CSS bad for SEO?

I've just downloaded a html/css template that I may use to replace a site that is currently using html and tables.

My concern is that the html/css template doesn't make any use of the H1, H2 etc tags. I know that I can add these tags, but then then the site looks dreadfull and not as the template desinger itended.

Any ideas?

PS - I'm a bit of noob when it comes to CSS....

 

Why not add the tags and then shape your <h1> <h2> etc tags to look more like the designer intended?

 

Yes, just control the appearance of you H1 and H2 tags in CSS. Something like this

h1, h2, h3 {color: red;
font-size:12px;
font-weight:bold;
line-height: 15px;
margin:0;
padding:0;}

 

CSS is not at all bad for SEO, in fact it's good. U can add H tags and changes it according to ur necessity without much difficulty in CSS.

 

If anything CSS is EXCELLENT for SEO. You're seperating the formatting from the content. Less mess. Cleaner code.

 

No !

CSS is not an enemy of SEO.. Infact there is lot of gain when it comes to advantage of CSS over Tables. But only using CSS wont give you SEO advantage.. you need to have the proper tags at proper place with keyword placements where required with help of off-page optimization that could make it more SE friendly.

Finally IMO.. CSS is not bad for SEO.

 

Many thanks to everyone for the replies and suggestions. I keep reading that CSS is the way to go, hence I'm changing over to a CSS template.

qazu - thanks for the sample code, I'll make use of it and take on board everyones advice.

Thanks again!

 

css is a friend of mine in case of SEO... i do pick many sites on top 10 all of them are xhtml based fully coded ,developed and optimized by me

 

Do not be afraid to try new stuff out, john

Feel free to post in our CSS forum if you run into any issues.

 

css is a good tool to make seo. i think you can find better help on digital point css forums

 

the title for this thread should be like this"flash is bad for the seo"

 

eh? CSS bad for SEO? Put your web construction into CSS and you can craft your text to appear at the top of your code, that has to be good? Then put your tables into CSS and you remove loads of code thereby improving the visible text to code ratio. If you're worried about H1 tags, just leave them in as HTML, there is no need to use CSS for these, just use it to remove the irrelevant code such as tables!

 

as one wise man always said... "design your site for seo - not seo for your site"

 

What does this particular template look like (I'm a CSS genius as the people on the HTML and CSS boards here will probably tell you)?

I'm really worried that you got a crap template from somebody...

 

CSS is suit for SEO. I have experienced this one before.

 

I do not have any idea about css so unable to make any comment in respect to seo.

 

CSS is a presentational markup language that separates the appearance of a Web site from its structure (HTML) and can be served to the browser via a single file that is linked to from within the Web page.

 

CSS is used to make things easier on your html code and make it look cleaner.

 

CSS is brilliant for SEO. You can define the important parts of the page so that Google can pick up on them. For example, my site has h6 tags for the sponsored links. They don't look out of place, but Google Indexes it higher than normal text.

 

Dan - the template is this one:

http://www.oswd.org/design/preview/id/2815

As it's from OSWD I'm hoping it's coded correctly.

rhyswynne - yes, it was how to implement the H tags that I was concerned about. Looks like I should be able to just override the appearence of them in the CSS. Your post has made me realize that I should be able to make an even greater use of the H tags, I was only really planning to use H1,H2& H3.

Thanks again to everyone for their input.