Importance of first paragraph of text - order of code

using css divs to position sections

[kapow]

1.) How important is it to have the first paragraph near the top of the code - for SEO? e.g. does it make a difference if:
- logo and banner code are higher?
- Nav code is higher?

2.) If yes - is it ok to use CSS and Divs to put the first para or two at the top of the code?

[Nick_W]

Interesting question Kapow!

I've seen a big difference in just making sure that section specific navigation (usually placed on the left) actually comes after the body content.

I don't bother to place it above the logo and primary navigation theough. My top divs usually containg a logo and a level one heading. Then the primary navigation then the content.

Seems to work pretty well....

Nick

[kapow]

Thanks Nick_W
Can Google work out which is the: Header, nav and first-para (for a fairly standard site)?

Does anyone have experience of different rank if the first para is highest?

[Nick_W]

Well, google, like any other engine should see your markup in the order you've written it.

Like

• header (logo+headline)
  
• Primary nav
  
• content
  
• secondary nav
  
• footer
  

(in my case anyway)

Nick

[WebGuerrilla]

A quick way to get an idea of how a spider sees and stores your page content is to view the page in your browser and then save it as a text file.

When you look at the text file, you will be able to see what comes first.

Regarding using CSS, yes, if you can you should. Most engines do factor where in the document keywords are found. Using CSS to position the important stuff at the top can help make sure they find what you want them to find near ther top.

[johnser]

How do you use css to give the SE's text before they hit the layout tables on a page? Are there any browser compatability issues with this?

And....I'm not very optimistic but could anyone recommend an example of this in use or failing that, a decent tutorial?

Thanks

[kapow]

> Most engines do factor where in the document keywords are found.

Should I lift my 1st para text above the nav text? will this make any difference?

[Birdman]

Hello jonser. Welcome to WW. With CSS you can eliminate tables for the most part. You use <div>s to lay out the page in your stylesheet. By doing this, you lighthen your page and rid it of many <tags>. You define where elements of your page layout on your stylesheet. I'm still learning it, but it is well worth the time. Check out [w3schools.com ]. Good luck :)
Birdman

[WebGuerrilla]

Hi Johnser

You can find a ton of info on using CSS in our Browsers & HTML Forum [webmasterworld.com].

You'll find several CSS gurus (including one of our newest Mods Papabaer) there that can help you get going.

[Nick_W]

Hi everyone

In case you hadn't seen it there is an example here: Simple CSS layout [webmasterworld.com]

Nick