| Web standards is the new buzz phrase on the web. | | | | the second generation of the web there is a wider |
| What are web standards? Web standards are | | | | range of platforms than ever before. Using web |
| basically the use of correct web coding standards as | | | | standards is the only way to ensure a high degree of |
| laid out by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). | | | | uniformity across multiple platforms with your site. If |
| The web standards which are of most concern to | | | | your site isn't accessible then your message is |
| modern business are XHTML and CSS coding | | | | restricted to certain customers, it doesn't take a |
| practices. In the words of the W3C, "The XHTML | | | | genius to figure out that this isn't good in business. |
| family is the next step in the evolution of the | | | | A potential downside to a standards compliant |
| internet." | | | | website is some site add-ins such as certain bulletin |
| In order to achieve appealing presentation it used to | | | | boards, calendars and other dynamic content may |
| be the case that various HTML hacks would have to | | | | not be written in a standards compliant manner. This |
| be utilised by web designers to make a page look | | | | becomes a problem when the add-in content is the |
| appealing. The most commonly know 'hack' (which is | | | | only one that exactly fits your functional |
| still in use today) is the use of tables to layout page | | | | requirements. Sometimes in this scenario it may be |
| structure. Thankfully these days are coming to an | | | | necessary to forgo full standards compliance on |
| end, as web browsers have evolved and XHTML and | | | | pages where your non-standards compliant dynamic |
| CSS are now commonly supported standards. It is | | | | content is needed and migrate the page once the |
| now possible to make sites which not only look great | | | | developers adopt standards. |
| but are also constructed to the correct web | | | | A plus side of web-standards based sites is that |
| standards. | | | | maintenance is made easier, meaning your site can be |
| This is all well and good, but should your business | | | | more easily altered. As style is handled by an external |
| switch to a web standards based design? What are | | | | (CSS) Style Sheet it is possible to change a sites |
| the business benefits of getting standards based | | | | whole colour scheme by changing a few key values. |
| re-designs? | | | | Also, as no styling information is in the HTML it is |
| One of the disadvantages of getting a web | | | | much tidier and greatly reduced in size making it |
| standards based design is that it can be difficult to | | | | easier to read and alter. Smaller file sizes mean that |
| find a designer who will make an attractive site which | | | | pages load quickly (providing a better experience for |
| is also web standards compliant. A lot of very | | | | customers on slow connections), consume less |
| talented web designers do not create sites which are | | | | bandwidth (reducing hosting costs to your business). |
| web standards compliant due to the time involved | | | | The final benefit of well constructed standards based |
| and the lack of appreciation received from the client | | | | websites is that as well as being accessible to your |
| for doing so. | | | | customers, often it will also be more accessible to |
| The slow conversion to standards based designs is in | | | | search engines. Poorly structured inaccessible |
| part due to the ease in which a non-standards based | | | | websites can often mean that some of the |
| site can be created. With the boom in 'what you see | | | | relevance of your text is misinterpreted by search |
| is what you get' (WYSIWYG) site creation tools like | | | | engines. This means you could be losing out in search |
| Dreamweaver it is now relatively straightforward for | | | | engine listings. By having a cleanly structured web |
| talented graphic artists to create professional looking | | | | standards website you are helping to ensure that |
| sites with little code knowledge. Although the sites | | | | your site (and its keywords) are correctly |
| look great, the construction can leave a lot to be | | | | represented in search engines and is considered more |
| desired. Poor page coding, although not always | | | | relevant than non-standards based sites in your |
| visually apparent, can result in your business losing | | | | industry. |
| money as well as make your site inaccessible to a | | | | The obvious conclusion to this article is that web |
| large audience, difficult to navigate and difficult to | | | | standards bring real tangible benefits to business. |
| maintain. | | | | Although finding a design company that will construct |
| A quality web standards based web site separates | | | | a standards compliant site is more difficult than just |
| the look of your web pages from the written | | | | finding a web designer, the benefits speak for |
| content of your site. This addresses the negative | | | | themselves. By moving to a standards based web |
| points about a non-standards based site mentioned | | | | site businesses can ensure they have accessible sites |
| above. By separating style from content, standards | | | | which are maintainable and future proofed. Increased |
| based sites allow people using screen readers, | | | | customer exposure and search engine prominence |
| mobiles, PDA's and other web browsing methods to | | | | can all improve the level of business that comes to |
| be able to navigate your site. These devices have | | | | you via your website. Web standards are the future |
| trouble displaying table based layouts and big images | | | | of the internet and to ignore it could leave your |
| so non-standards based sites are largely unusable. In | | | | business trailing behind the online competition. |