Web Standards Benefits
Now that we’ve explained some of the history of the web and defined what web standards are lets take a look at how you could directly benefit from the use of web standards in your web site.
Lower Development Costs
By using web standards your site’s appearance can be crafted much faster than with older methods. The key is the use of CSS to control the entire design of the site vs making changes to every singe file on the site.
A simple example of this would be the design of your site header. Previously the code to build the header would be complex and would have to be repeated on every page. If you needed to change a part of the header (make it larger/smaller) each page would have to be individually edited. By using web standards you could define the header once in the pages and once in the CSS. Then you could instantly change the header in the entire site by altering the single CSS file.
Using web standards makes building a website faster and thus cheaper. And that’s something everyone can appreciate.
Faster Loading
Sites built with web standards load faster - sometimes much faster - than sites built with older methods. The reduced but more elegant code used allows browsers to draw the pages faster.
Better Search Engine Rank
Having a higher search engine rank can drive more business to your door. Search engines can understand sites built with web standards much easier than their older counterparts. Instead of having to wade through invalid markup a search engine can “see” your pages much more clearly. Having the content separated from the design lets the search engines get right to the “meat” of your site. This allows your site to rank higher and thus can drive more visitors to your web site.
More Accessible
Web standards were created with accessibility in mind. By making a site accessible to disabled visitors you get a larger audience. Blind visitors use screen readers to understand web sites. A well designed site is easily understood by these screen readers. In addition you would be in compliance with any anti-discrimination legislation.
Cheaper to Update
Websites need new content added from time to time in order to keep the site fresh. An occasional site redesign also keeps a website interesting and more efficient. Because the content of a web standards site is separate from the design its is far easier to make these type of changes. Adding or editing text is quite simple. And giving the site a new design is also made much easier since the single CSS file controls the look of the whole site. Conversely, outdated sites are very costly to make changes to and redesigns are like starting the job over.
Universal Language
When a site is created with modern web standards it’s much easier for a new developer to understand and change. This means you are not locked into using the original developer for changes should you need to change.
Designed for the Future
As new technologies and browsers emerge they will support web standards. It’s likely they will not be forgiving to incorrect and outdated methods of design. Building a website on these standards ensures compatibility for the years to come.