I notice that SEO (Search Engine Optimization consultants) get plenty of pushback from web designers, web developers, and copywriters whenever they collaborate on a project. And to a large extent, I understand why this disconnect usually occurs, which generally starts at the beginning stages of the design process. It usually happens like this: the designer gets excited about laying out the creative elements of a website, the developer wants to return to his cave so he can diligently code on the back end, and the copywriter retreats to somewhere peaceful and serene to write immaculate content. Enter…the wet blanket SEO, which serves as an annoying reminder that no matter how excellent the design, functionality, and copy of a website is, the website is nothing unless it has keywords, keywords, keywords, and more keywords so it can be indexed and ranked by search engines A, B, C, and D.
Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be a zero-sum situation for all parties. With proper planning, optimizations can be implemented to help a site rank high in the search results without compromising the aesthetics and functionality of the site. Below are a few essential SEO concerns and pointers to be aware of before the design process begins:
1. Limit Flash
Flash is fantastic for adding a unique and fun experience for users. Unfortunately, search engines aren’t as good at interpreting Flash elements as they are with HTML. And although Google recently announced that, in cooperation with Adobe, they had improved their ability to handle indexing of Flash-based content, there is a long way to go before they can fully interpret it. It would be best to still depend on your HTML and plain text for a searchable website. Utilize keyword-specific title tags, alt tags, and header tags.
Additionally, Flash still has security issues that make excessive use a disadvantage.
2. Ditto JavaScript
Just as web crawlers cannot read Flash, they cannot access JavaScript or any other scripting language very well, either. Make every effort to ensure that your content is laid out logically for easy navigation by the user. The general rule of thumb is: what’s suitable for users is good for the search engines. Not only is text generated by JavaScript hidden from search engines, but it is also unavailable to visually impaired users. Well-planned CSS and tags in your HTML can achieve complex layouts and be visible to all.
3. Plan Your Title Tags
Your title tags are a vital element in your page design. It’s not just for the search engines but also your visitors. It’s usually the first line of text in your listing on the search engine results page (SERP). It should be limited to 65 characters. Google might not show anything longer than that. Because of this, it should include your most important keywords without duplication of terms but still be readable by your visitors. Your title tag also shows on the top bar of most browsers while your users are on the page. If they bookmark the page, the title tag will usually be what shows in their list.
A good practice is to wait until the page is finished before choosing the title. This will enable you to tie the keywords into your content instead of trying to plan the text of the page around two or three keywords.
4. Keep Your URLs Readable
Long, ugly URLs are scattered everywhere on the Internet. Some of the biggest, professionally built websites are the biggest offenders of this best practice. If all anyone ever clicked it, the URL content wouldn’t matter much, but they need to be written down, emailed, and shared on social networking websites. A good URL describes the content so the search bots and visitors can relate it to your page content. It should also be as short as possible.
Brevity makes it easier to paste, tell someone about it over the phone or write on a sticky note. So stay away from abbreviations or long strings of numbers and symbols; use descriptive keywords as much as possible; choose a format and keep it consistent throughout your website. It’s better not to use any uppercase letters. People have become accustomed to using lowercase on the web. Capitals can interfere with your website being found.
5. Plan Ahead
Planning your design that includes SEO factors should make your website efficient and beautiful. Some crucial points to keep in mind are:
Page load times are an essential ranking factor. This just goes back to the rule of thumb – a quicker page load time is optimal for the user experience and improves rankings.
Keep mobile visitors in mind. More and more users are turning to their phones to view websites, so test your website on mobile platforms and traditional screens. Remember that many smartphones can’t see Flash (iPhone) or JavaScript. In that case, you should make sure that you create a mobile version of your website.
Test, test, then test again. It would be best if you made a solid effort to try all aspects of your website on every possible operating system and browser platform, including mobile apps. Validate all your code, click through your order processes before going live, and fix any bugs before publishing to the world. W3C offers free validators for nearly every type of code or script. The last thing you want is an incomplete sale due to a faulty order process.
Don’t try to game the search engines if the search engines determine that you’re utilizing “Black Hat SEO” tactics such as keyword stuffing. For example, do not have a hidden copy that’s the same color as your website’s background. You could get penalized in the search engine result pages or even have your website banned altogether. Use keywords where they make sense. Wrap your images and flash content with textual explanations of what they contain. These things also help disabled users to navigate your content.
In the end, hundreds of SEO tactics exist, such as link-building, and new ones develop as the search engines modify their algorithm. However, take time to properly plan for these optimizations before everyone gets too far into their responsibilities. You should most likely experience positive search result rankings without hurting your web design masterpiece’s overall look and feel.
About the Author
Brian Flores is the SEO for InMotion Hosting, one of the top dedicated server providers in the US. He spends a good part of his time collaborating with an awesome team of writers to post useful web design and development tutorials on WebHostingHelpGuy. You can follow him on Twitter @WHHG_InMotion or @BrianAFlores. |