Part I

Search Engine Optimization (SEO), or website optimization, is the process of streamlining your website so that it will appear higher in search engine results pages. Search engines evaluate your website’s relevance and readability using an ever-changing set of factors and give it a position or ranking on the search results page. The more relevance the search engine determines your website has for a given search, the higher it will rank.

When you consider that a large number of Internet users will not look beyond the first page of search results, it’s important to use SEO to push your website’s ranking to the first page and as high as possible within it. To that end, website optimization addresses multiple factors, including: keyword selection, adding and refreshing content, creating search-engine friendly design, building links, and resolving technical issues that may make search engines gag.

Website optimization factors should be taken into consideration from the very beginning of the process of creating a new website or updating an existing one. There are some simple non-techie steps that anybody can take from day one that will make life easier for the developer (you or someone else) and will help during the optimization process.

1. Write or review copy and text content for all pages of the website. Oftentimes the copy content of a website is not fully written or missing at the onset of the development process, even though there might be agreement about its need. What is being said and how it is being said is critical for the user and for the search engine. 
2. Start the planning process from the mobile version rather than the desktop version. Developing a website becomes a lot easier when we think of it from the point of view of the mobile user first. It’s much easier to build up than to scale down content and features.
3. Make sure the images to be used are good quality. Just because you found a nice picture on the web to use in your website doesn’t mean such image is the right type and size. Two simple rules:
   1. choose images that are at least the exact size you want them to be displayed on your website, and in the most efficient next gen formats progressive jpg, png 24 
   2. make sure that the Alternative Text (alt) and Description (desc) fields are filled in on each image uploaded to your website.
4. Avoid excessive visual fireworks and “flashiness” to reduce the number of JavaScript and CSS files employed. A website that contains too many JavaScript and CSS files generates a large number of HTTP requests that slow the download time. JavaScript is used to add special effects on pages like rollover, roll out and many types of graphics and animation. CSS specifies your document’s style—page layouts, colors, and fonts. They are both tools that help define the identity, functionality, and attractiveness of your website but at the same time they have the potential to slow down its performance.
5. Simplify the typography to minimize the use of webfonts. Even though webfonts are specially tuned for use on websites, they increase the traffic generated in order to load a webpage. Among the most commonly used are Google Fonts which are free to use but are not included in a browser. Keep in mind that to use any font not included in a browser, the visitor must download the font to view your web page, thus increasing the web page’s load time.
6. Reduce the number of plugins. This applies specifically to WordPress users because can create performance and security issues, plus the fact that some of them have overlapping functions. Not all plugins are created equal. The quality of the code may vary and some might create long term issues that affect the stability of the site.

We have just covered some of the ways in which we can contribute from the start to the website optimization process. In our next installment we’ll go into more technical aspects of it and hopefully make the lay person more familiar with some of the available tools.

Cheers!