#1 Validate Your Code...

One of the first things you should do when coding your website is make sure it’s valid. It’s very simply to go to the HTML Validator and check for errors. The only errors you’ll see for Lala Land are those around the Twitter code, which I can’t change. Some exceptions like that are allowed, because Twitter uses the correct codes inside theirs (and it all works out in the end). You’ll want to check your validation often, especially if you update your site often. Valid code can be helpful in many ways, including search engine optimization. Most importantly, though, it will help you keep any visitor that comes to your site.

If you want help in validating your code, try installing EditPad Lite, and use it as your default text editor. When you view your source, EditPad shows you the line number. If you validate your site and it says “Line 220, Column 4″ then you go to your site, view the source, and scroll down to line 220. Then you will be able to see what’s on that line (which the validator also shows) and what’s on the lines around it. Usually this is all you need to fix those errors. Remember, valid does not make your coding work across all browsers, but it ensures you’re on the right track.

The number one mistake everyone makes that throws up red flags in their valdiation is not adding the alt=”" attribute to their image codes. Every image code must have this, it tells the browser and the user what the image is if it doesn’t load. Many people also think that an image code is like this <img src=”file.gif”> and completely leave out the end. A proper image code should include the image source (file name), the alt tag, the height and width, and the end. The height and width are not absoluately necessary, so at the very least it should look like <img src=”file.gif” alt=”file info” />.

How many errors does the validator give your main page?