Web Standards Can Save The Internet

January 22, 2005

I remain convinced that once businesses across the country learn the truth about the massive amounts of time and money being wasted on internet 'solutions,' web standards will become the norm in online publishing. Why? It's a business tool that answers the questions:

       1. How do we increase revenue?

       2. How do we reduce expenses?

       3. How do we bring in more customers?

       4. How do we get more business out of each existing customer?

       5. How do we increase shareholder value?

Consider the consequences if every child were home-schooled and taught a slightly different version of the alphabet. Or if every employee chose which programs they used at the office. That's the way things are on the internet today. Whether you use the web as a resource tool, or bank on making sales from your web site, it's important to know what language everyone is speaking.

Computer companies and internet service providers have created a world-wide-wreck of code that is slow, prone to disease and bloating. If you're reading this on a Windows based machine [and chances are good that you are], you more than likely have already taken steps to 'block' those pesky pop-up windows or protect yourself from viruses. But the cure for the internet's huge file sizes and miles of code seems to be selling you a faster delivery system at an inflated price. There is a better way. And it costs less.

It won't change without you.

Businesses need to demand solutions that work for them, not the computer companies. Some simple guidelines, "web standards," are a good start. If you travel overseas, you'd expect to pay extra for a language course or interpreter to help you do business. Why should you pay extra to do business with someone across town? Unfortunately. most computers speak with a slightly different 'accent.' And the people that sell you 'solutions' all believe they have the 'better mousetrap.' But with more solutions, come more problems. Bottom line: web standards make it easier for more people to do business with you.

Here's another analogy that would drive any business owner crazy. What would you do with an employee who stops customers at the front door asking about their habits? Will this be cash or charge? What's your favorite color? Windows or Mac? Let them in the door for crying out loud! Many companies still insist on sending visitors away to download software just to view their site. Sure, translating a site into Japanese for international customers is a good idea. But seriously, how many different web sites should one company need for an English speaking visitor? Just one, if it's built to web standards.

You've already decided that the internet can be an important part of your business, or you wouldn't still be reading this. And while everyone claims they have a better way, the truth is spending money on upgrades, a new technology or a massive redesign will not translate into success online. However, removing barriers between you and your customers might be a good start.

Protect your business from 'solutions providers.'

The big information and online service providers seem to consider themselves fiefdoms - claiming and surrounding their client base like a lioness guarding cubs. Send an email of your children's Christmas pictures to an AOL user from a Microsoft machine? Not so fast. AOL users can't see MS Mail attachments. Even those of us who do this for a living aren't sure why. They SHOULD play together, but they don't.

The dirty little secret of the internet is that web standards are nothing new. And using web-standards to make your site user-friendly makes your pages available to more people. You could choose to make a client wait a minute or more to see graphics-based links to the different areas of your web site, or you could choose web standards and have your pages load 5 to 20 times faster.

The WSC and WaSP are two groups helping define what works and what doesn't on the world wide web. Web standards are the keys to the car ... the instruction manual ... and a way to get everyone speaking the same language. 25 years ago when miliatry strategists, academics and, your guessed it, rocket scientists populated the web, speaking in code was the norm. Today it's a bit easier. Or, at least it should be.

Why do computer companies make it so confusing?

Long story short, AOL needs to answer to their shareholders, as does Microsoft. So each independently develops their 'better way' of giving the customer what they believe they want. Each gives us nearly identical programs that handle objects and text and images just a little bit differently. The ours is better business model has been around since someone suggested a car could come with a color other than black. And it usually works. But the language of the internet is bits and bytes and having 1000 different ways of saying exactly the same thing just gets confusing. Not to mention messy.

People using Frontpage to layout webpages have options for displaying information on a webpage that will only work if the visitor is using Microsoft Internet Explorer. I'm doubt Microsoft makes that clear to you when you start using their program. And while I love what you can do with Macromedia Flash, but wonder how many times business owners have been told about the incredibly long download time to a customer still using a modem. Half of the people online still use dial-up. Half of your potential customers stopped dead in their tracks at the front door. Or turned away and forced to download software, reboot their computers and return to get the information they need. How many people do that? Not many. There are too many options available to buy the same widget. Off they go to Google, AltaVista, Yahoo or MSN, because there are plenty of people selling widgits. Are you making it easy to buy yours?

You really can make this stuff easier.

For many small to medium sized businesses, the internet must seem like a slow drain on precious resources. Most are unaware that their website looks different to someone using Internet Explorer than it does to someone using Netscape. You want better results from your investment. You want better placement in the search engines. And you want more orders for your widgets.

Today, web-standards are the future. Because no matter what new technologies are developed to make the internet faster or more useful, web-standards make your pages 'future-proof.' Information that is clear and easy to find. Web pages that load quickly and still look attractive. All without a lot of 'geek-speak' attached to slow things down.

Web-Standards are not the answer to every question or challenge you face getting business online. And web-standards are not a new solution or quick fix. Web-standards do offer your customers something you want them to have: prompt service; clear answers; and a way of doing business that makes EVERYONE feel welcome. The fact that your new website will cost less to operate and maintain is a bonus. How it gets better results from the search engines is another story you may want to read.

Want to do more business online? Make your website easier to use. I'll be here when you need some help.