Compromising Between Marketing and Design


Some of the most beautiful web pages are created entirely in Flash or with graphic images to preserve the aesthetics of the colors, uncommon typefaces , and movement. These web pages, by virtue of effective offline and online advertising campaigns , get plenty of traffic and sales conversions.

To make pages like these more search engine friendly, search engine marketers might recommend that visible HTML text be added to the pages. They might recommend placing text links at the bottom of the screen or using a series of breadcrumb links at the top of the screen. They might recommend placing a 250-word paragraph on each page. However, these items, though essential for search engine visibility, can interfere with the overall look and feel of a web site. What should a web site owner do when faced with this dilemma?

Web sites should be constructed primarily for your target audience. Your customers are the ones who purchase your products and services, not the search engines. So, if your target audience prefers a Flash site and your other marketing efforts are providing effective sales leads and conversions, a pay-for-placement search engine strategy is the best solution. Always build a site based on what your target audience prefers. Testing your audience preferences is imperative for a successful web site.

Do not assume that your marketing departments or design teams know what your target audience prefers without testing the effectiveness of your web pages. If you have a Flash site, create an HTML version of your site. Measure the traffic on each site. You might find that your target audience, overall, uses the HTML version of the site more frequently but that the Flash version generates more targeted sales leads.

On the other hand, you might find that your target audience does not mind a set of text links at the bottom of your web pages, especially if those links fall below the fold. Those text links can help increase your site's search engine visibility and higher search engine visibility can increase sales.

Search engines do not change their rules based on a designer or marketer's personal preferences. Sometimes, aesthetic preferences conflict with search engine visibility. Ultimately, web site owners must decide which is more important: personal aesthetics or increased search engine visibility?



Search Engine Visibility
Search Engine Visibility (2nd Edition)
ISBN: 0321503244
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 111
Authors: Shari Thurow

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