Css positioning to put SEM copy visually where you want?

[plasma800]

Is this a bad idea...?

I'm thinking about designing a page to look the way I like, and usw CSS positioning to push the SEM copy to a more appropiate spot on the page (visually), but it still be first in the code.

Is this a bad idea, or is this pretty common?

[pageoneresults]

Is this a bad idea?

Not at all. In fact, it is a great idea!

Or is this pretty common?

Not common at all because many do not understand source ordered html. Working with CSS-P is an excellent strategy for a variety of reasons, SEO being one of them.

[plasma800]

Man I'll tell you! I want my site to LOOK the way I WANT it to.. but I also understand that keyword right copy is important too. I also understand that it is important to have it higher in your code..

So it hit me, use css position to move it... .. not like totally to the bottom, but just a better spot..

[plasma800]

Ok i did it.. But im nervous about making it live. This is not so black hat?

[pageoneresults]

This is not so black hat?

This really has nothing to do with hats. This is what is referred to as source ordered content. There is nothing black about it.

[plasma800]

sounds like a plan. I wish i could show this to you guys... it's the best home page i've ever done.. i mean.. it's hot.

[Jim Westergren]

I am using that "trick" on my site.

I have everything in DIV tags with absolute positions. This makes it possible for me that in the source code I can have first the heading, then the content and last on the page I can have the navigation menu.

[pageoneresults]

I am using that "trick" on my site.

But wait! Please, let's not classify this as a trick. It has an official name...

CSS-P

All you are doing is absolutely positioning your content to be source ordered. It is not a trick. It is a design strategy which few are using at the moment. I've been trying to keep this CSS-P stuff under wraps, shhh! ;)

Take a look at your absolutely positioned content in Opera's User mode. That is pretty much what the spider sees.

[Jim Westergren]

pageoneresults,

Thanks for the term CSS-P.

You learn something new each day ...

And for those who hase not yet learned CSS there is the good old "table trick". Actually called "table trick".

<table>
<tr>
<td><!-- an empty table cell -->
</td>
<td rowspan="2">
The content of the page goes here.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>The navigation menu goes here.</td>
</tr>
</table>

[plasma800]

Yeah That's the way I used to get my nav out of my way.

At this point, my main nav is on the right.