Does An SEO Need to Know HTML?

Oct 10, 2006 - 7:18 am 2 by

That is the question being asked at a Search Engine Watch Forums thread. And to that extent, "How much HTML do I need to know first for SEO?" Most of the replies in the thread are adamant that HTML is a prerequisite to SEO.

SEOMike said;

html is the foundation to SEO. The first thing I do when I work on a site is go through and make sure the html is solid and that the site is accessable to the SE's.

Like a bad foundation for a house, if it's cracked or shifting you cannot build anything stable on top of it.

Ian McAnerin said;

n my experience, about 60% of all difficulties in rankings are due to technical issues with coding or hosting/DNS.

Therefore, if you do not know enough to troubleshoot these two areas, you are only able to do about 40% of your job.

I agree, a fundamental understanding and working knowledge of HTML is very important for one to perform their SEO Work.

Forum discussion at Search Engine Watch Forums.

 

Popular Categories

The Pulse of the search community

Search Video Recaps

 
Video Details More Videos Subscribe to Videos

Most Recent Articles

Search Forum Recap

Daily Search Forum Recap: January 16, 2026

Jan 16, 2026 - 10:00 am
Google Updates

Google Search Ranking Volatility Hits January 15-16

Jan 16, 2026 - 8:41 am
Search Video Recaps

Search News Buzz Video Recap: Google Personal Intelligence, Universal Commerce Protocol, Apple Picks Gemini & Ongoing Search Volatility

Jan 16, 2026 - 8:01 am
Google Search Engine Optimization

Google To Prioritize Removing Prediction News Content From Search & News

Jan 16, 2026 - 7:55 am
Google Maps

Google AI Overview Local Pack Leading To Huge Drops In Visibility

Jan 16, 2026 - 7:51 am
Bing Ads

Microsoft Advertising Adds Share Of Voice Metrics, Asset Group-Level URL Options, Customer Acquisition Goals...

Jan 16, 2026 - 7:41 am
 
Previous Story: Confirmed: Search Community Talks on Google YouTube Rumors