Good to know: SEO code simplified

Your website may have all the pieces of the puzzle for getting people in your door, but how do you get them to first find your website?

Every website you visit has a hidden layer of code working behind the scenes. Think of it like the foundation and framework of a building—you don't see it, but it's what makes everything stand up and function properly. Let's pull back the curtain and explore what's really going on.

Meta Tags: The Invisible Information

Meta tags are snippets of code that tell search engines, social media platforms, and browsers important information about your webpage. They're invisible to visitors but crucial for how your site appears and performs online.

The Title Tag

This is what shows up in your browser tab and as the blue clickable link in Google search results. It's your webpage's headline to the world. Keep it clear, descriptive, and under 60 characters so it doesn't get cut off.

Meta Description

That short preview text you see under a search result? That's the meta description. It's your chance to convince someone to click on your link instead of the others. Make it compelling and around 155 characters.

Viewport Tag

This little tag is what makes websites look good on your phone. Without it, mobile sites would display like tiny desktop versions that you'd have to pinch and zoom to read.

Open Graph Tags

Ever noticed how some links look amazing when shared on Facebook or LinkedIn, with a perfect image and description? That's Open Graph tags at work. They control exactly how your page appears when someone shares it on social media.

Other Behind-the-Scenes Elements

HTML Structure

HTML is the skeleton of your website. It defines headers, paragraphs, images, and how everything is organized. Without HTML, you'd just have plain text with no structure whatsoever.

CSS Styling

CSS is what makes websites beautiful. It controls colors, fonts, layouts, animations—basically all the visual design. Without CSS, every website would look like a plain text document from the 1990s.

JavaScript

This is what makes websites interactive. Dropdown menus, image sliders, form validation, pop-ups—JavaScript handles the dynamic behavior that makes modern websites feel responsive and alive.

Alt Text

Every image on a website should have alt text—a description that screen readers can read aloud for visually impaired users. It also helps search engines understand what the image shows, and displays if the image fails to load.

Schema Markup

This is special code that helps search engines understand the context of your content. Are you listing an event? A product? A class? Schema markup tells search engines exactly what type of content they're looking at, which can earn you those fancy rich snippets in search results.

Canonical Tags

Sometimes the same content exists at multiple URLs on your site. Canonical tags tell search engines which version is the 'official' one, preventing duplicate content issues that could hurt your search rankings.

Favicon

That tiny icon that appears in your browser tab? That's the favicon. It's a small branding detail that makes your site look professional and helps users find your tab when they have dozens open.

Why Does All This Matter?

These behind-the-scenes elements might be invisible, but they're working hard for you:

SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Proper meta tags and structure help search engines understand and rank your content, making it easier for people to find you.

Accessibility: Alt text, proper HTML structure, and semantic markup ensure people with disabilities can use your website with assistive technologies.

Social Sharing: Open Graph tags make your content look professional and attractive when shared, increasing click-through rates.

Performance: Proper coding and optimization behind the scenes make your site load faster, keeping visitors happy and engaged.

User Experience: From mobile responsiveness to smooth interactions, the technical foundation ensures visitors can actually use your site effectively.

The Bottom Line

Building a website isn't just about what visitors see—it's about the invisible infrastructure that makes everything work. Meta tags, alt text, schema markup, and proper HTML structure might seem technical, but they're the difference between a website that just exists and one that actually performs.

Think of it like a theater production. The audience sees the actors and set, but backstage there's lighting, sound, stage management, and countless other elements making the magic happen. Your website is the same—what happens behind the curtain determines whether the show is a hit or a flop.

Not sure what's set up, not set up, outdated, missing or incorrect? Just ask! Hillary@thecreativeretailer.com