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SuzyUK - 8:42 pm on Jul 11, 2010 (gmt 0)
"source ordered content"
It does work, but perhaps not to the extreme that some might want or think is best for SE bots
the reason such extreme "source ordering" might not "work" any more is that it doesn't make sense to a USER to stick your "nav" outside the <body> or on the extremes of it.. never mind a SE bot
content first = yes, as that's what a user would expect to see, as a basic right - as opposed to a 300 link deep menu
if your nav menu is set to have drop downs all 300 links but they're not visible on immediate "screen/page" load, it might well *p* off a text/phone USER as well as a SE bot to have to "read" through all that, if they're viewing on a device that makes them scroll through it, i.e. non screen!
This is increasingly more common and I believe is a factor in, Google especially's, algo - hence the warning/FUD/OMG reports about the CSS/Javascript visibility.. CSS "hiding" is not illegal, it never has been, it's there for use and abuse as a right of valid coding.. but it is just common sense on where, when & how to use it, no-one I know ever got "banned" for using W3C valid VISIBILITY/DISPLAY properties PROPERLY
I'll say it again, look at your page in plain text view, then imagine that is what you were 'seeing' when trying to access it on your phone (a cheap phone or a browser without Javascript or CSS, text reader etc...) - now can you say what do you want to "see" first? (and no this isn't a trick accessibility question it really is a USER question!)
to me, it's a few basic jump/skip links first i.e. give me the facility to skip to the nav (if I want to!), then I want content, as it's probably why I came to your site in the first place, whether through an SE search or adding you via RSS Feed! - then below that the 300 link deep site menu, I might investigate that if the content did it's job..then feel free to stick your footer info/links in just in case, then perhaps you might want to stick in your adverts and CSS position THEM visually "above the fold" for PC users - I am sorry that may not be what may would want to hear, but it is from a USER point of view, and what do think G is doing? They're using/reding CSS the way it was always/ever meant to be used, so while it can be abused I think they know that by now ;)
today's sites make it easy to "subscribe" they've bred a new generation of followers based on loyalty not SEO. and in the same vein those who actually know how to "subscribe" and know what twitter is and have feed readers and "know how to use 'em" ;) , probably already know how to avoid the "little SEO tweaks" (OP, did your site suddenly gain an RSS feed?) - at most your subscribers/readers/SE attracted visitors will want to make A QUICK SCAN/SKIM OF YOUR CONTENT, but you should still be able to optimise as best you can (if you're flexible enough) for the screen readers by placing your ads "in their face" as it's no longer a "hotspot" world ;) .. now that is where CSS "source ordering" can come into it's own, one template that is flexible from the start will ensure you never have to change the order and can CSS Position "bits of content" to your hearts content..