correct/incorrect use of html influences SER?

[nikao]

i was wondering if search engines also look at the correct use of html, since it isn't necessary to use correct html nowedays for netscape or explorer.
Take for example the fact that within a table cell.. you dont have to close your tags
example:

<table>
<tr>
<td>
<font>[b]bold text
</td>
</tr>
<table>

does this affect ranking at all?

[jestep]

I think it depends on the situation. Clean code is going to be the best for Browsers and for spiders. In the case you presented I dont think it would make a defference, but if there is a huge html error that disrupts the flow of the page then there might be some problems. I would think that it may be considered cloaking or unethical in some cases where a browser can't display the page because of improper code.

[nikao]

Originally Posted by jestep

I think it depends on the situation. Clean code is going to be the best for Browsers and for spiders. In the case you presented I dont think it would make a defference, but if there is a huge html error that disrupts the flow of the page then there might be some problems. I would think that it may be considered cloaking or unethical in some cases where a browser can't display the page because of improper code.

i agree..
but what i thought was that perheps the SE gives you a penalty or something..for bad code...
so 2 sites who are exact the same (pr content etc.) but one with bad code (that doesnt affect how you see the page in the browser) and one with clean.. the clean one would rank higher... ?

[sparky_t]

nikao,

Whilst I understand what you're saying, I would doubt that a 'penalty' would be given for bad code, although many here have debated it.

I think what you need to consider is that doing the code correctly (and compliant to w3c) is no harder than doing the code incorrectly.

My suggestion is - always do the code to be compliant. Until anyone can prove that bad codea ffects ranking - what harm does good code do?

Sparky

[nikao]

Originally Posted by sparky_t

nikao,

Whilst I understand what you're saying, I would doubt that a 'penalty' would be given for bad code, although many here have debated it.

I think what you need to consider is that doing the code correctly (and compliant to w3c) is no harder than doing the code incorrectly.

My suggestion is - always do the code to be compliant. Until anyone can prove that bad codea ffects ranking - what harm does good code do?

Sparky

totally true.. i always try to use code correctly. But i sometimes have an argument with others about this matter. That's why i asked. It would give me an extra argument to code properly :P