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Product Descriptions Text vs HTML?


altoid

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What are the pros and cons of posting item descriptions in text vs html in my osCommerce store?

 

It seems text is simpler, but html allows more options like including a script for image pop ups. Apparently an html description allows meta description and meta keywords to be built in for SEO purposes.

 

Here's an html written listing I am experimenting with Notre Dame Dog Jersey

 

Other than the time it takes to do the html, are there any other things to be considered either way?

 

Feedback appreciated. Thanks

I am not a professional webmaster or PHP coder by background or training but I will try to help as best I can.

I remember what it was like when I first started with osC. It can be overwhelming.

However, I strongly recommend considering hiring a professional for extensive site modifications, site cleaning, etc.

There are several good pros here on osCommerce. Look around, you'll figure out who they are.

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This has already been done by a number of packages like: FCKeditor for Product Descriptions etc http://addons.oscommerce.com/info/2900

its an easy install.

 

The don`t do tags though, look for header tags contribs for that

Sam

 

Remember, What you think I ment may not be what I thought I ment when I said it.

 

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What are the pros and cons of posting item descriptions in text vs html in my osCommerce store?

 

It seems text is simpler, but html allows more options like including a script for image pop ups. Apparently an html description allows meta description and meta keywords to be built in for SEO purposes.

 

Here's an html written listing I am experimenting with Notre Dame Dog Jersey

 

Other than the time it takes to do the html, are there any other things to be considered either way?

 

Feedback appreciated. Thanks

As for whether to use plain text or html, the decision should be made based on what is best for the page in regards to how it affects your visitors. Typically, html is better since it provides a better apperance. But as for helping with SEO, the text itself won't matter since the search engines can handle marked up text. However, you are making a mistake by including the title and meta tags in that text. First, they belong in the <head> section of the page. With duplicate meta tags on the page, the search engines may penalize you for trying to fool them. But if they just see it as an error, they will choose one set of tags and ignore the other. In either case, the result won't be what you want. This also has the problem of you having to write extra code for every product. And while I'm not a big supporter of validating the html of a site, this will definately cause errors. All-in-all, it is just asking for trouble. Make it easy on yourself and install a meta tags contribution to handle that part of the page.

 

Jack

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Sam:

 

FCKEditor installed and working great. I wish my desktop html editor had this functionality. I will be using HTML to format my listings. Thanks fo the tip and guidance.

 

Jack:

 

Thanks for the insight into how the search engines view html. I am looking through the various SEO contributions. I must have screwed up my Ultimate SEO install so I rewound and will try that again, or choose another contrib along that line.

 

Thanks much

 

SK

I am not a professional webmaster or PHP coder by background or training but I will try to help as best I can.

I remember what it was like when I first started with osC. It can be overwhelming.

However, I strongly recommend considering hiring a professional for extensive site modifications, site cleaning, etc.

There are several good pros here on osCommerce. Look around, you'll figure out who they are.

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