XF 1.0 Semantic HTML

From the outset, XenForo has been built with semantic HTML in mind in order to facilitate styling, boost SEO and give a helping hand to screen reading software.

The W3C provides a useful Semantic data extraction tool that allows the efficacy of this approach to be tested.

Take a look at how easily the tool extracts the important content from an example thread here on XenForo.com:

Semantic Data Extraction for 'Multi-page Navigation Enhancement' thread

 

[Mert]

Through these optimisations, for SEO and other benefit, is it safe to say that semantics plays a large part in determining content structure and position to the search engine bots?

Actually it should because correct semantic usage allow everyone ( including people who have disabilities ) view a page.

 

[Green Cat]

Good job, it is this kind of features that clearly separate xenForo from the competition.

 

[Rob]

It is a widely held theory that HTML standards compliance and semantics play second fiddle to relevance when it comes to ranking. That said, with a well thought out, common semantic structure for each page I've found there is less HTML noise. I believe google uses the semantic web (especially alongside url structures) to classify web pages more accurately. Right now, its thought little benefit is gained from semantic vs not in terms of ranking, but as google leverages the semantic web in new ways in the future I believe it will be core.

Websites that employ semantic, strict and valid HTML are generally leaner, load faster and have much higher CTC ratios. Page loading times and CTC do have a bearing on SEO.

Taking all the above into account, I'm very excited by this product because your laser guided semantics and code optimisations and url structures look bang on from here, and the UI looks the mutz nutz too. I've found that these elements are rarely present in the same product off the shelf.

 

[Shamil]

Interesting. Just how do you achieve semantic HTML?

 

[welshstew]

Interesting. Just how do you achieve semantic HTML?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_HTML

 

[welshstew]

It is a widely held theory that HTML standards compliance and semantics play second fiddle to relevance when it comes to ranking.

I think that all depends on what you are targetting for. I have seen micro formats have an impact on rankings for local search

Websites that employ semantic, strict and valid HTML are generally leaner, load faster and have much higher CTC ratios. Page loading times and CTC do have a bearing on SEO.

Agreed 100%

 

[Shamil]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_HTML

Thanks, I'm slowly getting my head around it. Looks interesting.

 

[Rob]

I think that all depends on what you are targetting for. I have seen micro formats have an impact on rankings for local search

I never said semantics don't have an impact, just that relevance wins out.... quite frankly, thank god for that. Imagine having a beautiful semantic site full of utter crap that outranks you purely because it's semantic... yet your site is way more relevant. I think the balance is spot on currently.

 

[Shamil]

The balance is near enough to be perfect enough for the content to matter and make a change in SERPs.

 

[welshstew]

I never said semantics don't have an impact, just that relevance wins out.... quite frankly, thank god for that. Imagine having a beautiful semantic site full of utter crap that outranks you purely because it's semantic... yet your site is way more relevant. I think the balance is spot on currently.

Apologies, must have mis-read your post...

 

[Erik]

Ultimately, it really comes down to more signal, less noise.

 

[Shamil]

Ultimately, it really comes down to more signal, less noise.

That's why we're digital, not analog.

 

[Floris]

That's why we're digital, not analog.

That's 100% not what he meant.

 

[Shamil]

That's 100% not what he meant.

My joke was awfully stale. I've been looking at electromagnetics recently.

 

[Floris]

One could say, it wasn't even a joke.

 

[Erik]

One could say, it wasn't even a joke.

I couldn't really think of a proper response to his post, so I just didn't reply.

 

[Shamil]

Ugh. I suck at jokes. That's probably why I never understand them. :/ Back on topic. Are there any other advantages of having semantic HTML other than SEO?

 

[Floris]

Ugh. I suck at jokes. That's probably why I never understand them. :/ Back on topic. Are there any other advantages of having semantic HTML other than SEO?

http://quicklink.me/semantic

 

[Shamil]

http://quicklink.me/semantic

Hmm, sort of explanatory, from a CMS pov, it makes code easier to understand (maybe it's just me)

 

[Erik]

http://quicklink.me/semantic

Nice job hiding it behind a short URL.