HTML validation-how important is it?

[judavvforum]

While reading an article on SEO; it mentioned that the first step you should take after the page is completed; is to "validate" the html code. A link was given to a validator page, http://webdesign.about.com/od/valida...#htmlvalidator

So, being really curious; I went there and put in my index url, (which is strictly text, except for internal navigation and template pic). All design done with BV. It came up with 12 errors! Most were missing(<) or (>) signs.

Anyone know if it is normal for BV to make that kind of errors when generating simple text content?

Running my affiliate page resulted in 69 errors. Again, mostly missing (<) or (>) signs. I can't blame BV for all those because that page contains a lot of code from external sources!

Any SEO experts have a comment on how important "html validation" is to good SEO?

Thank you.

[judavvforum]

Re: HTML validation-how important is it?

Sorry about the link, but it seems that is no longer valid!

Dave

[Bethers]

Re: HTML validation-how important is it?

BV, in it's pure form will have no errors. So you need to look at each of the errors one by one and check them to see if it's how you added something.

[judavvforum]

Re: HTML validation-how important is it?

Thanks Beth,

On the index page, which is almost all text,(entered using only the text tool in BV, but with a lot of edits); the "validator" shows this error type:

** I will enclose the error in (), so that is not a part of the error! **
line 87, column 9: ID "BV_" already defined.
<div id="(b)v_" style="position:absolute;left:191px;top:147px;widt h:594px;height:9

I had several of those errors and the rest were missing (<) & (>)

Just wondered though; how important would errors like that be to SEO?

Even with those errors installed the site seems to be working OK!

[Bethers]

Re: HTML validation-how important is it?

Those shouldn't hurt you as far as SEO at all.

[judavvforum]

Re: HTML validation-how important is it?

Thank you for the quick reply, Beth.I'm just amazed at how you folks can get around to all these inquiries so quickly. Did NavalDesign write you folks a script to automate your replies! LOL!

Good day to you.

[judavvforum]

Re: HTML validation-how important is it?

A follow up question on this issue, please!

I was re-reading Beth's post about "how I may have added, (or deleted?), something on the page. I use the old highlight the text and hit the "delete" key to edit my text. Could this be confusing BV, and thus leaving unused html code on the page?
If so, what would be a preferred text editing method? (I also use the "delete" key to delete banners, etc.)??

Thanks again!

[Bethers]

Re: HTML validation-how important is it?

Are you deleting the entire text in a text box? If so, you should also delete the text box - otherwise, it is remaining on the page. Same for banners - how are you inserting them? With an html box? Then you need to delete the entire html box.

Now, if you are deleting PART of the text in a text box - the method you use is correct.

[judavvforum]

Re: HTML validation-how important is it?

Sorry Beth, didn't mean to ignore you! I've been busy with this thing called "putting up Christmas lights!!

I just tried the text deleting thing and when you delete all the text inside the box; it does also remove everything in the html.

The banners appear as grey boxes, so I select the grey box and hit the delete key and all is gone,(I think!). I insert the banners using the paste into html box.

I have done a complete rework of the navigation menu, where I deleted the nav. buttons and put text links on top of a rectangle shape. I noticed that some of the "old" nav. link info is still in there and shows up as "broken links"! So, apparently selecting the nav. menu buttons and pressing "delete key" doesn't remove all coding for the nav. buttons!

Yeah....I know; I've got a lot to learn....but it's FUN!