Designing with Web Standards

Our web designs are built with web standard code which means they perform better in search engines, have a faster download time and use less bandwidth and can be tailored for viewing on different screen sizes and different platforms such as PDAs or mobiles.

We try and incorporate microformats where possible.  This involves marking up relevant content with simple and agreed standard classes that describe the information.  For example addresses, emails and telephone numbers are tagged with class names from the hcard microformat.  This allows site visitors to import contact information to their address books with one mouse click.  Events can be marked up in a similar way using the hcalendar microformat.

Why are standards important?

Standards have been developed to ensure that all websites are accessible across the board, whether you are using the latest version of microsoft internet explorer on 8Mb broadband or a text only browser on a 56kB dial up connection, using your mobile phone screen or a brail display.  Web standards ensure the internet is more secure, available for different language and different technologies and provides an open platform for developing new ways of working and communicating.

But why are standards important to my business?

Better in search engines

Sites that are built with web standards have better search engine rankings as search engine spiders can navigate the content more easily.  This is because the code is well ordered and uncluttered and includes all the elements the spiders need to index your page quickly and efficiently.

Faster downloads and less bandwidth

Pages have smaller file sizes so they down load faster and use up less server space.  Separating content (i.e. words and pictures) from presentation (i.e. styling such as colours, background graphics and fonts) means pages can share style information and so reduce the information required for each page

Transportable

With web standards your website can be displayed in different types of browser on laptops, media players and mobiles.  Hand-held devices are given special styles to make webpages work better and look nicer on small screens with bandwidth constraints.

Future Proof

Updating your design and adding features becomes easier and cheaper.  Your content is still relevant but you want to update the look and feel of your site, or perhaps you want to apply a seasonal theme.  By changing the style sheet you can transform layout, colour and/or fonts.