There is a very large spectrum to assuring the quality of a web site/page for Search Engine Optimization (SEO). At Organic we understand SEO is foundational to our business and is KEY for multi-channel marketing; when used properly we can push a single message at the same time to our client’s customers.
In order to accomplish Organic’s Best Practices for SEO we have to create content and technical elements to increase site visibility; which will only be achieved through proper end-to-end implementation of SEO. To accomplish this there has to be a cross discipline effort to help with requirements gathering, implementation and finally verification/validation.
The SEO Specialist provides the technology team with Search Engine Requirements (SER) for the top positioning in search results. This requires a rounded approach to optimization:
- First, search engine spiders must be able to crawl the site
- Second, SEO specialist makes sure the site is setup in a searchable way, which is flat and broad; by reviewing URL Structure, Sitemap, HTML, etc.
- Next, spiders must be able to determine the relevancy of a page by focusing on keywords of page elements; Title Tags, Meta Descriptions, Headers, etc.
- Lastly, it is critical to achieve optimal search engine visibility
Following the creation of the SER the developer implements on-page and coding elements:
- Technical Components (ex: Selectors)
- Site Presentation (ex: Flash content)
- Site Structure (ex: Wireframes)
- Keywords
- Page Title
- Headline tags
- Body content
- Meta description
- Alternate text
- Internal linking
Subsequent to implementation the tester ensures all SEO requirements have been met. The testers and search specialist have completely different certification requirements. While the search specialist focuses on website ranking, traffic and social media; the tester will verify the page elements have been implemented according to the SER.
Listed below is the minimum amount of test scenarios used to validate the coding elements listed above. These test scenarios are executed by using manual testing as well as an array of testing tools. The most common test tools used for SEO verification are Total Validator, AIS Web Accessibility Toolbar, Charles Web Debugging Proxy and SEO Toolbar.
| Page Elements |
Testing Scenarios |
| Page Titles |
- Verify the <title> is placed immediately following the HTML <head> tag
- Verify the Title Name is unique to each page
- Verify Title is unique.
- Verify relevant keywords. (Follows the overarching “theme” of the page)
- Verify Page Title doesn’t exceed 65 characters (including spaces).
|
| Meta Descriptions |
- Verify Meta Descriptions are placed between the HTML <head> tags
- Verify Meta Descriptions Unique to each page
- Verify Meta Descriptions is unique and not used on multiple pages
- Verify Meta Descriptions describes the overall page theme
- Use relevant keywords. (Follows the overarching “theme” of the page)
- Verify description limit to 150-250 characters (including spaces).
|
| Meta Keywords |
- Verify keywords are placed between the HTML <head> tags
- Verify no duplicates keywords are used on a page. Avoid targeting the same keywords on multiple pages
- Verify targeted keywords must be reflected in on-page content
|
| Heading Tags |
- Verify use an H1 tag once per page. Also make sure that H2, H3, and H4 tags are in consecutive order following H1.
- Verify correlation of page theme, navigation, title
- Verify use an H1 tag is unique to each page
- Verity H1 tag incorporates top targeted keyword
|
| Video Assets |
- Verify Unique URL
- Verify there is not more than one video per URL.
- Verify URL should be named the same as/similar to the video name
- Verify keywords in page copy, with proper density
- Verify video Description, Title and transcripts are used
|
| Image Optimization |
- Verify the page contains targeted keywords in the image filenames
|
| Image ALT Text |
- Verify image alt text is used to describe the picture
- Verify image that displays text, reprint that text for search engines and ADA screen readers
|
| Storing Images with CSS |
- Verify images are stored via CSS and reference them via class or div tags to enhance search visibility
- Verify that referencing images via CSS or ADA-style text, the image/Flash content matches the HTML equivalent verbatim.
(Any derivation may be deemed as search engine spam.) |
| Javascript & CSS External Files |
- Verify HTML clutter is reduced by referencing Javascript and CSS as external files
|
| URL Structure |
- Verify use of relevant keywords. (Follows the overarching “theme” of the page)
- Verify value of keywords used in the URL by breaking them up with hyphens (preferred) or underscores.
|
| URL Variables |
- Verify URL variables are at a minimum – no more than two if possible.
- Verify removal tracking parameters from URLs when adding to HREFs
- Verify parameter limits use to 3 or less
- Verify parameters are not used in URL unless absolutely required:
- &RequestTimeout=
- &State=
- Session or user IDs
|
| URL Rewrites |
- Verify rewrite URLs from dynamic to visually static
|
| HREF Navigation |
- Verify form elements, submit buttons, Javascript onclick events, or meta refresh tags to send users to another page are not utilized.
- Verify the standard HREF link alternative is always used.
|
| Cookies |
- Verify Cookies do not prevent spiders from accessing the page
|
| URL Status in HREF’s |
- Verify URLs in HREFs is a 200-level URL whenever possible
|
| NoFollow in HREF’s |
- Verify indexing duplicate content or pop-up windows, have a NoFollow attribute to the HREF
|
| Linking |
- Verify use of targeted keywords within text links
- Verify optimized text links to page content
- Verify static, crawlable text links when available
- Verify links point to most relevant pages
|
| Redirects |
- Verify page is permanently moving to a new URL, do not use cf_location
- Verify use of permanent 301 redirect header
|
| Flash |
- Verify flash files are broken into separate sections with URLs for each unique page
- Verify each page contains its own unique page elements and meta data
- Verify HTML content can be read by search crawlers
- Verify search crawlers can link to it and put a “no follow” tag on any links to the Flash page
|
| Robots.txt |
- Verify migrating to new site platforms or rebuilds, that all pop-up windows, printable pages, etc. are moved to a separate folder and blocked via robots.txt file
|
| AJAX |
- Verify use of AJAX selectively, primarily for supplemental content associated with low search volumes.
- Ensure there is adequate HTML content surrounding the AJAX content.
- Verify creation of “IDENTICAL” Alternative Content
- Leverage JavaScript applications such as SWFObject or BrowserHawk to render SEO-friendly version of content or URLs
- Extract “#” tags from URL
- Ensure JavaScript Navigation
- Alter JavaScript Navigation to remove any commands within the URL quotes.
- Reference JavaScript control externally and call file via class or ID attributes.
|
| Legal Disclaimers |
- Verify On-page legal disclaimers are dilute the SEO value of on-page marketing content and reduce the ability to gain visibility
- Create pop-up pages for legal disclaimers
- Post all legal disclaimers in pop-up windows
- Ensure pop-up windows are blocked via robots.txt and “NoFollow” attributes
|
Lindiwe Vinson is a Director, Quality Engineering at Organic
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