How do you feel about using in HTML website designs?

Evaluating HTML Websites: The Use of <table>, <td>, and <tr>

I’m currently interning in a Digital Marketing position, and my boss mentioned that he might want my insights on SEO. Seeing as he’s looking for more exposure and my resume highlights my interest in SEO, this presents a great opportunity for me to gain practical experience. I reviewed the company website and noticed some factors that could be hindering its visibility:

  1. Website Structure: The website was built from scratch using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, without leveraging WordPress or similar platforms. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with this, the site isn’t very semantic or optimized for SEO. It relies heavily on <table> elements for layout rather than using <p>, <div>, or JSON-LD markup. My question is: Is it still acceptable to use <table> for layout purposes these days?

  2. Mobile Optimization: There’s a separate webpage dedicated to mobile users. With the introduction of <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">, is having a separate mobile page still necessary? I plan to discuss this with my boss, but I’d appreciate any insights or corrections to my understanding.

  3. Crawling and Sitemaps: When should a website be recrawled, and is it necessary to update the sitemap each time? Should crawling be done after implementing changes, and is it necessary to frequently trigger recrawls through Google Search Console, or is it typically automatic?

  4. Semantic Markup: Does an organization’s website need to implement semantic elements like <article>, <main>, <head>, or are these primarily beneficial for blogs?

  5. Learning Resources: Can anyone recommend resources for learning about fixing duplicate content and managing canonical tags?

Thank you for taking the time to read my queries. I’m deeply passionate about seo and am continually working to enhance my skills. I hope to make a great impression on my boss and build a future in seo.

Hubsadmin

2 responses to “How do you feel about using

in HTML website designs?”

  1. Absolutely, you’ve got an ideal opportunity to make a significant impact. Let me address each of your points in detail:

    1. Use of <table>, <td>, and <tr> for Layout

    Using HTML <table> elements for page layout is considered outdated for several reasons:

    • Semantics: Tables are semantically meant for displaying tabular data. Using them for layout does not convey meaningful information to search engines, impacting SEO negatively.

    • Accessibility: Screen readers can misinterpret the content structure when tables are used for layout, making it harder for users relying on assistive technologies to navigate.

    • Responsiveness: Tables can be rigid and less adaptable to different screen sizes compared to CSS-based grid and flexbox layouts.

    Recommendation: Encourage converting table-based layouts to semantic HTML5 elements like <header>, <nav>, <main>, <section>, <article>, etc. Use CSS Grid or Flexbox for layout, which is both more flexible and better for SEO.

    2. Separate Mobile Version of the Site

    Having a separate mobile version (m.example.com) is generally outdated due to Google’s mobile-first indexing:

    • Viewport Meta Tag: You are correct that using <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0"> is the standard approach to enable a responsive design.

    • Responsive Web Design (RWD): It’s advisable to use CSS media queries to create a responsive design that adapts to different device sizes, eliminating the need for separate URLs.

    Recommendation: Suggest redesigning the site to use responsive Web Design practices, ensuring that a single version of the site works well on all devices.

    3. Website Crawling and Sitemap

    • When to Crawl: Ideally, you should request a re-crawl after significant changes, such as adding new pages or changing URL structures.

    • Sitemap Updates: If your website’s structure changes, or you add/remove pages, update the sitemap accordingly and submit it via Google Search Console (GSC).

    • Automatic Crawling: Googlebot typically crawls sites periodically. Using GSC, you can request an index and submission for a specific URL after changes.

    Recommendation: Regularly update the sitemap with substantial changes and monitor using GSC to ensure the site is indexed correctly.

    4. Use of Semantic Tags (<article>,

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` elements for layout purposes.

To answer your question, while `

` elements were commonly used for layout in the past, modern Web Design best practices recommend using CSS for layout instead. This shift not only enhances semantic structure but also improves accessibility and SEO performance. Search engines favor a clear hierarchy and semantic markup, which can be compromised when `
` elements are misused for layout. I suggest considering a CSS Flexbox or Grid layout as flexible alternatives that allow for responsive design while still ensuring that the content is well-structured.

Regarding your question about mobile optimization, utilizing the `` tag indeed makes responsive design easier, and in most cases, separate mobile pages are no longer necessary. However, it’s essential to ensure that your site maintains usability and performance across devices. A single responsive website is usually preferred for maintaining a unified UX, but make sure to test how content scales across different devices.

For crawling and sitemaps, it’s a good idea to request a recrawl after significant updates. While Google does automatically crawl websites, submitting an updated sitemap via Google Search Console can expedite the process and ensure that changes are recognized sooner, especially for content-heavy sites.

With regards to semantic markup, it’s beneficial for all types of websites, not just blogs. Implementing semantic elements helps search engines better understand your content, which can lead to

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