[thelist] An argument for CSS that a client can appreciate

[Marc Seyon]

Message from Joshua Olson (10/17/2003 02:06 PM)

>The basic conversation I've worked out so far goes something like this:
>
>"Search engine indexing, as you've mentioned, is one of your absolute top
>priorities and the principal reason that you contacted me today.

Hi Joshua,

Why is your client's top priority search engine indexing? Do the search 
engines buy his product? Or is he seeing too many trees (or just one really 
big tree) and not enough forest?

I would think an absolute top priority would be getting desired content to 
one's target audience. And believe it or not, delivering that content 
effectively will get you good search engine listings.

>   Using a technique introduced a couple years ago we are able to make 
> pages that are
>easier to find in search engines.

Makes it sound all ethereal and magical. Maybe that works for keeping some 
clients in the dark.

"We design pages that deliver your content to your target audience in the 
most efficient, effective way possible." Or something similar.

>   Using the same technique we are also able to make pages that show up 
> considerably faster, maybe as much as 10x's faster.

I've found this to be the singlest largest selling point of CSS when 
talking about redesigning existing sites. More efficient is always better 
(except when it costs an arm and a leg).

>We can make the website look approximately the same in all
>major browsers, but the initial cost will be higher and the people will have
>a harder time finding your site in the search engines."

I don't understand this part. Especially not the last clause about people 
still having a harder time. Are you saying that this magical technique will 
only work well with search engines if the site isn't designed to look 
approximately the same in all major browsers?

Sounds even more magical and less credible now.

>Thoughts?  Are there any major fallacies in this argument?

Yes. I think you're trying too hard to bend css to the current level of 
education of your client (who is only concerned with "search engine indexing").

What on earth does the way something is presented (styled) have to do with 
its relevance to a search engine? You can css till the cows come home. But 
if your page isn't well marked-up structurally you're still not maximising 
the search engine potential.

The major selling points I've found useful for css (for redesigning 
existing sites) are
1. lighter pages (as mentioned)
2. quicker + faster + cheaper to maintain/update
3. because I say so, dammit! :-p

regards.
-marc

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