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Using a Custom Markup Language

to Generate SE-Friendly HTML

As mentioned earlier, using a WYSIWYG editor frequently presents a problem with regard to on-page

optimization. Frequently, these editors do not generate HTML that uses tags that adequately delineate

the structural meaning of elements on a page.

If you are developing a large web site where non-technical personnel contribute content frequently,

you could add support for a simple custom markup language. The markup language can ease the

management of content for copywriters who are not familiar with HTML. Additionally, it gives the

site developer total control over what the HTML looks like after you transform the custom markup

language into HTML.

To implement this you use a simple parser. As a bonus, this parser can implement programmatic fea-

tures and make global changes that are well beyond the scope and possibilities of the CSS realm.

Here is an example snippet of copy using a custom markup language:

{HEADING}

Using a Custom Markup Language to Generate Optimized HTML

{/HEADING}

As we mentioned earlier, using a WYSIWYG editor frequently presents a problem with

regard to on-page optimization. Frequently, the editors do not generate HTML that

uses tags that adequately delineate the structural meaning of elements on a page.

Since heading tags, such as h1, ul, and strong are indicators of the structure

within a document, not using them will probably

{BOLD}{ITALIC}

decrease

{/ITALIC}

{/BOLD}

the rankings of a page, especially when a search engine is relying on

on-page factors.

Which can be automatically translated to this:

<h1 class=”custom_markup”>

Using a Custom Markup Language to Generate Optimized

HTML

</h1>

As we mentioned earlier, using a WYSIWYG editor frequently presents a problem with

regard to on-page optimization. Frequently, the editors do not generate HTML that

uses tags that adequately delineate the structural meaning of elements on a page.

Since heading tags, such as h1, ul, and strong are indicators of the structure

within a document, not using them will probably

<strong><em>

decrease

</em></strong>

the rankings of a page, especially when a search engine is relying on on-page

factors.

In this way, you accomplish two goals. You create very clean and optimized HTML. And you do

it without making a copywriter run for the hills. In fact, using a markup language like this, which

only presents a copywriter with the necessary elements and styles them according to a set of transla-

tion rules, may be even easier than using a WYSIWYG tool in our opinion. Whenever needed, the

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