closing xhtml tags </> in your meta tags

is it bad

[TomJones]

I'm assuming it is. I used the WC3 validator and, it recommended closing all end tags in my xhtml docs. I think I was spacing that day and, just went with the recommendation and closed all of my meta tags.

My 5/10 ranking disappeared soon after. I'm still pulling in about the same amount of hits from Google so, I'm wondering if that is indeed why I lost my page ranking.

Anybody know if closing these tags is a negative?

[SuzyUK]

closing your tags is a necessity in XHTML it means the document is well-formed [w3.org]

it should not have anything to with ranking whatsoever: XHTML is a markup language the content of the page is not affected

Suzy

<added> how did you close your meta tags? recommended is "... />" or you can do </meta> </added>

[TomJones]

I used the /> method. So, you don't think it had any effect. Hmmmm. Now I have new questions....

[pageoneresults]

I'm still pulling in about the same amount of hits from Google so, I'm wondering if that is indeed why I lost my page ranking.

You might want to sit back and read the Google Update thread. I think you'll find that PageRank is still fluctuating and hasn't been behaving for the past few weeks.

[Oaf357]

Well. I had a similar question a few months ago. Put it like this, I no longer use the shorthand /> I use the longhand ></meta>.

The sim spider tool at searchengineworld.com tipped me off to this. Google did also, as it wasn't pulling my decriptions like it should have.

[TomJones]

Those threads scare me, Pageone. I could start now and, still not be done tomorrow at this time. You are right, I need to check them out.

[pageoneresults]

Those threads scare me, Pageone.

Hehehe, they used to scare me too until the premod went into effect these past few weeks. The thread is very readable and has some good observations on this update without all the noise.

Put it like this, I no longer use the shorthand /> I use the longhand ></meta>.

Oaf, you have me very concerned! I'm still in development stages on my first XHTML 1.1 site and we are using the preferred method of />. I hadn't run that site through SIM Spider yet, but decided to test it. Sure enough, SIM Spider is not recognizing the description or keywords tag and they are closed with the />.

SuzyUK, have you experienced any problems using the /> method?

Here is a similar topic that I posted back in March 2002...

XHTML and Spidering [webmasterworld.com]

[Oaf357]

Pageone,

He's right those threads are scary. No matter what people say about personal accounts, etc. they always fill the threads with worthless chatter. Don't let GoogleGuy respond either because then the thread because an ask GoogleGuy every off the wall question anyone can think of.

As for the closing tag method. It was a sad but true reality back in February/March that description and keyword tags ending in /> were not picked up by Google, at all.

That might have changed since then though. If it has, please let me know, I could reduce my code bloat.

<edit>

I should also note that before I went from short hand to long hand that the pages ranked just fine. Now, they rank VERY well in most SEs.

</edit>

[TomJones]

Thanks for the input, Oaf. I'm changing to the /meta> to be safe. It's only a few dozen pages, luckily. Appreciate it, m8!

[Oaf357]

Remember it's:

<meta ... ></meta>

[SuzyUK]

re>> problems

I didn't think I had, but I just changed a site (from " />" to </meta> ) and did the sim spider thing and sure enough the sim spider is now picking it up... hmmm will have to wait to see if it improves things in the SE's

fortunately in this site the <meta> tags are written dynamically so I only had one page to change, but got a bit of work on some others..

bit strange that one, thanks for making me look at it ;)

Suzy

[Oaf357]

I just want to point out this thread:
[webmasterworld.com...]

The jury may still be out on this one. I can attest that this method (></meta>) works everywhere. Others have said that the shorthand method works now. I will be researching the matter a little further.

Stay tuned.