SEO using css ? spam or clever ?

Discussion in 'Search Engine Optimization' started by darrens, Sep 19, 2006.

  1. #1
    Hi,

    Im building a new site and i have the problem that the info (text) that i want the bots to read first is near to the bottom of every page.

    If i am to build the page and place the info (text) that i want the bots to see at the top of the page and then make the CSS change the way the page is viewed by the end user is this cheating and can i get in trouble for it?

    Everything in my source will be displayed so im not hiding anything but it will be displayed in a different order to what the end user see's?

    Example: Bots will see ....

    <text 4>
    <text 2>
    <image logo>
    <other image>
    <text 1>
    <text 3>

    But the end user will see it as ...

    <image logo>
    <text 1>
    <text 2>
    <other image>
    <text 3>
    <text 4>

    Spam ? or being clever? not like im cloaking or using hidden text etc ..
     
    darrens, Sep 19, 2006 IP
  2. hooperman

    hooperman Well-Known Member

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    #2
    Why is that a problem? Are you assuming that search engines give more weight to text that appears sooner in your html?

    But I think that lots of people do waste time positioning text for seo benefit in this way for all the good it does them. It's not spam and it's not clever. :)
     
    hooperman, Sep 20, 2006 IP
  3. drhyperlaur

    drhyperlaur Well-Known Member

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    #3
    many webmasters do it and it's not spam but IT IS clever... always put the important content first in the page's code
     
    drhyperlaur, Sep 20, 2006 IP
  4. murph

    murph Peon

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    #4
    Definitely a great idea to do this! If i have a left menu nav i'll put it at the bottom of the page and use css to position it. This allows content to be moved much higher in the source :)
     
    murph, Sep 20, 2006 IP
  5. Mong

    Mong ↓↘→ horsePower

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    #5
    Its perfectly fine :)
    And you should explore it more to meet both ends :)
     
    Mong, Sep 20, 2006 IP
  6. KC TAN

    KC TAN Well-Known Member

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    #6
    It is alright, darrens.

    Most content-first layout make use of this positioning concept to make the content appear before anything else :)
     
    KC TAN, Sep 20, 2006 IP