Oh No, Another Dynamic Site

[mgillis]

Hi Everyone,

I've started working at a new company and their flagship site is not at all optimized. Not only that, it has been designed using Java Script mainly, the spider simulators don't pick up any text (or links or images or alt tags - it is a blank page), the search engines don't even know it exists...

So, we will probably have to redesign.. gulp. Unless you all have bright ideas on how to optimize this sight without a total redesign. It uses a lot of dynamic content driven via databases, so we are talking major work to create a site that is readable by engines.

I need help, I need ideas, I know you can help me...

I won't post the link as the site has adult content - however, if you could answer by treating the problem rather than the site itself, I think that I can take your answers and apply them.

Thanks Everyone In Advance,
Mary

[mgillis]

The Java Server Side site has not been submitted into any search engines, so I'm thinking of creating an information site to mirror the Java site since the spiders don't see a thing on our site anyway.

So, if we create an HTML site and submit it to the engines instead, and just link to our Java site for the users, will that help us gain some ground in the SERPs or is that to shady a tactic?

We will not be submitting duplicate content, so I'm hoping that the engines won't be too picky about this?

Any thoughts?

[Paul B]

URL? URL?

[paulhiles]

Originally Posted by Paul B

URL? URL?

Originally Posted by mgillis

I won't post the link as the site has adult content

mgillis, I hope you don't end up using <noscript> tags to hold all your page content. I have a couple of competitors who are using this tactic, storing all their keyword "enriched" content in between <noscript> tags.
The result... they're top of the SERPS for their choice of keywords. I'm sure they're employing other methods besides, but excessive use of <noscript> should be avoided IMO.

Paul

[cyanide]

ummm, how does a site mostly made up of Javascript?

Your going to have to replace javascript as much as possible. Database-driven websites can be tricky to optimize and may take a programmer to optimize it to its potential. - a bit difficult to say without seeing a link

[jvisser]

If you're site is 'mostly javascript' and yet 'dynamic content' you should be using a server-side script to build the dynamic content already- could you switch from javascript to asp, php, or coldfusion so that you are serving up plain html and get pages that the search engines can easily spider?

[mgillis]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for your responses. Paul, you wrote:

mgillis, I hope you don't end up using <noscript> tags to hold all your page content. I have a couple of competitors who are using this tactic, storing all their keyword "enriched" content in between <noscript> tags.

I have no intention of using Black Hat or even Grey Hat SEO to optimize this site. I am strictly looking for GOOD information on the best ways to go about an SEO strategy. A total site redesign is not an option as we have a massive database and future plans that all revolve around the current site style. If I could go back in time by 4 years, I'd have like if they chose a different method... but I'm working with what I've got.

So far, I'm thinking of creating a micro site - basically we have a doorway page right now that confirms that the users are of age to access the account. I'd like to "recreate" that page into a 4 page micro site that has information about our company, products, etc., partner links, a page about our affiliate program etc.

The front page of this "micro-site" will remain 3/4 about the age verification and the entrance into our main .tv site, but will now include more info about our tools.

I've gotten feedback in another forum that this should be an acceptable way to circumvent my problem with the dynamic site. I can then submit my "micro-site" to the engines without hiding any of the links to keep it as transparent as possible. And submit the main .tv site only into regional engines (as it is localized in language, conent, etc.).

Thoughts?