Templates

If I use a templete will it effect SEO?

[Andromeda]

Will the extra code that comes with using a template get in the way of search engine spiders? If I use a templete will my web site be less effective when it comes to search engines?

BTW you guys are awesome. I only joined the forum last month and I've learnt so much. Some of my web sites are now appearing on the first couple of pages on Google when I put in certain phrases. Thanks you HEAPS

[walkman]

depends on how much unique text you have for the pages. If the template is 20kb, and all you have a unique sentence or two a page, you'll be affected IMO.

[hp11]

Google does penalize and even ban sites that are exact duplicates, take a look at what just happened to monster template. Gone from the G serp's for that reason.

[stever]

Before saying yes or no, what you _you_ mean when you say "template"? A Dreamweaver template, a commercial template, a template designed by a merchant for their affiliates?

No, a template need not necessarily result in problems (in fact, an efficiently-constructed site will often use a template-like structure of includes). But it depends what you mean by the term.

(Commercial templates need not add in excessive code - just bad ones do that.)

[Jon_King]

>>If I use a templete will my web site be less effective when it comes to search engines?

No. A template uses repetitive code, different from unique page content.

[ken_b]

Not commenting on the SE aspects directly.

A template designed specifically for your site is one thing, and probably not a problem. In fact using a unique template can save a ton of work, and bring a highlevel of conformity to your site.

Templates that can be seen on who knows how many sites covering an unknown variety of topics are another. The possibilty of confusing readers with similar looking sites is just too great for my taste.

Do you really want to take a chance that someone will think some get rich quick or quack medicine site is somehow related to your site because the pages look so similar?

Maybe not all that likely to happen, but why take the chance?

[Andromeda]

Hi everyone

I see now I need to be more specific.

I have created a template using dreamweaver. It contains a heading image at the top and a navigation bar on the left. The main body is editable.

Although i know some html code I'm not that good and I have heard that search engines have trouble reading web sites with frames and just wondered if it was the same with the type of template I have described.

[Jon_King]

No problem with your DW template. Frames work diferently and sometimes they give SE's a tough road to spider.

[moose606]

I don't use templates. I use Dreamweaver, and just make the navigation and repetitive components into library items. This way I still have complete control over the entire page, without worrying about the template getting in the way of SEO.