Natural search engine optimisation (SEO)

Natural SEO or unsponsored links is very much connected with good web design practice. We cringe when we here so called SEO experts at networking events saying that they can rank prospects for certain search terms before they’ve even researched the keywords, the competition and looked at the website in question. Which SEO knows how difficult it would be to rank for any keyword off the top of their head without even doing any keyword research? This would be impossible.

Looking behond keyword and competitor research

SEO starts with good web design. So what does good web design comprise?

• Information Architecture – we use this phrase a lot, we usually give the analogy of a house architect. The plans at the beginning of web design. It bothers us that many web design obviously lacks a clear plan based on the short term and long term. We always design websites primarily for the user, there should never be any compromise whatsoever. The search engine spiders always come second. But the good news is that clear, logical Information Arhitecture also helps the search engine spiders navigate web pages too.
• Robustness and scalability – web design shouldn’t be too rigid. We notice that many websites have been designed using old technology. For the technically minded, this means tables for non-tabular data, frames, deprecated versions of html and a general lack of enough CSS. Not only does this mean that scalability using newer technologies is hindered for compatibility reasons, but the search engine spiders expect modern code which is usually cleaner. I suppose it’s almost like you or me reading a book in 18th century English for want of a better analogy.
• Too much Flash – rookie graphic designers are sometimes eager to impress. The best way to impress is with Flash. Flash animation can add to web design if it is used sensibly. But it can be a spider stopper. The best workaround is to alter the published code (if necessary) to be W3C compliant and make sure that the rest of your code and text is spider friendly. Flash banner on the homepage are definately poor, not only for the new users who have to wait for them to load, for repeat users who get tired of seeing them and search spiders who simply can’t see them.