aving a top-notch real myself, and I've purchased a
estate website can help you website template I thought was
stay competitive in today's cool. The problem came when I
Web-driven economy. But before tried to expand my website -- I
you leap in and make a large couldn't add pages to it without
purchase, you need to be aware of completely reworking the design.
certain things -- namely, the
various drawbacks of template Most of the real estate template
websites. websites I've seen are poorly
built (from a coding standpoint).
About Website Templates They have "machine-generated"
HTML code that's invalid and
A template is a pre-built website convoluted -- two things that
"shell" that you buy (or search engines hate.
subscribe to) and then customize
with actual content and graphics. Benefits of a Properly Built
Website
Many of the templates I've seen Error-free, properly built
are nothing more then eye candy websites will display
-- nice to look at, but not worth consistently in different web
an investment. Most are too browsers, new and old alike.
rigid, with no way to expand the They're also more accessible to
navigation or the content without handicap devices like screen
"breaking" the template design. readers.
"But it will hold all the content In addition, a properly built
I have," goes the argument. site is more
search-engine-friendly, because
Heck, I've made this argument the search engine's crawler
doesn't have to wade through a
mess of useless, outdated code to If you get a handful of errors,
find the actual content it uses it may not be anything to worry
to evaluate the site. about. If you get dozens or even
hundreds of errors, the website
How to Test Your Real Estate has problems.
Website for Errors
The green "Valid" bar is the web
If you have a website (or you're developer's ultimate goal. This
shopping for one), you can easily means the site will be:
validate the code for errors.
There's an online validator * Compatible in various web
located at: browsers
http://validator.w3.org/ * Free from bugs, quirks and
other unpredictable behavior
This validator is built and * More search-engine-friendly
maintained by the Worldwide Web * More maintenance-friendly
Consortium (W3C), the very group * And generally a pleasure to
that created standards for work with
website code in the first place.
Truly professional web developers Why Should You Care?
use this validator religiously.
Your website is your best
To validate a website for proper employee. It works 24/7, it never
(or improper) HTML coding, you calls in sick, and it never
simply copy the site's URL complains or asks for a raise.
(example: www.fakewebsite.com) Don't you think it's worth your
and paste it into the address box while to invest time and effort
provided on the site. Then click in such an outstanding employee?
the "validate" button.
And with so many home buyers and website or a web developer. Quiz
sellers (78%) using the Internet, developers about the validity of
you want a properly built website their web code. If they tell you,
that is: "That stuff doesn't matter" ...
keep shopping!
* Easier for search engines to
find * Copyright 2006, Brandon
* Clean, consistent and Cornett. You may republish this
functional article in its entirety, provided
* Easy to navigate you leave the byline, author's
* Free of bugs and errors that note and website hyperlink
reflect poorly on you intact.
Shop wisely when looking for a
About the Author:
Brandon Cornett has worked as a web writer and marketing manager for a direct mail company serving real estate agents since 1986. His "Agent's Guide to Web Marketing" and his free newsletter are available at: http://www.ArmingYourFarming.com. Visit Brandon's blog at http://www.realestatemarketingtips.blogspot.com
Source: www.isnare.com
