Hi All- I am working on building a template that I plan to use to create a few sites. I would like to use a template so it will be easier to build a few sites with the same basic template and speed up my building process. In planning the template I want to make things as flexible as possible so I can make quick and easy changes to make each new site a little invdividual. I plan on using CSS for styling the site which then fits my requirements for easy to change. I would like to use server side includes for parts of it also like my google ads. This way I can update and make changes to them asily from site to site as I change colors and header images etc. So here is my question. I would like to use a Server Side Include for the navigation menu on the site. I would then style this with CSS and make drop down menus using CSS styling only. So the SSI file would just be a purse list of links which would then be styled into a menu with CSS. My question is will google and other search engines be able to index the site if this is the case? I know typically the straight text links with CSS styling to make a menu on a static site can work well for indexing as all of the links are right there as text links. I am not sure if this will be the same with SSI. I think it is but would like a second opinon. Thank Ichibanda
Hi Ichibanda, Search engines will view your site like what normal users will see (with JavaScript disabled). Therefore, using SSI or any other file includes will not affect the indexing of your pages. I would like to encourage you to proceed with what you have suggested above. SEO apart, CSS and server side includes will really help us to save a lot of time in website maintenance
Hey THere KC TAN- Thanks for the quick and percise reply. Easily understood now to get to the design and coding. Thanks! Ichibanda