I am a huge supporter of web standards. I might not be an absolute purist, but the fundamental concept is a big deal. I read about web standards, I’ve been to Zeldman’s A Conference Apart and I just generally think it’s a great idea. But I sometimes have trouble impressing upon a client how big a deal it is. This can make the difference between a client choosing you over the flashy Flash shop in town or between keeping their broken homegrown CMS monstrosity over your cheaper, SEO-friendly and more-accessible option. So how do you convince your client you’re right?
This is a simple open ended question designed to create a dialogue. I always figured explaining the cost benefit, time savings and SEO benefit of web standards would be enough, but my impression has been fooled by a client who just doesn’t seem to care (or doesn’t get it).
So here’s what I want to know:
- How do you present web standards to your clients — even if you don’t call it that?
- What specific line of reasoning do your clients care most (if at all) about?
- Have you ever had a client who didn’t want to let go of their old way of doing things (say, a bad table-based CMS) and just wouldn’t listen? If so, how did that pan out?
- How rigid should web designers be about web standards, and is the perceived benefit over- or underrated?
Did I miss anything?
The web is a medium, but it’s a multifaceted medium, so almost anything is possible. So much of how it works is structural, so getting management at XYZ, Inc. to listen and care and really understand how doing a little more now can help them later is not easy, especially when all they really care about is how their site looks. What can we do when the final say is out of our control?
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