Professional Search Engine Optimization with PHP: A Developer's Guide to SEO

Chapter 15. Site Clinic: So You Have a Web Site?

Although we recommend otherwise, many web sites are initially built without any regard for search engines. Consequently, they often have a myriad of architectural problems. These problems comprise the primary focus of this book. Unfortunately, it is impossible to exhaustively and generally cover the solutions to all web site architectural problems in one short chapter. But thankfully, there is quite a bit of common ground involved.

Likewise, there are many feature enhancements that web sites may benefit from. Some only apply to blogs or forums, whereas others apply generally to all sites. Here, too, there is quite a bit of common ground involved. Furthermore, many such enhancements are easy to implement, and may even offer instant results.

This chapter aims to be a useful list of common fixes and enhancements that many web sites would benefit from. This list comprises two general kinds of fixes or enhancements:

• Items 1 through 9 in the checklist can be performed without disturbing site architecture. These items are worthwhile for most web sites and should be tasked without concern for detrimental effects.

• Items 10 through 15 come with caveats when implemented and should therefore be completed with caution — or not at all.

This chapter is not intended to be used alone. Rather, it is a sort of "alternative navigation" scheme that one with a preexisting web site can use to quickly surf some of the core content of this book. Appropriate references ...