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Coding and title tag for DDW

Can I change my coding to get my title tag higher?

         

ChristopherSr

6:35 pm on Mar 24, 2004 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



This is my first post, so I apologize if I write anything out of bounds.

I am working for a company where I am supposed to identify ways to improve SEO. Our site is a database driven site and I am experiencing a ton of resistance from one of the people in charge because she feels that if we move the code around, it will change the dynamic of the site. So here is my question. Can I move the title tag above the script language without it effecting the site? If I can, what about the Meta description and Meta keyword? Here is a brief view of what the source looks like:

<html>
<head>

<!--
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" type="text/javascript">
var useRedirect = false;
var testBrowser = true;
var testFlash = false;
</SCRIPT>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="/browserdetect.js"></SCRIPT>
-->

<title>companyname.com</title>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<link rel="stylesheet" href="css/designashirt.css" type="text/css">
<script language="JavaScript">

Obviously, I would want the title page directly below the <head> but she thinks that will change the entire site. Will it? Also, our Meta description and keyword placement is right before the </head> I would want these to be closer to the top of the page too, but again, she doesn't want me to do a thing. I have also suggested some static pages for indexing, but am getting resistance for that too. We are working with an SEO company right now (I didn't know this before I accepted the job) and they have brought us ZERO results, yet she insists on keeping them and won't listen to anything I have to say.

Thanks for any input on my questions.

Chris

pixel_juice

10:27 pm on Mar 24, 2004 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Welcome to webmasterworld [webmasterworld.com] ChristopherSr! :)

I would want the title page directly below the <head> but she thinks that will change the entire site

IMO, moving around any of the elements in the <head> will have absolutely no visible or technical effect on the site whatsoever, and this includes helping with search engine rankings or 'changing' the site in any way.

Well even if there *is* an effect, it will be so very very small as to not be worth the time taken changing it on any pages (I admit I tend to put the title first, but that is just superstition ;))

<title>companyname.com</title>

If your title is really just 'companyname.com' then if you ask me, the single most important thing you can do is add words that are relevant to each page in your <title>.

ChristopherSr

12:22 am on Mar 25, 2004 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



thanks pixel! yeah, the first thing I was going to do was get that title tag at the top and then put a few keywords in there in a sentence about the site. I think the biggest hurdle is going to be convincing my boss that it's the best thing to do.

If I put that title tag above the redirect info, will the spiders index it before hitting the database and leaving?

pixel_juice

12:56 pm on Mar 25, 2004 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



>>If I put that title tag above the redirect info, will the spiders index it before hitting the database and leaving?

Redirects are a different matter entirely. It depends on why you are redirecting, how you redirect, and where you redirect to.

If it's a javascript redirect, chances are most search engine spiders will ignore it, and still index the page with the redirect on it.

Where the title tag is positioned is irrelvant. If the page is indexed, they will use whatever title is in the head (wherever it is placed). If it search engines follow the redirect then the page usually won't be indexed, and the title doesnt matter.