The best method for search engine optimisation is to create web pages that are not heavy in file size, contain all relevant matter and maintain a good content to code ratio. This can be best done by using Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) as it scores over other web designing tools in terms of ease of understanding and optimisation as compared to HTML.


There is a close connection between SEO and CSS. CSS utilises style sheets for presentation elements instead of putting them into HTML. This helps dissociate the content and the presentation of web pages, which makes these pages compatible to various browsers, PDA’s, WAP or even accessibility readers. A style sheet reduces the file size of the web page and helps to put more text and links than a regular HTML page.


CSS is also recommended by the World Wide Web consortium (W3C) which manages the standards for the internet.

Here are some more reasons for using CSS for SEO.


Faster Loading of Pages


This is a blessing, especially at places with clogged bandwidths and multiple connections. Web pages designed with CSS are much smaller than pages designed with HTML.  Since smaller pages load faster, as there is overall lesser text to be rendered in a browser, using CSS speeds up the loading of files.


If your page contains tables, then CSS is the only method to reduce the code and run the browser faster. In addition, since in CSS, the presentation information is placed in an external CSS file, this will be accessed only once when the home page is loaded. Other pages from the site that are from the same CSS file will be available on the user’s cache memory. Similarly, images set as backgrounds in CSS will load faster than images set as HTML tags.


Smaller File Size


Correlated to the above is the reduction in file size, which is achieved with the use of CSS. Light pages are more effective in SEO when compared to heavier pages. Having lesser HTML coding will improve the performance of the search engine on the page and hence improve its ranking.


Easier to Update

Since the content in CSS is easier to access, it is likely to be updated more frequently.  CSS makes the code on each page simple so that it is easier to read and make changes. In addition, changes made on the presentation of an element in the CSS file will be reflected in all pages where those elements are present, without the need for updating each page separately.


Improves Accessibility


CSS is compatible with accessibility readers. Accessibility readers are tools that read codes for the viewer and translates HTML into user specified audio, extra large text or formats that contain no HTML tags.


CSS based websites are also compatible with PDA and mobile phone browsers. It does not require reorganisation of the content for readability. CSS for SEO is the perfect solution in this case. 


Improves Content Ratio


Content to code ratio is the amount of actual text that exists on a given web page in relation to the amount of code required to display that content in a browser. Since most of the presentation element in CSS goes to the style sheet, what we have left is more content when compared to a HTML page. Another good reason to use CSS for SEO. 


Improves Readability of Content by Spiders


The easier the code of a web page is to read and understand, the more effectively search engines will label and store the pages. The search engine attempts to read everything including the actual HTML, Java script or any other code included on the page. Therefore, the results of indexing of the page by search engines will be better if they have more content to read than code.


Improves Ranking with Search Engines


This follows from the above factor. Since search engine spiders, will be able to index your pages faster, they will also show up at a better ranking. Therefore, CSS makes sense for SEO campaign, as it results in highly readable pages, which are rich in content and Search Engine friendly.


Code Positioning and Tables


In a web page that has tables, content is shown to a Search Engine spider in the order that the tables appear on the web page and below tags (which have no value in the search). In case of large tables, the content may end at the bottom of the HTML code while items like navigation menu and banners could end up at the top.


If you are using CSS with the right modus operandi, the important content can easily be placed at the top of the HTML code, just under the <body> tag. CSS also allows you to format your divisions in a way that the visual elements like the images and banners can be placed at the bottom of the code without affecting the layout or styling of the webpage. Placing of images as division backgrounds reduces page size as well as eliminates the need for image tags in HTML- one more good reason for using CSS for SEO.


Java Script Rollover and Mouse over Effects


Everyone loves rollover effects, as they make the links more attractive and dynamic.
Using CSS allows you to emulate rollover effects without having to use a single character of java script and with lower file size. Since java script is not readable, using CSS has the advantage of providing more textual content to the search engine spider to ride, hence improving your ranking on search engines. 


Optimum Utilisation of Computer Resources


Incase of an HTML page layout, the browser has to retrieve, analyze and render every page when clicked. This process is repeated, every following page, affecting the server performance since it requires large cache memory to store the pages.


However, if your web pages have been designed using CSS, the external style sheet has to be loaded on the cache memory just once.  Subsequently, similar pages are recalled automatically. As such, the browser does not have to load the presentation element over and over again, helping in faster loading of pages and using lesser computer resources.


The list could go on and on. However, the fact remains that CSS for SEO does merit serious consideration.

Still thinking ?

Well think CSS for SEO.



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