Search engine optimization (SEO) has grown more complex and sophisticated over the years. SEO is a discipline unto itself, but every web designer should know the basics.
Do a little research - be sure that you are looking at recent info, say within the last 2 years - to learn the bare basics of SEO. What, at a minimum, do you need to do to when you design and build a site? You should have at least 10 bullet points.
Smart and Responsive Design
The key to designing an SEO-friendly website is that it should be attractive yet responsive.
Clear URL Organization
A clear and logical URL formation is essential for an SEO-friendly website. Search engines dislike ambiguous URLs.
Partial Use of JavaScript
With the help of JavaScript, you can make a really trendy website, but it is should be used partially. Too much use of a JavaScript can have a negative impact instead of procuring positive one.
Speed Matters
Modern day searching is all about fast pace. If your website doesn’t load quickly, you are not only going to lose customers, you are also going to lose valuable traffic.
Give Clear Instructions to Customers
When users visit your website, it is imperative to give them clear instructions so that it is easy for them to find what they are looking for without any hassle.
Code Cleaning
Don’t stuff your web page. If there is too much matter on a site, it becomes impossible to comprehend what is going. It is the sign of a good developer that he/she can minimize the code and still work wonders with a web page.
Make Navigation Easy For Everyone
Easy navigation on your website for both the users and the search engines is essential. Your menus need to be helpful and functional.
Limited Use of Flash
Limit your use of flash. Most of the devices and search engines do not respond to flash in a friendly manner. It would be advisable to avoid it completely if possible in the design of an SEO friendly website. However, if you are using flash then there is no need to use flash for the complete website. Secondly, no need to employ flash for navigation. The last tip is that do not apply flash to your text.
HTML5 and CSS3 (Validated)
HTML 5 and CSS3 work well together and can help in making the site sleek, clean and fast. HTML5 is flexible enough to be scaled down as per the need of new media. HTML5 has advanced functions compared to the old HTML. CSS3 speeds up page download and giving your site a new, interactive feel. Validation is one of the most imperative elements of good code development, although a site can function without it as well. However, a web designer should be doing clean enough code that the HTML will validate properly. Validation is necessary for CSS too. Overall, validation should be measured as an essential component of good code development.
Make Use of CSS Image Sprites
Making use of CSS image sprites is also very effective in reducing the stress on the server. An image sprite is basically a collection of images merged together into one large one. Compared to several images in small size, one big image is easier and quicker to download.
