It’s All About Valid Markup
Valid markup means website code that complies with web standards. You can test your website’s code using the W3C’s validation tools. (See links below) So why is valid markup important? There are a myriad of reasons why ensuring your website validates is a great idea… this article explores just a few of them.
Search engines love valid code
Search engines are increasingly ranking websites with valid code more highly than those without it. On top of that, if your code is valid, it is much more easily crawled, ensuring that your content is properly indexed which results in your site appearing in relevant and appropriate searches.
Valid code loads faster
Statistics show that the average user spends about ten seconds deciding whether they want to stay on a site or not, so the faster your site loads the better. Valid code is well constructed and removes all the unnecessary bits that can slow page load times.
All browsers are different
The number of combinations of different operating systems and browsers is mind boggling. Just because your site looks great on your operating system and browser, doesn’t mean that it will look great on every combination. Modern web browsers are increasingly becoming standards compliant, so if your site uses valid code it is more likely to be usable across different platforms now and in the future.
Valid code is more accessible
Valid code is much more likely to be compatible with assistive technologies such as screen readers, which are used by people with visual impairments surfing the web.
Valid code is more easily maintained
During the life of your website, it is likely that more than one person will make changes to it. Using valid markup means that anyone with knowledge of HTML and CSS will be able to understand the way pages have been created, enabling them to make changes more easily.
Using valid markup to will provide you with a more robust, maintainable site, and combining it with accessible design, will make it available to the widest possible audience.
If this article has convinced you that validation is a worthwhile activity, why not start by testing your own site? The W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) have a number of free tools that you can use to help you on your way, including HTML and CSS validation and a link checker. The site also provides lots of useful guidelines and tips for your website.
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