We define website optimization as the process by which a website is streamlined to become more efficient for three audiences: the website developer, the website reader and the search engine. Or to put it in question form: Does the website work? Is the website usable? Can the website be found?
Developers – Does the website work?
A website that is broken is frustrating for readers and typically ignored by the search engines. Granted all websites are broken to some degree. It is difficult to maintain 100% validation. However some level of due diligence to website maintance goes a long way.
- Is the website filled with errors?
- HTML Validation – the code is current and up to standard.
- CSS Validation – the CSS file is current, up to standard, and efficient.
- Feed validation – are RSS feeds accessible and valid?
- How fast do pages load?
- do webpages load within 8 seconds?
- image laden websites, though cool, slow a website down
- table based websites are weightier than CSS based websites
Readers – Is the website usable?
Ok, now that a website works, do readers find it usable? A web developer may be his or her own worse critic, but there no one more critical than a reader/user. Users make decisions about a website in a blink of an eye. It is almost an impossible standard.
Consider the following:
- navigation – does the website make it easy for users to get around?
- content – is there real content that users want to read?
- value – does the structure and content of website add value?
Search Engines – Can the website be found?
You like it, your readers like it, can do the search engines like it? Is the content of the website structured so that the search engines can easily discern the nature of each web page. Remember, SEO is not about websites but about web pages.
Search engine optimization is a combination of the following elements:
- keyword analysis – what are people searching for?
- onpage optimization – how should web pages be structured?
- link building – how can others more actively link to a site?
