Does W3c validation matter for directories?

I've just made Jooomla SEO Directory totally W3c valid throughout the entire site.

There's a certain amount of satisfaction in doing this but do other directory owners believe it makes any difference or not?

 

Google.com
Failed validation, 32 Errors

Yahoo.com
Failed validation, 34 Errors

Live.com
Failed validation, 64 Errors

Botw.org
Failed validation, 196 Errors

Joeant.com
Failed validation, 8 Errors


And those were just a few of the biggest names I thought to validate just now. So does validation matter? Meh! If you feel like doing go for it. If not, and your website still functions properly in all browsers then OK too.

 

I think unless the errors are really very obvious, it doesn't really make a difference..

 

I think W3c validation is not making any such difference.

 

As long as it views well on all browsers, wc3 validation doesn't matter to me.

 

As it is not a compulsion for W3c validation I guess it is perfectly all right to go without it. The big players are doing without it so can others also.

 

Nice to have and indeed this is the right way to go, but its no biggie.

 

Optional not essential imho
Looks good though

 

The big players can allow this as it won't affect their business.
For small - it's another occasion to show "we're good in it".

I've been working on hundreds of directories and what I saw in templates can describe with one word: HORROR
Of course there were few not so bad.

And it's not because it was not valid to w3c standards.
It was so messed up, so many tables nested in tables and next tables... Incorrect display under different browsers, even more errors under pure HTML validator. But still having W3C button to page with dozens of errors.

I was really dissapointed of all of it as I found most of directories owners do not care to keep any standards in fact. And what is worst they do not even know about it and do not know what to do with it.

I know nobody will take serious my opinion as it's mark of time now - no standards, no mercy, no manners. Just had to say this.

 

It could be a good tool to impress people who think that is necessary. But then those who know SEO know that it's not even a ranking factor. So, I guess it depends on your target.

If every bit of your advertising campaign is so important, then it is good idea to have that on your site. But I would probably spend more time in other advertising methods.

 

I share the same opinion

lol
That's an other story. I mean, bad coding is certainly a big NO NO. And having W3C button on your website when even your homepage is not even "Valid" is a cheating to me...

Its not that I don't care for it, infect I tried to have it done. My template was "Valid" till I added "Site Thumbnails" and now there are errors which I don't know how to remove. I will try to sort it out after doing other important stuff.

 

I think making any site, directory or otherwise, W3C compliant is simply further evidence of the quality of the site. It takes extra time and care and shows that a site wasn't just thrown up.

Directories that don't test in at least IE and FF further show that they are not operating a real business.

On the other hand, outside of the web development community, most don't know what the heck W3C is anyway.

 

Well said

 

Hope it's not about my sites as both are valid.

Come on, this is not big thing to repair:
Instead of '&' use '&' in URL.
This will surely help with errors in THUMB url.

 

For my part, I think you've hit the nail on the head. I'm a relatively small (and new) player in the directory market & my own view is that anything that helps to differentiate you is a good thing.

 

i think its more a vanity issue. plus theres a good change it will work well across all platforms and browsers

 

As long as your business is going smoothly and the design works well in Browser its not an issue. One of my directory was fully validated with W3C but when i added categories and some stuff it messed, though i managed to fix how mostly and have only 1 error but have no time to fix that. Overall it just shows in my opinion how cleanly your site was coded and has no other extra benefit. Just gives a standardized and professional look.

 

I think W3c validation is not important at all.