Blogger and valid HTML code

This article explains the issues faced by Blogger users who try to see if the HTML in their blog is valid - and why this doesn't matter in most cases.

What is "valid" HTML

If you read SEO advice or webmaster guidelines or web-best-practises, you be supposed to be told to turn into certain so as to the HTML in your website is bona fide.
Valid HTML is simply website code so as to thoroughly meets the rules defined by W3C, the non-profit organisation so as to ultimately makes the rules almost HTML and the other scripting languages so as to are used on the internet.

You can tell if the code on a position is bona fide by using a validator tool, like http://validator.W3.Org/   - this is the superlative single, since it's from W3C:  If a person knows whether something follows the rules, afterward they act.

But really, could you repeat that? Is bona fide HTML/XHTML, and why does it material?   Basically, it's code so as to meets all the rules and values so as to allow been categorical in support of the current version of HTML, as by the side of at present.   It matters as web-browsers are in black and white so so as to they properly be evidence for in rank on screen if the code so as to is used to express it follows the HTML rules.

However, as delicate devices/computers and the net gets more sophisticated, the rules are enhanced so so as to browsers can act  more attractive things.   This capital so as to code so as to was bona fide several years in the past might not be bona fide at present, as the rules allow untouched.

How to make the code in your blog valid

The short answer is that there is no way to force Blogger to generate valid code.

The slightly longer answer is that Blogger software makes your blog's posts and pages into web-site pages by combining:

• Its own rules, and
• Your data, ie your posts, your selected template, the settigns you've chosen in the Layout and settings tabs (ref:  How the data in your blog is organised.).

You can control whether the code on your posts is "valid" - but only as far as Blogger's Post-editor lets you (eg it takes out <p> </p> tags and uses <br /> instead - this isn't regarded "good practise").

And you can edit your template to remove certain things that are not valid.

But no matter what you do, you can not remove all the "invalid" code that's generated by Blogger when your posts or pages are published, and you don't have the freedom to "clean" their code either:  Blogger provides us with free hosting and unlimited bandwidth - the price of this is that they impost some limits on what we can do with them.

So your overall site will not be valid accordingto the W3C rules.  There is nothing that you can do about this - and personally I don't think this will change any-time soon.

Is invalid HTML code really a problem:

At at the outset glance, this might seem like a catastrophe - if Blogger won't turn into "valid" code, afterward we cannot service it to turn into blogs/sites so as to show suitably, or so as to unite Google's own webmaster guidelines.

That's not quite straight, though:  An imperative highlight of the way browser-software and the internet product  is so as to browsers try to to product not worth it could you repeat that? To act with HTML code so as to they don't understand (eg code so as to isn't bona fide one more, or code that's got new-fangled skin texture so as to the brower doesn't support yet).  Instead of loud, they turn into a best-guess almost could you repeat that? To be evidence for on the screen, even though this might take them (a little) longer than viewing bona fide code.

What so as to capital in support of us Blogger-users is so as to our sites will be precisely fine on the whole brower-software..

What's more, Google allow promised so as to the  HTML which Blogger produces will product on the  on the whole up to date and last-most-recent version of the at present general web-browsers - even though it's not "valid".

The simply consequence is so as to our blogs might take a little longer to load, while the browser categorical could you repeat that? To act with the "invalid" code - but in on the whole personal belongings, this further instant will be small compared to the instant desirable to load our pictures and gadgets, not to cite other cool things like Twitter messages or Facebook like buttons.

Of route, if you're a classicist and hate "breaking the rules", afterward having an "invalid" blog might be more of a difficult than you can bear.  But if you're realistic, you will notice so as to nearby are many, many fine sites made with Blogger, and this lack of bona fide HTML doesn't appear to be burden them much mutilation.

SEO and code-validity

Modish the before time days of search-engine-optimization, frequent accepted wisdom so as to having bona fide code would turn into it easier in support of Google and other search engines to look by the side of and indicator your website - and this would turn into it act better in search results.

Initially, they might allow been straight.  But Google et al are pretty motivated to indicator everything - especially the blogs so as to their tools create.   And at present, web-search "spiders" allow befall pretty clever almost understanding net pages, nix material whether they're bona fide or not (or were bona fide beforehand, or will be bona fide in hope, etc)

Modish petite, if you've been impression up almost SEO and found a recommendation to "make certain your website code is valid", afterward I'd advise skipping so as to advice, and expenditure your instant worrying almost more imperative things, eg so as to:

•     Your posts are all creative, with nix copyright material in them.
•     They all allow titles with important(*) expressions in them
•     They all allow descriptions with imperative words(*) in them
•     Your pictures all allow titles and alt-text.
•     You are using the social media (Facebook Twitter, LinkedIn, and the like - could you repeat that? Endlessly workings in support of your audience  effectively.

(*)  technically, the phrase is "key words" - and nearby are zillions of guidelines decisive you how to wish "good" major expressions in support of your niche.   But  the simplest line of attack is to service version is "interesting" expressions, so as to frequent who are looking in support of your blog position are likely to service.