Adhering to Web Standards to Improve Business
by Yuri Filimonov
Taking web standards into account when designing a website may
not be a primary concern for many site owners, but when it
comes to finding an extra edge to improve their business, they
are more than willing to do anything required to increase
revenues. Let's see how complying with Web standards can
help a business website.
What are the Standards?
On the Web, the main standards are the languages used when
creating websites. The most wide-spread ones are HTML, XHTML and
CSS. HTML or XHTML are used to create the backbone of websites -
the structure. (The difference between HTML and XHTML is that
XHTML was formed from XML and is forward compatible.) CSS, in
turn, is used to style, format and position the structure and
content.
What is Web Standards Compliance?
Put simply, web standards compliance is using web languages
correctly. This involves using HTML tags properly and the way
they were and are intended to be used. For instance, one of the
most common felonies against the web standards is using table
tags for layout, while the correct usage is to use them only for
tabular data (information to be put in tables).
Benefits of Standards Compliance
Creating quality, standards compliant code has a number of
benefits:
* website forward compatibility
* increased site download speed
* browser compatibility
* easier site maintenance
* broader target audience
How Can This Help Business?
Perhaps every entrepreneur is asking himself right now, "And
where is the money here?" Probably every benefit can either
increase revenues or save expenses. Let's look at them in
detail.
Site Forward Compatibility
Web standards, such as XHTML and CSS, are designed to work
forever. They will also be supported for an almost unlimited
period of time. Designing a site according to web standards will
ensure the website backbone will not need to be redone any time
soon, which reduces the amount of work on the site and the
expenses of the site owner.
Increased Download Speed
When using XHTML for content and structure and CSS for styling
and formating, page size is reduced when compared to a page,
designed with tables for layout. For instance, a site with a
relatively small number of images is 50% smaller than a
table-based website. Because users enjoy fast-loading websites
(they start leaving after eight (8) seconds beyond clicking on
a link), they will be more likely to become a clients of a web
standards compliant website.
Browser Compatibility
A web standards compliant site is displayed correctly (and looks
the same) in all standards compliant browsers. Adjusting the
site to suit a less helpful browser (Internet Explorer, for
instance) is much easier with CSS than with tables. This saves
enormous amounts of time for a web designer.
Easier Site Maintenance
When separating content and styling with XHTML and CSS, it is
much easier to edit any of those, because they are located in
different files. Should one need to adjust the look of the main
page heading , he/she will just need to change a line or
two in a style sheet to change the appearance of all headings on
the website. Editing content is easier as well, because no
styling and formatting is in the way and it is easy to spot the
content in clean and semantically correct code markup.
Broader Target Audience
Furthermore, web standards are used not only on computers, but
also by PDAs (hand held devices, palm computers), phones and
other devices. A site, adhering to web standards, will be
displayed correctly either without editing or will require very
little work to be displayed correctly on a platform other
than a computer. Such easy availability will make the company
site easily accessible for a wider range of potential customers,
increasing the chances of business success as well.
So What To Do?
Naturally, there may be several choices for a business site
owner:
* do nothing and wait till something more noticeable becomes
obvious about the web standards.
* wait, research the topic, get more proof and then redesign
with web standards and visitors in mind.
* redesign the site right now, either with the help of an
in-house web designer or a professional, specialized
company.
Any of the choices above solely depend on the situation of the
business site. Most probably, making a site web standards
compliant will be most beneficial to starting or young websites,
which will reduce the amount of work needed in the future.
Mature websites can consider adjusting their websites to improve
the quality of their visitor experience. Those, whose sites are
barely important can live as they are, provided the site works.
Thus, it all depends on the site owner and the situation the
business is in.
=================================
The article is contributed by Yuri Filimonov, a usability consultant for MyNeatSite.
MyNeatSite specializes in improving overall website usability
(http://www.myneatsite.com/services/redesign-web-site-design.php).
==================================
Posted By Jeff Houdyschell providing proven income opportunities, ideas and information for the best work at home jobs, visit:
http://www.eSmartJob.com
Taking web standards into account when designing a website may
not be a primary concern for many site owners, but when it
comes to finding an extra edge to improve their business, they
are more than willing to do anything required to increase
revenues. Let's see how complying with Web standards can
help a business website.
What are the Standards?
On the Web, the main standards are the languages used when
creating websites. The most wide-spread ones are HTML, XHTML and
CSS. HTML or XHTML are used to create the backbone of websites -
the structure. (The difference between HTML and XHTML is that
XHTML was formed from XML and is forward compatible.) CSS, in
turn, is used to style, format and position the structure and
content.
What is Web Standards Compliance?
Put simply, web standards compliance is using web languages
correctly. This involves using HTML tags properly and the way
they were and are intended to be used. For instance, one of the
most common felonies against the web standards is using table
tags for layout, while the correct usage is to use them only for
tabular data (information to be put in tables).
Benefits of Standards Compliance
Creating quality, standards compliant code has a number of
benefits:
* website forward compatibility
* increased site download speed
* browser compatibility
* easier site maintenance
* broader target audience
How Can This Help Business?
Perhaps every entrepreneur is asking himself right now, "And
where is the money here?" Probably every benefit can either
increase revenues or save expenses. Let's look at them in
detail.
Site Forward Compatibility
Web standards, such as XHTML and CSS, are designed to work
forever. They will also be supported for an almost unlimited
period of time. Designing a site according to web standards will
ensure the website backbone will not need to be redone any time
soon, which reduces the amount of work on the site and the
expenses of the site owner.
Increased Download Speed
When using XHTML for content and structure and CSS for styling
and formating, page size is reduced when compared to a page,
designed with tables for layout. For instance, a site with a
relatively small number of images is 50% smaller than a
table-based website. Because users enjoy fast-loading websites
(they start leaving after eight (8) seconds beyond clicking on
a link), they will be more likely to become a clients of a web
standards compliant website.
Browser Compatibility
A web standards compliant site is displayed correctly (and looks
the same) in all standards compliant browsers. Adjusting the
site to suit a less helpful browser (Internet Explorer, for
instance) is much easier with CSS than with tables. This saves
enormous amounts of time for a web designer.
Easier Site Maintenance
When separating content and styling with XHTML and CSS, it is
much easier to edit any of those, because they are located in
different files. Should one need to adjust the look of the main
page heading , he/she will just need to change a line or
two in a style sheet to change the appearance of all headings on
the website. Editing content is easier as well, because no
styling and formatting is in the way and it is easy to spot the
content in clean and semantically correct code markup.
Broader Target Audience
Furthermore, web standards are used not only on computers, but
also by PDAs (hand held devices, palm computers), phones and
other devices. A site, adhering to web standards, will be
displayed correctly either without editing or will require very
little work to be displayed correctly on a platform other
than a computer. Such easy availability will make the company
site easily accessible for a wider range of potential customers,
increasing the chances of business success as well.
So What To Do?
Naturally, there may be several choices for a business site
owner:
* do nothing and wait till something more noticeable becomes
obvious about the web standards.
* wait, research the topic, get more proof and then redesign
with web standards and visitors in mind.
* redesign the site right now, either with the help of an
in-house web designer or a professional, specialized
company.
Any of the choices above solely depend on the situation of the
business site. Most probably, making a site web standards
compliant will be most beneficial to starting or young websites,
which will reduce the amount of work needed in the future.
Mature websites can consider adjusting their websites to improve
the quality of their visitor experience. Those, whose sites are
barely important can live as they are, provided the site works.
Thus, it all depends on the site owner and the situation the
business is in.
=================================
The article is contributed by Yuri Filimonov, a usability consultant for MyNeatSite.
MyNeatSite specializes in improving overall website usability
(http://www.myneatsite.com/services/redesign-web-site-design.php).
==================================
Posted By Jeff Houdyschell providing proven income opportunities, ideas and information for the best work at home jobs, visit:
http://www.eSmartJob.com
posted by Jeff Houdyschell at
9:07 AM
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