Website Design Resources - Importance of Text Content

Web Site Design Resources: Tips on the basic principles of good website design.

HTML - Text Content

Graphics, Animations and Search Engines

Although search engine spiders are becoming more complicated every day, they have yet to be able to read images. A site loaded with images and elaborate graphic design will be difficult - if not impossible - for search engines to make sense of.

Occasionally you may want to use graphics rather than html or text, and in situations when you do, be sure to label Alt descriptions for the images. Proper optimization of images with Alt descriptions provides searchable content for the spiders as well as helpful information for people using text only (nongraphical) browsers.

Unfortunately, the same principles apply to animations such as Flash and Shockwave, and to a certain degree, some Java scripting as well. While animations can be entertaining to your web site viewers, large file downloads can try the patience of some of your visitors with shorter attention spans.

If Flash animations are used for the navigation of the site, be sure to include a text version of the navigation scheme at the bottom of the pages for users who may not have the capability of playing Flash movies.

As a general rule, limit the amount of images and animations on your web site; they can be distracting to your users, they are cumbersome to bandwidth traffic and they are poor substitutes for html and text content.