• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
UT Shield
College of Fine Arts Web instruction
  • Welcome
  • About Us
    • WordPress & Drupal
    • Websites & Content Owners
  • Getting Started
    • Learn Best Practices for Web
    • Vocabulary Terms
    • Do you need a website?
    • Ways to Get a Website
      • Website Options Comparison
      • Initiate a Project with the Web Team
      • Outsource or DIY
    • Know Your Audience
    • Navigation & Menu Items
  • Requirements
    • Americans with Disabilities Legal Obligations
      • Alternate Text
      • Use of Color & Contrast
      • Link Text & Appearance
        • Non-Visible Link Context
      • PDF Files
      • Software Plug-in Link
      • Captions, Audio Description & Transcripts
        • webVTT Caption File
        • Caption Using Amara
        • Writing Captions & Audio Description
        • Video & Remote Communications
      • Additional ADA Issues
        • Accessible Social Media
        • Video & Remote Communications
    • UT Web Accessibility Policy
    • UT Web Privacy Policy
    • Records Retention – Backups, Archives and Revisions
    • College of Fine Arts Brand
    • UT Brand Guidelines
    • Information Security Office Policies
  • Best Practices
    • College of Fine Arts Communications Written Style Guide
    • Using a Rich Text Editor
      • Using an External HTML Editor
    • Links & URLs
      • Link Text & Appearance
        • Non-Visible Link Context
      • Absolute vs. Relative Paths
      • HTTP vs HTTPS
      • Anchor Links
      • Changing URLs
      • Shorten a URL for Marketing
    • Images
      • JPG vs PNG
      • Image Editing and Troubleshooting
    • Web Forms & Surveys
      • Create a Link to Pre-Filter a Web Form Page
    • Standards & Structure
      • Hierarchical Headers
      • Computer File Names
      • URL address names
        • UT Short Links Service
      • HTML
        • Common HTML Errors
        • Multiple Rows with Floated Images
        • Responsive Word Wrapping
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Test & Evaluate
    • Wikipedia
    • Social Media & Networking
      • Accessible Social Media
    • RSS & Feeds
    • UT Austin Web Publishing Guidelines
  • Site Performance
    • Page Load Time
      • Fonts
    • Respond to a Variety of Devices
      • Telephone Numbers on Smart Phones
    • Analytics & Visitor Data
      • Outreach Campaign Link Tracking
        • Campaign URL Builder
        • Campaign Link Tracking Worksheet
    • Page Not Found Traffic
    • Tips to Increase Traffic
    • Optimize for AI Chat and Search
  • Site Specific Instructions
    • Instructions for COFA sites on University Blog Services WordPress
    • Instructions for COFA Drupal Kit sites
    • Instructions for COFA sites on UT Drupal Kit Managed

Standards & Structure

Last Updated April 2024

You don’t have to know HTML to create Web pages with a content management system, like WordPress or Drupal. However, it’s important to recognize there is a tagging syntax and standards that computers need in order to understand and present the content. When you use the editor tools to style your pages, for example to make a link or embolden text, you are adding HTML code.

Semantic

Semantic is the term used to describe the practice of adhering to the standards of best practice coding techniques. A website that is semantic will be search engine friendly, more meaningful, and more future-proof.

A Semantic Website Will Have

  • headers and hierarchical structure,
  • appropriate file and URL path names and
  • valid HTML.

Extra BenefitBenefits

  • Search engines, like Google, weigh semantic pages higher in results
  • Different browsers and devices including assistive technologies display content consistently.
  • Unknown future technologies will be more likely to present the content as intended.

Learn More

The use of proper syntax and hierarchical tagging in the Web community is commonly called Web Standards.  Deep dive in the LinkedIn Learning training on Web Semantics ior just check out the first 42 second chapter “Appreciating the Value of the Semantic Web”. The organization that fought for standardized practices is called the Web Standards Group.

Primary Sidebar

Open Office / Co-Working Sessions

Second Monday of the month:
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Fourth Thursday of the month:
2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Email us for the Zoom link.

College of Fine Arts WordPress Instruction
College of Fine Arts Drupal Instruction
Subscribe to our email list to receive periodic tips and resources for generating great digital content

Contact Us

The COFA Web team can be reached by emailing us at cofawebmaster@austin.utexas.edu


To view some links on this page you may need to download Acrobat Reader.

UT Home | Emergency Information | Site Policies | Web Accessibility | Web Privacy | Adobe Reader

© The University of Texas at Austin 2025