Use of frames

[hawkwind dave]

Hi All,

Are frames still worth avoiding as far as SEO is concerned?

My gut feeling says remove frames to best engineer a site, but I'm apprehensive as I don't want the site design & layout to change drasticly.

So, is there a chance of competing with a 'no-frame' website with a website which uses frames?

Thanks in advance,

dave

[Mel]

There is no reason that a website using frames cannot compete with any other website, but you will have to do some extra work that would not be necessary with a normal html page. This will include using keywords and links in your noframes tag and insuring that your site design does not leave individual interior pages orphaned.

[hawkwind dave]

Thanks Mel,

just as i'd posted this topic, I found this thread from 2-3 weeks ago, http://www.webproworld.com/viewtopic.php?t=31020

which suggests they're still a bad (ish) idea.
however, I think i'll stick with frames for the time being and see how it goes, as success in the engines is half to do with the market you're after.

If I get nowhare with frames, i'll sack them and revert to html (then again, I've got nowhere with html in the past!!)

cheers

[sfowler]

Our company sites use frames and I am learnig to detest them passionately, especially since I have been told that a noframes tag is not necessary adn will not be included. Getting links to anything is a dreadful job.

[hawkwind dave]

The more I find out about frames the more I fear them. And I haven't even started on the site yet.

It's all down to whether I can talk the client out of frames or not, or whether I can impress them enough with a no frames version of the site.

thanks for your input, however, I have more fear now than before I posted this. ;-)

cheers

dave

[scallihan]

There is no reason that a website using frames cannot compete with any other website, but you will have to do some extra work that would not be necessary with a normal html page. This will include using keywords and links in your noframes tag and insuring that your site design does not leave individual interior pages orphaned.

I agree. Interior content pages need to be designed as stand-alone pages, with menu links at the bottom linking them to the rest of the site. A site map can also be helpful. Search engine spiders should then have no trouble finding and indexing the site's content pages.