Category Archives: Web Standards

Jul 15 2010
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social media, Web Standards

oh behave!

Behavioural advertising or targeting is a much discussed subject (often closely followed by the online privacy topic) and one that brings with it an equal balance of aggression and nervousness.

Put simply behavioural targeting is a technique used online to deliver specific messages based on user trends. Information is collected by cookies (not the choc chip kind) on users’ computers based on what they’re searching for and looking at, then this information is profiled and collated into ‘user groups’.

By understanding these user groups we can more effectively target audiences online therefore deliver more relevant adverts.

Contrary to popular belief, it is safe and is really just designed to not waste consumer’s time. Big Brother aren’t recording your every move and sending it to MI5 and it is closely regulated by bodies such as the IAB (Internet Advertising Bureau).

If you want to learn a bit more, this video from the IAB puts in simple language what behavioural advertising is all about, the referenced URL http://www.youronlinechoices.co.uk/ is also a really useful site if you want to know more about cookies and how to protect your privacy online.

You can also read my recent blog post ‘Is Privacy Dead’ for more information surrounding this subject area.

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Jun 28 2010
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Client questions answered, W3C, Web Standards

W3C explained

One of the most common discussions when talking with a client about the delivery of a site or web application is whether or not ‘it’s to standard’ but what does this actually mean?

The W3C or World Wide Web Consortium (3 W’s and a ‘C’ for consortium) is the main international standards organisation for the World Wide Web. The organisation is headed up by none other than Sir Tim Berners-Lee and consists of a number of some 350 odd members who continuously develop the standards for the web.

So what does that mean? Well, by having a regulatory body for web standards it ensures that all developers around the world web use a compliant standard coding style and that means that you won’t get errors which in short (and this is the bit the client will like) that means it will save time and money.

Now if you want to sound extra clever you can explain to Mr Client that validated webpage’s are accessible, browser compatible, error free, fast loading, and properly indexed in the search engines. This is good because your target audience and Google will like you.

If you don’t tick the above boxes by not having validated webpage’s the opposite will happen and no-one will like your site. So that’s what it all means, simple really.

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