When talking about constructing proper web code, three terms often come up: “search engine friendly”, “search engine optimized”, and “accessible”. While all aid in creating a better user and search engine experience, all three terms mean different things.
Search Engine Friendly – Ensuring that no part of a web site or it’s code is a barrier to a search engine, web crawler, or spiders’ ability to access web content. A “friendly” web site follows best practices in regard to stable, correct and current code, proper navigation, the display of quality and meaningful content, and proper user experience (UX) design. (Our through development process sets Netdrafter apart in these areas.) While “friendly” techniques may encompass some of the techniques used when “optimizing” web sites, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a separate and more involved process. By default, and by design, all Netdrafter-produced code is Search Engine Friendly (even if a project does not include further SEO services.) See the “friendly vs. optimized examples” chart below.
Search Engine Optimized – Optimized pages have been purposely constructed to improve the volume or quality of traffic to a web site from “natural” or “organic” search results. It is an Internet Marketing strategy that considers and reacts to how search engines internally work and how users search for relevant information. SEO is a science in itself and there’s no one strategy that can guarantee placement or results for all web sites. It is an individualized process that involves research, web site structure and code improvement, and continued maintenance and monitoring. Don’t be fooled by the spam you get in your email inbox – there’s no way to guarantee placement, there’s no “quick fix” and proper optimization can’t be done for $19.95 a month! See the “friendly vs. optimized examples” chart below.
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Quick Friendly vs. Optimized Examples
Friendly:
Page titles, descriptions, headers and content sections are well-written, unique and accurately explain content. |
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Optimized:
Use of friendly tactics plus using carefully researched and formatted titles and descriptions to enhance search performance. |
Friendly:
Content is written and constructed to appeal and register with multiple target audiences. |
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Optimized:
Use of friendly tactics plus the incorporation of key phrasing, phrase formatting, and proximity strategies.
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Accessible – Accessible web pages are usable by people of all abilities and disabilities. Web accessibility addresses factors such as visual impairments (blindness or color blindness, for example), motor/mobility difficulties (ability to use standard input devices, like a mouse or keyboard), auditory impairments, and cognitive/developmental disabilities (like dyslexia, problem-solving and logic skills) as well as many other conditions. Correct web page development and coding aids the function of available devices (screen readers, for example) to assist with and enhance the online experience for these users. These guidelines are part of an amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and known as Section 508. They are quickly becoming a standard in technology development and their usage is often required for many government, health, and financial web projects.
