Having started learning website design using only HTML, there have been many changes over the past few years. These 11 web design and basic SEO things to know were originally written in 2012. They are now updated as of 2020.
1. What is the maximum number of characters that should be used in the Keyword Meta Tag?
Answer from 2012: As a good rule of thumb, your Keyword Meta Tag should consist of no more than 800 characters, comma separated …and, limit repeating your keywords. Excessive keyword stuffing may cause your site to be removed from the Google index (Google Slapped) for spamming.
UPDATE Answer: As an easy “work-around” for those stuffing keywords, Google no longer acknowledges keywords. Instead, the Google scripts select keywords from within your content.
2. What is the recommended number of characters for your Title Tag and why?
Answer: The maximum number of characters recommended for your Title Tag is 60; doing this will help insure your title is not truncated when displayed in search results by major search engine.
3. What are the consequences of placing your web page Title just beneath the <head> Tag verse the bottom and just above the closing </head> Tag?
Answer: You only need to worry about this when using HTML. Then you need to bring the Title right below the <head> statement.
In HTML, your Title Tag should be placed before all other tags otherwise search engine’s spider software may overlook your page title, which could significantly damage your web page rank.
4. How do you get a high popularity rating for your website?
Answer: Get lots of high PR backlinks. Backlinks are links from other’s websites to your website, and PR is short form for Page Rank.
When a higher ranking website creates a link to your website they are basically “voting” for your site to search engine. However, you need to understand that not all “votes” are counted equally. Example: Comments you leave on other websites.
Gain enough high ranking backlinks and your website becomes more popular.
5. Which search engine bases the majority of its ranking on link popularity?
Answer: Google bases a majority of its ranking on popularity! But then, you knew that, right?
6. Which search engine gives “extra points” for high popularity plus for being listed in Yahoo or LookSmart?
Answer: Google gives “extra points” for high popularity, as well as being listed in Yahoo and/or LookSmart. Was there any doubt?
7. Why is it a bad idea to create websites using frames?
Answer from 2012: Marc Millon said it best in his book titled “Creative content for the Web”. A screen print of a paragraph from page 188 of his book is offered in explanation below:
UPDATED Answer: That seems to have changed now, given the use of CMS (content management system) software, specifically WordPress. Here’s how to embed an iframe with or without a plugin in WordPress.
8. What are the top three search engines or directories used?
Answer: The three top search engines or directories used are Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
9. A listing on what directory also gets your web page listed in MSN, Google, Overture, AOL, and iWon?
Answer: Inktomi, but it does not provide search engine results directly to the public. Rather, it sells its database or index to search engines. Its index and technology are used by web giants such as Google, MSN, AOL, iWon and Overture, along with others.
10. Besides Yahoo, what is the second most important directory to get listed with to increase your website’s traffic?
Answer from 2012: Besides Yahoo, Open Directory (DMOZ.org) is the second most important directory to get listed on to increase your website’s traffic.
UPDATED Answer: Google MyBusiness and Bing Places have become even more vital than Yahoo, given that drop in popularity of Yahoo since being sold Rogers and all of the recent scandals. Though, Yahoo still has some credibility remaining in local searches.
11. What search engine indexes ALT Tags?
Answer from 2012: Google, but some inexperienced webmasters or unethical SEOs abuse the use of the ALT Tags, trying to stuff them with keywords in hope of achieving a certain keyword density. ALT Tags are not as relevant for rankings now as they once were, but I would still recommend that you use the ALT Tags with care. The ALT Tags are for the purpose of informing web device users who cannot download and/or view images.
UPDATED Answer: Once again, times have changed. Here’s how to SEO your website images using the ALT tag or ALT textbox, as it is now labeled in WordPress.
If you found this article useful, please comment!
