Beautiful design is only one part of an effective website. A strong focus on web standards and usability makes every Lilac Creative site as functional behind the scenes as it is beautiful to look at. But what are web standards, you might wonder.

Web standard code is code that complies with current standards (set by the WC3), and that separates the structure of your site (what goes where) from the presentation of your site (the way it all looks). "That's great," you might be saying, "But what's in it for me?" Well, here's why a web standard site should be a priority if you're looking to invest in a new (or redesigned) website.

What Web Standards Means for You

Search Engine Optimization - Web standard code structures your site in a way that helps search engines find your key information quickly and easily, and the faster search engine bots can gather your site's info, the better it is for your site's ranking.

Easier future redesigns - If your business is a success and you decide down the road you want to update your site design, a web standard site will be easy to redesign for any knowledgeable web professional.

Save money on bandwidth costs - If you're hosted with a company who charges you according to your bandwidth usage, a site coded according to web standards can save you money. Web standard sites are low on "bloat" (unneccessary code) and load faster, using less bandwidth.

What Web Standards Means for Visitors to Your Site

A faster loading site - Web standard code is (ideally) free of unneccessary code, making it leaner and easier for browsers to load. This means that visitors to your site won't have to wait forever for your site to load in their browser, which--in the age of instant gratification--is a good thing!

A consistent look across multiple browsers - A site coded according to web standards will display consistently in all standards-complient browsers (which means any of today's current browsers), so no matter what browsers your visitors are using, their experience on your site will be the same.

Accessible to people with disabilities - Web standard code communicates well with special browsers designed for people with disabilities, like screen-readers for the blind, browsers that can enlarge type size for people with poor eyesight, etc; thus broadening the base of potential visitors to your site.

Basically, a site coded according to web standards means you're getting the best quality for your money!