s, canonical tags – these aren’t just SEO tricks. They’re essential to maintaining site integrity during rebuilds.
Content Awareness: You don’t need to be a copywriter, but you do need to understand keyword intent, headings, and relevance.
In short: You can’t just tick boxes. You’ve got to understand the why behind the SEO advice, and be able to implement it in code without breaking the design, layout, or user experience.
Advice for Clients: How to Work With an SEO Web Developer
Hiring a developer who understands SEO saves time and money. You avoid the painful cycle of build first, fix later. That said, if you’re a client looking to work with someone like me, here’s what I’d suggest:
- Ask about technical SEO experience – not just “can you do SEO?” but “how do you build for it?”
- Request examples of sites that rank well and ask what was done behind the scenes.
- Look at the developer’s code. Clean, semantic HTML is often a sign they care about SEO.
- Ask how they handle things like image compression, lazy loading, and heading hierarchy.
At Corsto, I’ve worked with hundreds of clients where SEO has been built into the dev process from day one and I’ve also stepped into rescue projects where it wasn’t. Believe me, getting it right from the start is far cheaper and more effective.
So Where Does This Leave You?
If you’re a business owner, marketer, or someone looking to build a website that actually delivers results, my advice is simple: work with someone who knows how web development and SEO are intertwined. You need a site that’s fast, accessible, and structured in a way that both users and search engines love.
And if you want to talk about how we can help at Corsto Web Design, I’m always happy to chat no pushy sales pitch, just honest advice based on years of doing this for real clients.
