| HTML is a 'mark-up language' used to describe the | | | | 8. - Provide alternative content for Javascript, Flash |
| content and layout of all web pages to browsers and | | | | and Java |
| search engines. Search engines send out spiders (or | | | | 9. Content behind forms: Any content that can only |
| 'bots'), which are automated tools used to crawl web | | | | be accessed by submitting a form may not be able |
| pages. They read the HTML code for each web page | | | | to be accessed by search engines. If content can't |
| they find and index it. | | | | be found, it won't be indexed, so provide an anchor |
| Although search engines aren't aware which server | | | | link to all pages on your website where possible. |
| side language you use or which CMS, they are aware | | | | 10. Use CSS: The higher your code to content ratio, |
| of the mark-up and client side code (HTML, CSS and | | | | the harder it makes it for search engines to find your |
| Javascript) that results, so it's important that your | | | | important content and give it the importance it |
| HTML is well formatted for your pages to be | | | | deserves. The old fashioned table based layouts once |
| discovered and understood correctly by search | | | | used by web developers are less efficient than using |
| engines. | | | | CSS (cascading style sheets) to describe layout. Using |
| Follow these 7 tips to ensure your HTML is SEO | | | | CSS means the layout descriptions can be kept |
| compliant: | | | | outside of the page in linked files, making the code |
| | | | for each page simpler, which in turn makes it easier |
| 1. Validity: HTML tags have an opening and closing | | | | for search engines to find the content it's looking for, |
| part. If these tags are not formed properly or | | | | rather than a lot of unnecessary html tags. |
| missing a closing tag, spiders (and potentially | | | | 11. Heading tags: Heading tags (h1, h2, etc) allow |
| browsers) find it difficult to read the page, so be | | | | visitors and search engines to better understand how |
| careful with your coding. Use a specialised code editor | | | | the content should be organised in your website and |
| with built in validation, like the code view in | | | | what the most important phrases are. As a rule h1 |
| Dreamweaver or Visual Studio. Once you've published | | | | tags should be used for the main page title, with |
| your website to a public facing URL, use the W3C | | | | lower h tags containing subtitles in a logical hierachy. |
| HTML Validator (search for 'W3C HTML Validator' in | | | | Using meaningful wording in headings, bold and |
| your favourite search engine) to run a test. Problems | | | | emphasised text is important, as search engines |
| are listed and explained, so you can correct and | | | | generally give these phrases greater relative |
| retest them. Search engines aren't too worried if you | | | | importance than standard text on a page. |
| choose to use HTML or XHTML, so long as you | | | | 12. Links: As mentioned earlier, it is extremely |
| specify the correct 'doctype' at the top of your | | | | important to use a descriptive phrase for the link |
| document and it validates correctly. If you use a CMS | | | | text, rather than something arbitrary like 'click here'. |
| or Blog software, you may be provided with a | | | | Search engines use this text to figure out what |
| WYSIWYG editor. Whilst this can be useful for | | | | you're linking to, so it's imperative that this text |
| saving time, it can create poorly formed HTML, so it's | | | | describes the destination page. From an SEO point of |
| important to check and validate this. | | | | view, this is particularly important when internally |
| 2. Accessibility: Web accessibility is about allowing | | | | linking to pages within your website - you should use |
| people with disabilities to use your website by building | | | | a keyword phrase that you wish to associate the |
| your pages in such a way that users don't have to | | | | destination page with. Anchor tags can have the |
| be able to see images/videos or hear audio to digest | | | | attribute rel="nofollow" specified, which instructs |
| the content. Automated spiders are currently unable | | | | spiders not to follow these links, which can come in |
| to interpret visual and audio content, so by gearing | | | | handy for duplicate content you don't wish to be |
| your content up to be accessible, you're helping | | | | indexed or for adding to blog comments you don't |
| search engines as well as users with disabilities. These | | | | necessarily want to be associated with your website. |
| tips will stand you in good stead (you can find more | | | | 13. Images and Alt Tags: As mentioned in the |
| information about this in the W3C Web Accessibility | | | | accessibility tips list, you should always include 'alt' |
| Initiative guidelines): | | | | tags to describe your images. This is good practice |
| 3. - Use the alt attribute to describe each image. | | | | for usability and accessibility, but also essential for |
| 4. - Use text that makes sense when read out of | | | | SEO. Without these, search engines don't know |
| context - don't use 'click here.' | | | | what's in your image. When using images as links, this |
| 5. - Use headings, lists, and consistent structure. | | | | is especially important, as your image is acting as link |
| 6. - If using frames, use the noframes element and | | | | text. It's also worth naming your images descriptively |
| sensible titles. | | | | (the actual file name) so they can be found by |
| 7. - Summarise graphs & charts or use the | | | | search engines and generate additional traffic back to |
| longdesc attribute. | | | | your website. |