HTML5 Semantic Elements

[Dimitri]

Hi

I have two questions about HTML 5 semantic elements.

1- does it make a difference, from a SEO point of view, to use HTML 5 semantic elements or not. Not necessarily from a ranking point of view, but may be for a better indexation and better understanding of the page content ?

2- for a forum; is the following structure, the right one?

<article>

 <header>
   <h1>Title of the Topic</h1>
 </header>

 <p>...</p>
 <p>...</p>
 <p>...</p>
 <p>...</p>

 <footer>
  Posted by… on <time> … </time>
 </footer

 <section>

  <h2>Comments</h2>

  <article>
   <p>text of the first comment</p>
   <p>...</p>
   <p>...</p>
   <footer>Posted by… on <time> … </time></footer>
  </article>

  <article>
   <p>text of the second comment</p>
   <p>...</p>
   <p>...</p>
  <footer>Posted by… on <time> … </time></footer>
  </article>

 <section>

</article>

And, in the case the first comment has two replies, can it be :

<section>

 <h2>Comments</h2>

 <article>
  <p>text of the first comment</p>
  <p>...</p>
  <p>...</p>
  <footer>Posted by… on <time> … </time></footer>
 </article>

 <section>

  <article>
   <p>text of the first reply to the first comment</p>
   <p>...</p>
   <p>...</p>
   <footer>Posted by… on <time> … </time></footer>
  </article>

  <article>
   <p>text of a second reply to the first comment</p>
   <p>...</p>
   <p>...</p>
   <footer>Posted by… on <time> … </time></footer>
  </article>

 </section>

<section>

Thank you,

[Dimitri]

ps: I don't understand how to post HTML code. I used the "code" tag, but it adds colors in an odd way in the first block.

[keyplyr]

Don t worry about the colors in the code tags. Its been that way all along AFAIK.

[not2easy]

For question 1: Bots are not currently doing anything with the semantic tags the last I've read. For SEO I'd consider them neutral but at some time that might change. I'd be happy to read that I've missed some news on these tags. They give organization to pages that make it easier for teams or groups of people to manage. They can offer additional options in CSS as well, but no major features to say it is better to use or not use them. For now.

There were a few discussions around here back at the beginning of HTML5 about their use. Most were more concerned about their nesting properties. It's been noted that some properties of the semantic tags sort of overlap with schema tags and that might be confusing.

I do not use them in the context of a forum so not much help on question #2.

[Dimitri]

Thank you not2easy for your feedback.

[Dimitri]

Finally, I gave up try to using the semantic elements:

1- as mentioned there are no evidences that Search engine are exploiting them
2- and if they do, then I would worry to make a mistake, and get penalized (paranoiac)
3- scappers seem to use semantic elements to again more easily extract content and republish it ...