google focused web design
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- komkrktprod
I have a belief that designing for the web has suffered on the whole because of folks being focused on getting better search engine rankings.
I agree content is key but I like a nice looking and sometimes interactive website. I like Flash and I don't particularly care about stuff getting indexed. I think if its good then its good and folks will find it one way or another. and call me crazy but if they don't find you then they don't find you.
Does top 10 rankings really matter to anyone here especially with the proliferation of "designers" on the web?
I think if you have a quality product/content/website then you can safely rely on advertising and good conversion ratios whether that is sales or eyes reading your junk.
Like News Today for instance...someone was interviewed on http://www.designinteract.com/
and was asked what sites they liked on the interenet, and said they loved some other site and NewsToday.Fast Forward to today, and here I am spending my days posting, reading, looking at other folks sites and making art for the Photoshop battles.
I would have never found this on google.
Thoughts...
- Jaline0
I would have never found this on google.
Thoughts...
komkrktprod
(Oct 13 06, 07:58)Good points. I agree. There may be a difference statistically if you are in the first page of the search results though. But it also depends on how much money you need to fun the site. Most people don't ask for money but once your site starts getting more hits I guess you are forced to...
- UndoUndo0
depends on yr demographic, if you sell loans you cant ignore
2042647 searches on:' home loan' - last month (Yahoo)
- komkrktprod0
i agree that it depends on your needs.
but when you got people advocating against this technology (like flash) or pushing something else based on getting your content quantity up as opposed to quality...thats when i have the problem.
For instance, I think posting on a business forum or any other forum that targets your market is better cheaper advertising for your website or services than SEO/Search engine ranking as a whole affords.
I would argue that it brings you targeted traffic, or at the least..folks that just wanna see your site.
- UndoUndo0
i think youve answered yr own question - if you choose flash as the platform to deliver yr content then its probably not a 'main stream'. Nice flash sites usually spread via viral like ,dare I say it 2A's notoriety!!!
btw - googlebot reads swfs and indexes them - its just cant read em as well as html! and there are ways to SEO a full flash/hybrid site
- komkrktprod0
does it have anything to do with xml?
I'm interested in jumping on that bangwagon but need a starting point...
- monkeyshine0
Fast Forward to today, and here I am spending my days posting, reading, looking at other folks sites and making art for the Photoshop battles.
komkrktprod
(Oct 13 06, 07:58)...spoken like someone who spends their day making art and posting on forums rather than thinking about business strategy and client needs.
Ok, I'm only half kidding. You don't care about stuff getting indexed but your clients do. The old adage of 'if you build it they will come' no longer applies.
A marketing plan is crucial for interactive unfortunately includes search engines.
- UndoUndo0
you can do some in xml but in the main you should run html version alongside your flash. if you use a database this will be quite a simple task - otherwise yr doubling yr work (well flash is usually much more involved)
- komkrktprod0
hey monkeyshine, I was referring to free time.
but I agree that in some cases its necessary. not all.
I think viral works pretty good too.
Maybe its me, but if I need a book lets say, I will go to amazon.com. if I need a pc or part, I will go to newegg.com. I'm not gonna search and buy jack from these no name folks just cuz they are in the top ten.
Which is why brand recognition is more important than search engine marketing.
But we live in the world of add ons. so keep on keepin on.
- k0na_an0k0
I also agree TOO much is being put into having a great user experience and good design is being lost and forgotton in the process to make things overly simple.
This is 2006, not 1996. The automotive industry has made advancements in leaps and bounds trusting that people know enough about cars to 'get it'. I think the web should too.
- komkrktprod0
woo hoo someone has come out of the closet against the oversimplification of the web.
bring back the drop shadows!
but like, minimally...ya know??
- ********0
nods head, puffs pipe
- ********0
Maybe its me, but if I need a book lets say, I will go to amazon.com. if I need a pc or part, I will go to newegg.com.
komkrktprod
(Oct 13 06, 09:20)I agree whole-heartedley that I go to specific sites if I want something (books = B&N for me though).
I only use Google's Search to find like lyrics to songs, obscure references to jokes I make but want to be 100% sure I'm correct, and if I'm stuck coding something I'll search to see if anyone has run into the same problems.
That's basically it.
However, in the same vein I rely on NT, K10K, PixelSurgeon, etc. as a means to supply me with inspiration, and what's new with the web that I care about, so to speak.
I'd say the "average user" which means the person who doesn't use a computer nearly as much as we do, does in fact rely on search engines greatly.
It's a huge drop off in terms of using computers for those not in the computer field, I work with I/O Psychologists, Marketing (you'd be very surprised), and a slew of other professions here at my job and they still have no grasp of the internet in my mind.
- Engage0
too many people use flash like a nobhead
- Jaline0
Pffft, whatever. Most flash sites are like most html sites - they suck. it takes effort to find the best ones out there, and they're usually not in the first page of the Google search results. Yeah, I'm not into flash in general but there are obviously people who do amazing things with it.
- komkrktprod0
does anyone start designing something thinking "how relevant is this going to be in google"? "searchwise that is...
I'm only asking cuz I don't particularly care.
- ********0
Isn't it all meta tags, and proper formatting?
I wouldn't doubt it if you use AdWords, and Google Tracking, that those would give you a kind of boost (unintentional of course...).
Pick up a book (at Amazon, bah-dum-ching) about it. I guarantee it's not inherently hard.
- komkrktprod0
i basically use divs and css to seperate content from bla, meta tags sometimes if I feel like it I guess, I rely more on word of mouth.
I do not need another book from B&N, Amazon or bla unless its about business or something else