|
Migrating from a static
HTML site to a database-driven Web site
poses many challenges, especially if a
site already has outstanding search
engine traffic. If you purchase a
content management system (CMS) that
doesn't generate search-engine friendly
Web pages, then your site's "natural,"
or organic, search engine traffic can
disappear.
URL Structure
Many people mistakenly
believe a content management system is
search-engine friendly merely because it
generates a search-engine friendly URL
(Web address) structure. Below are three
examples of URLs that aren't
search-engine friendly:
-
http://www.domain.com/sr/javasr/search.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=CLTH&cat=Mens
&subcat=Accessories&displayTarget=Subcategory
-
http://www.domain.com/cd/fp/prod/0,,1_2_52358_53887_130435_108992_5:view=-1,00.html?
CM_MERCH=PAGE_52249&sid=6243170865-0088104670
-
http://www.domain.com/2005/10/01/sports/06detain.html?hp&ex=1166747600&
en=c214ef00a9dh2d91&op=9877&partner=homepage
A better CMS should allow
Web site owners to generate a URL
structure that makes sense to their
target audience, such as the URLs below.
The first URL clearly
communicates the Web site sells
children's hats. It's probably an
e-commerce site. The second URL
communicates the Web page contains news
about the Supreme Court on 10/5/2005.
This site is probably a news or a
publisher site.
Certainly, simplifying
the URL structure is a huge step in the
right direction. I applaud all software
developers who keep this in mind as they
create and modify their CMSs. However,
URL structure is not the only reason a
site is search-engine friendly. Other
factors must be taken into
consideration.
Graphic Images
vs. Text Links
As many of you already
know, an effective Web site strikes a
balance between the use of CSS-formatted
text and graphic images. Some Web sites
require more graphic images and
multimedia files than others due to
industry and client expectations. I've
found sites in the entertainment or
games industries generate more page
views per visitor when pages are more
graphics intensive.
When I evaluated a number
of search-engine friendly design
software packages, I was dumbfounded at
the overemphasis on text links. It
appears the engineers who create this
software believe every link on a Web
page should be CSS-formatted text.
Furthermore, the page
templates were created primarily with
search engines in mind, not the end
users. What should a category page look
like? What does a product page look
like? What are the up-sell links, and
how are they formatted? What does a
reference page look like? Is it a
reference page for a small, medium, or
large database of terms and definitions?
What became ever clearer
to me as I spoke with both sales reps
and software engineers is their lack of
understanding of visitor behavior. The
solution appears to be, "Make every link
into a text link. Problem solved."
As a Web designer and
developer, I don't need a search-engine
friendly CMS to change graphic image
links into CSS-formatted links. I can
save thousands of dollars and do it
myself. I believe most Web pages need
some kind of text-link navigation, but I
also know when it is and is not
appropriate to use text links.
A search-engine friendly
CMS should therefore be able to work
with both graphic image links and text
links. Software developers should focus
on creating CMS that help both the Web
developer and users first, not software
spiders. Some of these so-called
search-engine friendly CMSs are nothing
but expensive doorway-page generators.
Software
Developers As Search Experts
In the SEM/SEO industry
or some odd reason, the concept of
beginner,
intermediate, and
advanced SEOs isn't logical. When
one becomes an expert in any field, he
starts with a basic skill set. An expert
becomes an expert through education,
training and experience.
In SEO, the primarly
beginner-level skill is effective
copywriting. At a recent
Search Engine Strategies conference,
I was particularly amazed that two of my
colleagues publicly admitted they
weren't good copywriters and didn't have
the time for it. In the same breath,
they claimed to be expert SEOs. An
expert SEO who isn't good at writing
search-friendly copy? Sorry guys. You're
not an expert if you haven't mastered a
basic skill.
An intermediate SEO skill
is the ability to code and program
user-friendly and search-friendly Web
pages. Many SEOs feel usability isn't a
skill they need because they format Web
sites for search engines, not end users.
I believe an intermediate SEO must
develop sites that meet user goals,
business goals, and search
engine goals.
Why did I go into this
little rant? Because many developers who
create search-engine friendly CMSs are
self-proclaimed "experts" who don't
possess even basic or intermediate SEO
skills.
Conclusion
Before you purchase any
CMS, make sure the CMS system generates
a user-friendly and spider-friendly URL.
If it doesn't, work with the CMS
company's technical staff to create
workarounds (if possible) so the URL is
spider friendly.
Second, don't rely on the
CMS company's staff to generate
search-engine friendly design templates
for you. All too often, these CMS
companies don't have usability
professionals or truly qualified SEO
experts on staff. If your current design
templates are effective, they should
easily integrate into the CMS with a few
modifications.
The best advice I can
give anyone is to hire an SEO consultant
during the purchasing process. I
understand there are many reasons for
purchasing a CMS that have nothing to do
with SEO. Nonetheless, you can save
thousands or even millions of dollars in
expenses, advertising and marketing
costs, and staff time if you take a
proactive approach to search-friendly
Web development
ABOUT
THE AUTHOR
Shari Thurow
is the founder and SEO director at
Omni Marketing Interactive, a
full-service search engine marketing,
Web, and graphic design firm.
Acknowledged as a leading expert on
search engine friendly Web sites
worldwide, she is the author of the
top-selling marketing book, "Search
Engine Visibility," published
through Peachpit Press. Shari's areas of
expertise include site design, search
engine optimization, and usability.
|
