The Web Quality Assurance Checklist

Best practice n°1

The site provides a way for users to find out about new content and services.

• Enable users to immediately identify new online content and services.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#Mobile  #Content  #Editorial 

Best practice n°2

Information about copyrights and reuse rights is available from every page.

• Inform the users of the conditions under which the content is published.
• Inform the users of the conditions for copying and reusing the content.

#Content  #Editorial 

Best practice n°3

Each page’s source code contains metadata that describes the content.

• Enable search and indexing tools to extract information about the pages’ content and, as a result, Improve the search results returned to users.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools."

#SEO  #Content  #Editorial 

Best practice n°4

Dates are presented in an explicit format.

• Prevent users from misinterpreting the meaning of a date.
• Simplify the comprehension and reuse of the relevant content.

#Content  #Editorial 

Best practice n°5

The first occurrence of an abbreviation or an acronym in the body of any page gives access to an explanation of its meaning.

• Allow users to quickly understand the meaning of an acronym.
• Enable bots to exploit the content (in order to establish an index of abbreviations).
• Foster referencing of the content.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Content  #Editorial 

Best practice n°6

The publication date of the contents is indicated when needed.

• Allow the user to put the information into context.
• Prevent the dissemination of false or obsolete information.
• Strengthen trust in the information and facilitate citations.

#Content  #Design 

Best practice n°7

A lexicon or a glossary adapted to the target audience explains the industry-specific or technical vocabulary used.

• Allow users to understand industry-specific and technical content.
• Simplify use of a service.
• Improve SEO on keywords or technical expressions.
• improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #Content  #Editorial 

Best practice n°8

Advertisements and sponsored content are identified as such.

• Enable the immediate identification of advertisements and sponsored content.
• Avoid confusion between editorial and advertising content.
• Prevent the risks associated with conflicts of interest.

#Content  #Editorial 

Best practice n°9

The conditions for moderation of public spaces are indicated.

• Explain to the users why and how their posts may be moderated.
• Reduce the number of complaints from users who don’t see their posts online.

#Content  #Editorial 

Best practice n°10

Content and files intended for public spaces can be checked before upload.

• Allow users to check their input in context and, if necessary, to correct it before submitting it.
• Reduce the number of correction and removal requests.

#Content  #Development 

Best practice n°11

Public spaces offer at least one way to report abuse.

• Simplify reporting of illegal or inappropriate content.
• Speed up the detection of such content.
• Limit the risk of accessing illegal or inappropriate content.

#Content  #Design 

Best practice n°12

Each graph is accompanied by its numerical data.

• Enable or improve understanding of the graph.
• Improve the accessibility of the contents for people with disabilities.
• Improve the consideration of contents by search engines and indexing tools.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #Content  #Editorial 

Best practice n°13

The search result page indicates the number of results, the number of pages of results, and the number of results per page.

• Give users access to all of the essential information related to the search that they ran.

#Content  #Development 

Best practice n°14

The privacy and confidentiality policy is available from any page.

• Give users access to the conditions under which their personal data are conserved.

#Privacy  #Personal data  #Editorial 

Best practice n°15

The process of accessing and modifying personal data is described.

• Inform users of how their personal data will be used.
• Boost confidence in the site or service.
• Simplify the management of requests related to personal data.

#Privacy  #Personal data  #Editorial 

Best practice n°16

Account creation is possible without the need to use a third-party identification system.

• let users choose whether or not they want to use a third-party service.
• Provide an alternate means of access to the service.
• Provide a means of access under the control of the service’s administrators.
• Limit your dependence on a third party, whose policies and technical and sales strategy will undoubtedly change over time.

#Privacy  #Personal data  #Development 

Best practice n°17

Account creation is subject to a confirmation process.

• Reduce the risk of users being registered without their knowledge.

#Privacy  #Personal data  #Development 

Best practice n°18

The site offers a mechanism to prevent account or identity theft.

• Strengthen user safety and confidence
• by preventing the risk of identity theft.
• Limit the costs of processing impersonations for the user and the online service.
• Strengthen users' confidence in the use of their data.

#Privacy  #Personal data  #Development 

Best practice n°19

Accounts and subscriptions opened online can be closed online by the same method.

• Spare the user complicated procedures in order to leave the service.
• Let the user know, right off the bat, that they won’t be trapped into the service.
• Cut the cost of user account management.
• Boost confidence in the site or service.
• Improve your reputation and reduce the risk of bad press.

#Privacy  #Personal data  #Development 

Best practice n°20

If the site offers a personal or subscriber space, it is possible to download personal content.

• Enable user-generated content to be archived.
• Avoid the user having to re-enter data, in the event of their reuse of content.

#Privacy  #Personal data  #Development 

Best practice n°21

Connection to all the services offered is possible with the same identifiers.

• Allow users to retain or store unique identifiers.
• Accelerate connection and improve the user experience.
• Strengthen user confidence in the use of their data

#Privacy  #Personal data  #Development 

Best practice n°22

It is possible to log out from private areas.

• Allow user to protect their personal data and content.
• Limit the risk of identity theft.
• Strengthen user confidence in the use of their data

#Privacy  #Personal data  #Development 

Best practice n°23

The website accepts email aliases containing the + sign.

• Allow users to use mail accounts dedicated to a specific use.
• Allow users to trace the spread of their email addresses.
• Strengthen user confidence in the use of their data

#Privacy  #Personal data  #Development 

Best practice n°24

The headers sent by the server specify the communication policy of the referrers.

• Protect users from disclosing any sensitive information about their navigation.
• Mastering the information sent by the server.
• Strengthen user confidence in the use of their data

#Privacy  #Personal data  #Development 

Best practice n°25

External links that open in a new window don't share contextual information.

• Preventing the transmission of personal data.
• Prevent the execution of malicious code.
• Prevent performance losses related to the sharing of resources in multiple windows.
• Strengthen user confidence in the use of their data

#Privacy  #Personal data  #Development 

Best practice n°26

Exchanges of sensitive data are securely transmitted and reported as such.

• Reassure users.
• Allow users to enter sensitive data, safe in the knowledge that They will be protected.
• Minimize the risk of fraudulent use of user data.

#Personal data  #Editorial 

Best practice n°27

Sensitive data is not transmitted unencrypted through URLs.

• Prevent sensitive data from being made public or stored Unencrypted at any stage in accessing a page (ISP, proxy, web Server, browser history, third-party services, etc.).
• Allow users to enter sensitive data, safe in the knowledge that They will be protected and kept confidential.

#Personal data  #Development 

Best practice n°28

The purpose of using cookies, as well as the limitations inherent in refusing them, are explained.

• Inform users about the use of cookies.
• Explain their role and their purpose.

#Privacy  #Personal data  #Editorial 

Best practice n°29

A product or service can be purchased without creating an account.

• Allow buyers to place an order immediately.
• Remove the barrier of account creation.
• Increase the conversion rate.

#Privacy  #E-Commerce  #Development 

Best practice n°30

The details of each item can be viewed from the shopping cart.

• Allow user to check his order.
• Prevent operating errors

#E-Commerce  #Development 

Best practice n°31

No additional products or services are added to the shopping cart without being user triggered.

• Give users control over their orders.
• Not compromise your trusted relationship with your users.
• Avoid any form of forced sales.

#E-Commerce  #Design 

Best practice n°32

Registration for ancillary services is not enabled by default.

• Allow the user the choice of his actions.
• Preventing unintentional commands and associated claims.
• Prevent potential lawsuits in countries where the practice is prohibited.

#E-Commerce  #Development 

Best practice n°33

Product availability is indicated before final validation of the order.

• Anticipate any possible difficulties and delivery delays.

#E-Commerce  #Editorial 

Best practice n°34

The estimated delivery time is indicated before the final validation of the order.

• Allow users to plan ahead for the conditions and means of accessing the service or the virtual item.
• Avoid disappointments and complaints.

#E-Commerce  #Editorial 

Best practice n°35

The estimated delivery costs are indicated before the final validation of the order.

• Allow user to decide knowingly.
• Save time for the user.

#E-Commerce  #Editorial 

Best practice n°36

The method for retrieving a dematerialised or digital product is specified before placing the order.

• Allow users to plan ahead for the conditions and means of accessing the service or the virtual item.
• Avoid disappointments and complaints.

#E-Commerce  #Editorial 

Best practice n°37

Users can still modify each item’s quantity, and add or delete one or more items, before the final validation of the order.

• Allow users to easily edit their orders.

#E-Commerce  #Development 

Best practice n°38

The nature and quantifiable characteristics of products and services are indicated.

• Allow users to identify the exact nature and specifications of the products.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #E-Commerce  #Editorial 

Best practice n°39

The period of validity and conditions of special offers and promotions are indicated.

• Allow users to identify the period during which they can enjoy special offers.

#E-Commerce  #Editorial 

Best practice n°40

The detailed sub-total is indicated before final validation of the order.

• Provide users with details of the prices of their orders.
• Remove an obstacle to order placement.

#E-Commerce  #Development 

Best practice n°41

The conditions of financing are indicated.

• Allow users to identify the total amount they will have to pay and how that amount breaks down.

#E-Commerce  #Editorial 

Best practice n°42

The operating conditions of the after-sales service are indicated.

• Inform users about the conditions for obtaining assistance and support, if they need it.

#E-Commerce  #Editorial 

Best practice n°43

Debit and payment conditions are indicated before final order placement.

• Enable users to identify the detailed payment charge conditions.

#E-Commerce  #Editorial 

Best practice n°44

Warranty conditions are indicated.

• Enable users to identify the specific nature of the associated services and their costs.

#E-Commerce  #Editorial 

Best practice n°45

The terms of sale or use are available from all pages.

• Provide continuous, easy access to all of the terms and conditions of fulfillment of the service.

#E-Commerce  #Editorial 

Best practice n°46

The information relating to the delivery zones of the products or the realization of the services are indicated.

• Avoid pointless browsing and orders, or even a waste of time for your users and for the organization that is offering the goods or services.

#E-Commerce  #Editorial 

Best practice n°47

The means of payment accepted, and the corresponding procedures are indicated.

• Give users advance notice of the payment methods and conditions, so they will know whether or not they are able to place an order.

#E-Commerce  #Editorial 

Best practice n°48

The identity of third parties involved in transactions is specified.

• Provide users information about partners involved in the transaction

#Privacy  #E-Commerce  #Editorial 

Best practice n°49

The recourse in cases of dispute are indicated in the general terms and conditions of sale or of use.

• Reassure users before they make a purchase.
• Give buyers all of the relevant information related to their purchases, whether or not everything goes well.

#E-Commerce  #Editorial 

Best practice n°50

The address and the terms and conditions for returns are indicated before the final validation of the return order.

• Allow users to plan ahead in case of any problems with the use and/or operation of the good or service.
• Reduce the strain on customer service.

#E-Commerce  #Editorial 

Best practice n°51

The cost of the return is indicated before the final validation of the return order.

• Inform users of the cost if returned products.
• Increase conversion rates.

#E-Commerce  #Editorial 

Best practice n°52

The mode of filing and the procedure for handling complaints are indicated.

• Allow users to understand or anticipate any problems they may encounter on the website or during a transaction.

#E-Commerce  #Editorial 

Best practice n°53

The conditions for reimbursement are indicated.

• Allow users to identify the exact documents required, if they need to return a product.
• Anticipate potential problems, in the case of a refund request submitted after the statutory cooling-off period.
• Reduce the number of needless procedures and the number of customer service requests.
• Increase an e-commerce site’s conversion rate.

#E-Commerce  #Editorial 

Best practice n°54

The hardware and software necessary for the operation of the service are indicated before final validation of the order.

• Allow users to anticipate the conditions and means of use of the service.
• Reduce complaints

#E-Commerce  #Editorial 

Best practice n°55

The displayed prices show the applied taxes and any additional charges, as well as tax-exclusive prices.

• Allow users to identify the precise total amount they will have to pay, before placing an order.
• Enable users to accurately identify different itemizations and any deductible amounts.

#E-Commerce  #Editorial 

Best practice n°56

Different shipping and billing addresses can be specified.

• Allow users to have their purchases delivered to the location of their choice.

#E-Commerce  #Development 

Best practice n°57

The website accepts at least two methods of payment.

• Allow users to choose their preferred payment method in their specific situation.
• Offer at least one alternative to users temporarily or permanently unable to use a particular payment method.

#E-Commerce  #Development 

Best practice n°58

Personal banking information is only stored after the explicit consent of the user.

• Leave the master user of his choice in banking data storage.
• Prevent potential legal problems in case of complaint or data theft.
• Strengthen user confidence in the use of their data.

#Privacy  #E-Commerce  #Development 

Best practice n°59

The personal banking information stored by the site can be modified or deleted at any time.

• Prevent the risk of fraud by allowing preventive delete data.
• Give users control over their data bank.
• Prevent payment errors by allowing preventive updated bank data.
• Strengthen user confidence in the use of their data

#Privacy  #E-Commerce  #Development 

Best practice n°60

The transaction’s reference number is displayed to the customer, once the order has been placed.

• Allow users to see and, potentially, print out a trace of their orders.
• Give users written proof of the transaction.
• Improve the traceability of transactions.

#E-Commerce  #Development 

Best practice n°61

The invoices issued are also available online

• Facilitate operations management and reconciliation by users.
• Provide a backup of the necessary data to accounting.

#E-Commerce  #Development 

Best practice n°62

Each invoice is subject to a confirmation email.

• Prevent loss of information and invoices.
• Improving traceability of operations.

#E-Commerce  #Development 

Best practice n°63

Any mention of an affiliation with a professional association, or endorsement by a label or an award, features a link to the source.

• Give users immediate access, so they can understand what those mentions mean.
• Enable users to check the information themselves.
• Increase the level of trust or credibility.

#E-Commerce  #Editorial 

Best practice n°64

Unavailable products are differentiated by visual and textual means.

• Allow users to immediately identify products that are unavailable, with no possibility of confusion.
• Avoid disappointment of when a user starts a purchase, only to discover later on that the product they want is not available.

#E-Commerce  #Editorial 

Best practice n°65

An email providing the transaction’s reference number and the order details is sent after order placement.

• Give users confirmation of their order information.
• Allow users to keep a history of their transactions, elsewhere than on the website.

#E-Commerce  #Development 

Best practice n°66

Each complaint shall be issued with an acknowledgment of receipt.

• Allow the user to obtain a confirmation of his request outside the context of navigation on the site.
• Avoid customer service receiving multiple requests for the same complaint.

#E-Commerce  #Development 

Best practice n°67

Each Form Field has its own Label associated with it in the Source Code.

• Facilitate the understanding of the data expected in forms.
• Allow technical accessibility aids to render the fields in forms by systematically attaching a label to them, indicating their role and the nature of the expected input.
• Simplify input by allowing users to select the field by clicking on either its label or the field itself (especially in the case of a checkbox or a radio button).
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Forms  #Development 

Best practice n°68

Information supplementing a field’s label is associated with that field in the source code.

• Optimize the rendering on screen readers, by making it possible to spell out the form’s field labels.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Forms  #Development 

Best practice n°69

Each form field’s label indicates whether or not it is a required field.

• Tell users in advance whether or not a field is required.
• Prevent mistakes before they are made.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Privacy  #Forms  #Development 

Best practice n°70

Each form field’s label indicates the required data format, where applicable.

• Reduce the risk of input errors.
• Reduce the risks associated with sending incorrect or unusable data.
• Prevent the user from giving up, for lack of information about the expected input.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Forms  #Development 

Best practice n°71

The user is warned whenever a field is case-sensitive.

• Prevent the risk of mistakes and, as a result, prevent the user from having to fill out the same field several times.
• Prevent confusion in users who think they correctly completed the field, but see it marked as an error.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Forms  #Development 

Best practice n°72

The label of each form field indicates the maximum number of characters allowed, where applicable.

• Preventing transmission errors forms.
• Preventing data loss.

#Forms  #Development 

Best practice n°73

The creation of a password by the user is subject to a mechanism for the prevention of input errors.

• Prevent users from entering passwords that don’t match the ones that they wanted or that they memorized.

#Forms  #Development 

Best practice n°74

The characters entered in a password field can be displayed in an un-encrypted text.

• Simplify password entry, especially on mobile devices’ virtual keyboards.
• Prevent mistakes.

#Forms  #Development 

Best practice n°75

Each form label is visually associated to the field that it describes.

• Allow users to unambiguously identify the form’s fields and the type of information they are expected to input.
• Prevent input errors.
• Simplify and speed up use of the form, especially on a mobile device or for users of screen magnifiers and, more generally, for any user employing the zoom function.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Forms  #Design 

Best practice n°76

The contextual information relating to a form field has a close visual-proximity to it.

• Facilitating the use of forms.
• Prevent input errors.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Forms  #Design 

Best practice n°77

If any data entered in the form are rejected, the fields containing the rejected data are indicated for the user.

• Provide feedback to users on the actions they just performed.
• Guide users directly to the items with which they must interact.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities."

#Accessibility  #Forms  #Development 

Best practice n°78

If any data entered in the form are rejected, the reason(s) why are indicated to the user.

• Help users understand what is expected and, by doing so, facilitate their progression to the next step.
• Prevent user frustration in the face of mistakes for which they don’t have an immediate solution.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Forms  #Development 

Best practice n°79

If any data entered in the form are rejected, all the data entered can be modified by the user.

• Give users control over all of the information that they provide.
• Simplify the correction of mistakes made by users.
• Allow users to edit the information they want to change.
• Prevent the user from leaving the form before it is submitted.

#Forms  #Development 

Best practice n°80

Custom error messages are expressed in the language of the form.

• Prevent input difficulties and improve the understanding of error messages.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Forms  #Development 

Best practice n°81

For forms divided over several pages, an overall summary is displayed before the final version is submitted.

• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Forms  #Development 

Best practice n°82

The page displayed after the form’s submission allows the user to return to their navigation directly.

• Avoid putting your users off by taking them to a dead-end page, including by means of the browser’s “Previous page” function.
• Limit the risk of duplicate form submissions.

#Forms  #Development 

Best practice n°83

Form submission is followed by a message indicating whether or not the action was successful.

• Give the user immediate, explicit feedback on the action they just performed.
• Prevent user frustration when they think the process was a success, but there was, in fact, a problem.

#Forms  #Development 

Best practice n°84

The user is alerted at the beginning of a complex process to the nature of the required data and documents

• Increase the success rate of the complex process.
• Maintain and enhance the brand image.

#Accessibility  #Forms  #Design 

Best practice n°85

Complex processes are accompanied by a list of their steps.

• Give users visibility of the actions they are going to be performing (time, order of steps, information required to complete them, etc.).
• Prevent users from feeling trapped in a process that takes longer than expected.

#Forms  #Design 

Best practice n°86

The current step in a complex process is indicated.

• Allow users to determine their progress in a process.
• Reassure users when engaged in a complex process.

#Forms  #Design 

Best practice n°87

Each step in a complex process allows the user to go back to the previous step.

• Simplify the use of forms divided over several pages in a row.
• Reduce the risk of input errors.
• Limit the risk of abandoning the process.

#Forms  #Development 

Best practice n°88

The user is warned when they will lose information if they go back using their browser’s history during a complex process.

• Simplify the use of forms divided over several pages in a row.
• Limit the risk of abandoning the process.

#Forms  #Development 

Best practice n°89

Navigating through a complex process does not cause any previously-submitted data to be lost.

• Simplify input and corrections in forms divided into multiple steps.
• Limit the risk of abandoning the procedure.

#Forms  #Development 

Best practice n°90

Copy-and-paste is possible in the form’s fields.

• Simplify form completion.

#Forms  #Development 

Best practice n°91

The items in a drop-down list are grouped together appropriately, where applicable.

• Allow technical aids to return a list to the user whose organization is clear to see; and that simplifies moving from one item on the list to another.
• Foster the accurate rendering of complex drop-down lists in every browser.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Forms  #Editorial 

Best practice n°92

The lists of form options are presented in an identifiable order.

• Give users fast access to the item they want in a list.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Forms  #Development 

Best practice n°93

Email, URL, telephone number, search, password, and date and time input fields are assigned an appropriate input type.

• Allow the use of virtual keyboards adapted to the different input modes on mobile devices.
• Facilitate submission of the input data.
• Improve compatibility with mobile terminals.

#Mobile  #Forms  #Development 

Best practice n°94

The homepage explains the nature of the content and services offered.

• Give users an immediate view of the nature of the website and the content it offers.
• Avoid needless searching.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #Identification and contact  #Editorial 

Best practice n°95

If the site is reserved or intended for a specific audience, that audience is mentioned, at least on the homepage.

• Void pointless visits.
• Give users a warning.

#Identification and contact  #Editorial 

Best practice n°96

The identity of the author, the company or the organization is indicated.

• Reassure users, by allowing them to directly identify the author (in the broadest sense
• of the term).
• Limit the risk of mistrust.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #Identification and contact  #Editorial 

Best practice n°97

Each page provides a title that enables one to identify the site

• Allow users to immediately identify the website in tabs, favorites, windows,
• browser histories, and screen readers.
• Improve the site’s SEO and its presentation in search engine results.

#SEO  #Identification and contact  #Editorial 

Best practice n°98

Each page provides a title that enables one to identify its content

• Allow users to immediately identify the nature of each page’s content in tabs, favorites, windows, browser histories, and screen readers.
• Improve the pages’ SEO and their presentation in search engine results.
• To improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#SEO  #Identification and contact  #Editorial 

Best practice n°99

The source code of the pages contains a valid call to a favourite icon (“favicon”)

• Improve the visual identification of the site and its pages.
• Facilitate identification in the browser and the favorites or bookmarks.
• Enable all browsers to display, call and, potentially, memorize the favicon.

#Identification and contact  #Development 

Best practice n°100

The complete address and telephone number of companies and organizations are available from all pages of the site.

• Give interested users the possibility of easily accessing the entity’s telephone and mailing contact information.
• To improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #Identification and contact  #Editorial 

Best practice n°101

The registration number issued to companies or organizations under the legal registration procedures in force in their country is indicated.

• Give users a verifiable indication of the official existence of the structure offering the content or services.

#Identification and contact  #Editorial 

Best practice n°102

The site provides at least two means of contact.

• Optimize options for users to provide feedback.
• Avoid putting a user in a difficult position, if one of the means of contact is unavailable or causing problems to the user.

#Identification and contact  #Editorial 

Best practice n°103

Response times for information requests are indicated.

• Give users a quantified timeframe for a response.
• Limit the risk of follow-up by users.
• Reassure users about the site managers’ ability to respond to requests.

#Identification and contact  #Editorial 

Best practice n°104

The operating hours and prices for the services made available to users are indicated.

• inform users of the services that are available to them and how they work.

#Identification and contact  #Editorial 

Best practice n°105

Each request for information is followed by an acknowledgement receipt.

• Inform users that their requests have been received.
• Give users a confirmation receipt of their request for information, which they can save.

#Identification and contact  #Editorial 

Best practice n°106

All emails provide at least one means of contact

• Allowing the user to respond to emails or contact.
• Maintain or improve the brand image of the service.

#Identification and contact  #Editorial 

Best practice n°107

The site provides at least one means of contacting the person in charge of complaints.

• Allow users to reach out to, or to send their complaints directly to the right person.
• Reassure users that they can easily interact with the complaint department, in the event of a problem.

#Identification and contact  #Editorial 

Best practice n°108

The site provides at least one means of contacting the moderator of public spaces.

• Allow users to contact the moderator, so they can request corrections, ask questions or report abuse.

#Privacy  #Identification and contact  #Editorial 

Best practice n°109

The identity of the person or department responsible for the content is indicated.

• Allow users to unambiguously identify a physical person capable of answering any questions about the available content, or who will assume responsibility for that content.

#Identification and contact  #Editorial 

Best practice n°110

If the site claims to adhere to one or more standards or guidelines, a link is provided to each of them.

• Guide users’ understanding of the quality, accessibility and other rules
• applied to the website.
• Increase confidence in the information provided on the website.

#Identification and contact  #Editorial 

Best practice n°111

Each decorative image has an appropriate text alternative.

• Prevent users in environments where images are not seen (text browsers, screen readers or browsers with the images disabled) from being bothered by information about images that are unimportant to them.
• Provide only pertinent information to web crawlers.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #Images and media  #Editorial 

Best practice n°112

Each image link has an appropriate text alternative.

• Allow users in environments where images are not seen (text browsers, screen readers or browsers with the images disabled) to understand the meaning of the links attached to images that they cannot see.
• Enable bots to exploit the information carried by the image links (to reference, index and perform machine translation on the image text alternatives).
• Enable the display of relevant text while images are loading.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #Images and media  #Editorial 

Best practice n°113

Each information-carrying image has an appropriate text alternative.

• Allow users in environments where images are not seen (text browsers, screen readers or browsers with the images disabled)
• Understand the meaning of the images that they cannot see.
• Enable bots to exploit the information carried by the images (to reference, index and perform machine translation on the image text alternatives).
• Enable the display of relevant text while images are loading.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #Images and media  #Editorial 

Best practice n°114

Thumbnails and previews are not larger images resized on the client side.

• Decrease the amount of data to download.
• Improve page display speed.
• Decrease the energy impact related to the consultation of the site.

#Ecodesign  #Images and media  #Development 

Best practice n°115

Included objects have an appropriate text alternative.

• provide access to the information to users whose browsers or platforms don’t support the inclusion of objects or the technologies used by the included objects.
• facilitate the exploitation of that content by bots (especially web crawlers).
• simplify the presentation and/or reuse of the included content.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #Images and media  #Editorial 

Best practice n°116

Each audio and video content is accompanied by a text transcription.

• Give users, unable to perceive the proposed sound or image, access to a text
• transcription as an alternative.
• Give users, unable to hear the sound, access to the information contained in the
• video.
• Enable bots to exploit the information, in order to improve its indexing and
• referencing, or to translate it using online language tools.

#SEO  #Images and media  #Editorial 

Best practice n°117

Videos have synchronized subtitles.

• Allow deaf users to access video content.
• Allow all users to access the content of the video.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Images and media  #Editorial 

Best practice n°118

The length of video and audio content is indicated.

• Inform users, so they can decide whether or
• not to play or download the content, with full knowledge of the facts.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Images and media  #Development 

Best practice n°119

Videos are user-triggered.

• Allow the user to control the video content when consulting the site.
• Do not impose for the user the automatic triggering of video or any animated content.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Images and media  #Development 

Best practice n°120

Sounds are user-triggered.

• Give the user control over the visual and auditory interface when visiting a website.
• Do not surprise the user by unexpectedly playing audio content.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Images and media  #Development 

Best practice n°121

Video content and animations, sounds and flashes can be paused.

• Give the user control over video and any animations when viewing content.
• Do not distract the user’s attention by forcing elements on them that might annoy them.
• Allow sequential animations and sound content to be accessed step by step.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Images and media  #Development 

Best practice n°122

The running of video or any animation does not block access to navigation or content.

• Give users direct, immediate access to the content, even when the webmaster has decided to propose video, animation or an ad beforehand.

#Images and media  #Development 

Best practice n°123

The international dialling codes are available for all phone numbers.

• Enable the immediate use of telephone contacts, regardless of the user’s environment.

#Internationalization  #Editorial 

Best practice n°124

The country is specified for all mailing addresses.

• Allow users to immediately and unambiguously identify the country associated with the mailing address, and without having to make use of other information
• (city/town, region, zip code or phone number) to determine it.

#Internationalization  #Editorial 

Best practice n°125

Each page’s source code indicates the content’s main language.

• Cultivate content indexing by language.
• Facilitate machine translation.
• Enable correct reading of the content by a synthesized speech tool.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #Internationalization  #Development 

Best practice n°126

The main language of a link’s target page can be identified when it differs from the main language of the original page.

• Allow users and navigation tools to anticipate the change in language mid-navigation.
• Prevent users from being taken to pages whose language they don’t understand.

#Internationalization  #Editorial 

Best practice n°127

Each language change is identified.

• Enable technical aids to correctly interpret content expressed in another language.
• Simplify the work of machine translation tools.
• Enable web crawlers to extract strings of characters in a given language.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Internationalization  #Editorial 

Best practice n°128

Links to translated versions point directly to the current page’s translation.

• Provide direct and immediate access to translations of the current page.

#Internationalization  #Editorial 

Best practice n°129

Links to equivalent versions of a page or site are written in the target language.

• Allow users to immediately identify the relevant link.
• Make links that were specially created for a specific audience understandable.

#Internationalization  #Editorial 

Best practice n°130

The server respects the preferential order of languages specified by user agents.

• Priority is given to sending the user the version of the page corresponding to the language he or she has indicated in the preferences the user agent tool.

#Internationalization  #Development 

Best practice n°131

Each link has a title in the source code.

• Prevent users from only having a hard-to-understand URL as a label.
• Avoid links that become invisible when CSS styles or background images are not handled.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Links  #Development 

Best practice n°132

Each hyperlink’s label describes either its function or the nature of the content of its target.

• Allow users to accurately identify the nature of the link and prevent incorrect actions.
• Enable indexing tools to associate a label with a resource.
• Allow screen readers to explicitly indicate the target and, as a result, to prevent user disorientation.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#SEO  #Links  #Editorial 

Best practice n°133

Hyperlinks of the same nature have identical colors, shapes and behaviors on all pages.

• Accelerate user learning about how the interface works.
• Improve users’ identification of links and their respective functions.

#Links  #Design 

Best practice n°134

Underlining cannot be used for elements other than hyperlinks.

• Prevent pointless clicking on underlined content perceived as hyperlinks.
• Simplify the identification of links.

#Links  #Editorial 

Best practice n°135

Hyperlinks are visually differentiated from the rest of the content.

• Allow users to easily identify links in the text, as well as navigation blocks.
• Improve the visibility and affordance of links in different browsing environments.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Links  #Design 

Best practice n°136

The site applies a different style to visited and unvisited links.

• Facilitate the identification of content that has already been visited.
• Facilitate the identification of content that has yet to be explored.
• Encourage users to navigate to new pages.

#Links  #Development 

Best practice n°137

Internal and external hyperlinks are differentiated.

• Clearly inform users that they are about to
• Leave the online service that they were visiting.
• Facilitate the identification of external links.

#Links  #Development 

Best practice n°138

Internal links to restricted content are differentiated.

• Avoid unnecessary clicks and loss of time for users.
• Prevent user disappointment.

#Links  #Development 

Best practice n°139

Links which cause external software to open have an explicit label.

• Avoid the unexpected launch of software other than the web browser on the client workstation.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Links  #Editorial 

Best practice n°140

Telephone numbers can be enabled using the appropriate protocol.

• Facilitate easier use of telephone numbers, particularly on mobile devices.

#Mobile  #Links  #Development 

Best practice n°141

The user is notified when new windows are to be opened.

• Allow users to anticipate what will happen when a link is activated.
• Prevent users of technical aids from becoming disoriented when a new window opens, which Is not always perceptible and which disrupts the use of the browsing history, in particular.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Links  #Editorial 

Best practice n°142

The format of the files available for download is indicated.

• Let users know, in a timely manner, whether their tools will allow them to view the downloadable files.
• Reduce server load by avoiding needless downloads.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Links  #Development 

Best practice n°143

The size of the internal files available for downloading is indicated.

• Provide advance notice to the users on the quantity of data that will be downloaded, as a
• Preventive measure.
• Allow users to wait to download the file over a low-speed or mobile connection.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Links  #Editorial 

Best practice n°144

The language of downloadable files is mentioned when it is different to the original page.

• Avoid pointless downloads for users.
• Inform users about the files they’re going to download.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Links  #Editorial 

Best practice n°145

Internal names for downloadable files make it possible to identify their content and origin.

• Improve the identification of internal files.
• Avoid confusion for the user.

#Links  #Editorial 

Best practice n°146

The website does not prohibit or restrict incoming.

• Facilitate referencing through backlinks.
• Increase the site’s visibility to users.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #Links  #Editorial 

Best practice n°147

All hyperlinks internal to the site are valid.

• Avoid 404 errors while browsing.
• Facilitate fast access to all of the content.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #Links  #Editorial 

Best practice n°148

If the site is not restricted to a specific public, its content can be accessed directly.

• Allow users to immediately start navigating the resource they requested.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #Navigation  #Editorial 

Best practice n°149

Navigating the website does not open any pop-up windows.

• Allow users to navigate the website without having to perform any particular actions during their navigation.
• Prevent users of technical aids from becoming disoriented when a new window opens, which will not always be perceptible and which disrupts the use of the browsing history, in particular, or hides the main window on a screen reader.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#Accessibility  #Navigation  #Design 

Best practice n°150

It is possible to return to the homepage from any page.

• Let users return to the homepage if they get disoriented.
• Facilitate easy identification of the home page link at all times.

#Navigation  #Design 

Best practice n°151

Each page displays information about its location in the site’s tree structure.

• Let users identify their location on the website.
• Simplify scanning by search engines.
• Facilitate navigation of the content tree.

#Navigation  #Design 

Best practice n°152

Active menu items are identifiable.

• Give users an additional way to find their way around the site's architecture.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Navigation  #Development 

Best practice n°153

Navigation blocks of the same nature are in the same place on every page.

• Facilitate users’ learning of how to navigate the interface.
• Simplify the identification of information.

#Accessibility  #Navigation  #Design 

Best practice n°154

Navigation icons are provided with an explicit legend.

• Reduce the time it takes to learn to use the interface.
• Facilitate your users’ understanding of the icons.
• Reduce the risk of error.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Navigation  #Design 

Best practice n°155

Mechanisms for closing windows are visually linked to their content.

• Reduce the time it takes to learn to use the interface.
• Speed up access to the content.
• Simplify navigation.

#Navigation  #Design 

Best practice n°156

Mechanisms for closing windows are immediately available.

• Reduce the time it takes to learn to use the interface.
• Speed up access to the content.
• Reduce the bounce rate.

#Navigation  #Development 

Best practice n°157

Newly dimensioned windows and modal windows are equipped with an explicit close button.

• Give users explicit information.
• Speed up access to the content.

#Navigation  #Development 

Best practice n°158

Mechanisms for closing windows are shown in the same location on every page.

• Reduce the time it takes to learn to use the interface.
• speed up access to the content.
• Simplify navigation.

#Navigation  #Design 

Best practice n°159

Each page contains quick-access links placed at the beginning of the source code.

• Allow users visiting the pages in a linear fashion (in voice mode) or a semi-linear way (on a small screen) to not have to scroll through all of each page’s elements in order to access the content.
• Provide shortcuts that accelerate keyboard navigation and that avoid the repetition of keyboard actions in order to browse through the page and get to the zone they want.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Navigation  #Development 

Best practice n°160

Keyboard focus has not been removed or masked.

• Allow navigation using the keyboard or input devices or other mechanisms that are not reliant on the mouse.

#Accessibility  #Navigation  #Development 

Best practice n°161

The website can be used and navigated in its entirety using only a keyboard.

• Allow keyboard navigation for users with a preference for that practice.
• Allow content to be accessed and services to be used, regardless of the input device, so as to make them accessible by users of technical aids (screen readers, for example) who only utilize the keyboard or a more specific device based on the same mechanisms as a keyboard (like a push button).
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Navigation  #Development 

Best practice n°162

Keyboard navigation is set up in a predictable order.

• Enable keyboard navigation.
• Not to confuse the user.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Navigation  #Development 

Best practice n°163

The site offers an internal search engine.

• Provide users with an alternative navigation solution and fast access to the content associated with the keywords.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.
• Reduce the energy impact related to the consultation of the site.

#Ecodesign  #Navigation  #Design 

Best practice n°164

Each page of search results can be reached via a web address.

• allow users to share search results or share them as a bookmark.

#Ecodesign  #Navigation  #Development 

Best practice n°165

It is possible to relaunch a search from its results page.

• Improve and speed up search operations by users.
• Reduce the energy impact related to the consultation of the site.

#Navigation  #Development 

Best practice n°166

The sitemap is available from every page.

• Provide users with a solution, in case they become disoriented, for navigating and getting their bearings within the site and for viewing all of the contents and the size of the site.
• Encourage content managers to provide graphic representations and streamline their content.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#SEO  #Navigation  #Design 

Best practice n°167

The time limits imposed on an action or access are indicated.

• Warn users with special handling constraints or time.
• Avoid loss of data and time to the user.
• Preventing control failures.

#Navigation  #Development 

Best practice n°168

Subscribing to newsletters is subject to a confirmation process.

• Prevent third parties from subscribing someone else to a newsletter.
• Check that the email address was input correctly.

#Privacy  #Newsletter  #Editorial 

Best practice n°169

An unsubscribe link is provided in each newsletter.

• Allow subscribers to stop receiving a newsletter.

#Privacy  #Newsletter  #Development 

Best practice n°170

Unsubscribing from within the newsletter does not require email confirmation.

• Not to force an extra step on the users when not necessarily in that context.
• Reduce the energy impact related to the consultation of the site.

#Ecodesign  #Newsletter  #Development 

Best practice n°171

It is possible to unsubscribe from newsletters from the website.

• Allow users to unsubscribe, without necessarily having to send out an email.

#Privacy  #Newsletter  #Development 

Best practice n°172

The latest edition of the newsletter is available online.

• Give users an idea of the newsletter that is sent out to subscribers.
• Allow users to access the newsletter outside the constraints of email.
• Boost your content’s referencing.

#Newsletter  #Design 

Best practice n°173

Newsletter archives are available online.

• Simplify the consultation of your archived newsletters.
• Give users an idea of the newsletter that is sent out to subscribers.
• Boost your content’s referencing.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #Newsletter  #Development 

Best practice n°174

The newsletters’ frequency can be found before subscribing.

• Tell users, before they sign up, how often they can expect to receive the newsletter.

#Newsletter  #Design 

Best practice n°175

The graphic charter is consistent throughout the site.

• Ensure consistency and continuity while visiting and navigating.
• Provide continuous identification of the visited online service.

#Presentation  #Design 

Best practice n°176

Information is not conveyed by color alone.

• Give users whose browser, platform, technical aid or disability (like color-blindness) prevents them from viewing or differentiating between colors
• Make the information accessible by web crawlers.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Presentation  #Design 

Best practice n°177

Content is presented with sufficient contrast to its background.

• Provide good readability of your content.
• Limit the mental load while reading.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Presentation  #Design 

Best practice n°178

The content and meaning of each page are not altered when styles are disabled.

• Allow users whose browsers don’t apply the website’s style sheets or whose method of access is not visible to understand the site’s content.
• Meticulously separate the content from its presentation, to foster interoperability.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Presentation  #Development 

Best practice n°179

Content is not only designated by its shape or its position on the screen.

• Allow users to understand the information without having access to the visual medium or when its rendering has been altered.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Presentation  #Editorial 

Best practice n°180

Content that needs to be reproduced by screen readers is not hidden from them.

• Ensure the correct reproduction of masked content to be read by screen readers.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Presentation  #Development 

Best practice n°181

The size of the clickable elements is sufficient.

• Allow the user to click on clickable items.
• Limit false manipulations and excessive handling.
• Improve compatibility with mobile devices.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.
• Improve compatibility with mobile terminals.

#Mobile  #Presentation  #Design 

Best practice n°182

Texts that can be formatted via styles are not replaced by images.

• Facilitate the rendering’s adaptation to the medium (mobile or other) or to the user’s needs (increasing the characters’ size, changing the colors, the font, the bolding, the alignment, etc.).
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#SEO  #Presentation  #Editorial 

Best practice n°183

Content generated via styles is provided with a suitable alternative.

• Ensure access to the content, regardless of whether or not the CSS formatting layer is handled.
• Allow content to be reused on media and platforms that do not handle formatting for on-screen display.
• Give users in environments where styles are
• not reproduced (text browsers, screen readers or browsers with the images disabled) access to information that takes the form of CSS-generated content (particularly background images).
• Enable bots to exploit the information carried by CSS styles (to reference, index and perform machine translation on the alternatives).
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#SEO  #Presentation  #Development 

Best practice n°184

Typographic symbols have an appropriate alternative.

• Enable users in environments where the CSS fonts used to display symbols are not reproduced (text browsers, screen readers or browsers with the images disabled) to understand the meanings of those symbols.
• Enable bots to exploit the information carried by those symbols (to reference, index and perform machine translation on the alternatives).
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #Presentation  #Development 

Best practice n°185

A generic font family is listed as the last alternative in font family lists.

• Enable your content to display correctly,
• even when the planned fonts don’t exist on a user’s system.

#Presentation  #Development 

Best practice n°186

Styles do not justify the text.

• Simplify reading on the screen, especially for people with dyslexia.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#Accessibility  #Presentation  #Development 

Best practice n°187

Capitalization for decorative purposes is done using styles.

• Enable cutting-and-pasting of content, regardless of any all-caps formatting.
• Simplify the adaptation of formatting to users with trouble reading texts in all caps.

#Presentation  #Editorial 

Best practice n°188

The website does not block the browser’s zoom functionalities.

• Allow users to adapt the rendering to their needs or preferences, by means of the graphic zoom.
• mprove your positioning in web crawlers that take this criterion into account.
• Improve compatibility with mobile terminals.

#Mobile  #Presentation  #Development 

Best practice n°189

The website offers one or more mechanisms for adapting to mobile devices.

• Facilitate access on mobile devices.

#Mobile  #Presentation  #Development 

Best practice n°190

The site offers styles dedicated to printing.

• Allow content to be printed in a form that is appropriate to the medium.

#Presentation  #Development 

Best practice n°191

The content of each page can be printed without printing the navigation blocks.

• Improve the readability and the relevance of the printed content.
• Streamline the space used by the printed content and save paper.
• Reduce the energy impact related to the consultation of the site.

#Ecodesign  #Presentation  #Development 

Best practice n°192

All pages use the HTTPS protocol.

• Prevent the risk of interception and data theft.
• Improve security of the website.
• Reassure users.

#Security  #Development 

Best practice n°193

Security certificates are signed and currently valid

• Allow users to check the certificate’s validity and to contribute to transactional security.

#Security  #Development 

Best practice n°194

Pages using HTTPS have a strict transport header.

• Improve exchange security.
• Preventing the risk of attacks.

#Security  #Development 

Best practice n°195

Pages using the HTTPS protocol do not offer HTTP resources.

• Prevent alerts on the users' side.
• Improve safety for all site resources.

#Security  #Development 

Best practice n°196

Password operations can be carried out in their entirety online.

• Provide an immediate solution to the user's problem.
• Limit the difficulties in the use of other modes of communication.

#Security  #Development 

Best practice n°197

Passwords can be chosen and changed by the user

• Allow users to choose personalized passwords.
• Avoid users struggling to remember their passwords every time they log in.

#Security  #Development 

Best practice n°198

A mechanism raises the user's awareness regarding their password's level of security

• Inform users of the level of security of their selected passwords and, therefore, the risk of being hacked.

#Security  #Development 

Best practice n°199

The site provides a way to reinitialise a password.

• Allow users to access their accounts, even if they have lost their passwords.
• Simplify user account management.
• Boost security, by preventing the storage of passwords that are unencrypted so they can be re-sent to their users.

#Security  #Development 

Best practice n°200

The site doesn't communicate a password by email.

• Limit the risk of interception of passwords.

#Security  #Development 

Best practice n°201

The headers sent by the server disable automatic detection of each resource’s MIME type.

• Reduce the risk of downloading dangerous hidden content.

#Security  #Development 

Best practice n°202

The server indicates each resource’s MIME type.

• Reduce the risk of downloading dangerous hidden content.

#Security  #Development 

Best practice n°203

Information relative to transaction security is indicated.

• Inform users about the security of exchanges of sensitive data.

#Security  #Editorial 

Best practice n°204

The server does not send the file listing of directories with no index page.

• Prevent the display of lists of files contained in a directory.
• improve the server’s security.
• Reduce the risk of intrusion.

#Security  #Development 

Best practice n°205

The server sends activation information for protection against cross-site scripting.

• Reduce the risk of downloading dangerous hidden content.

#Security  #Development 

Best practice n°206

The server sends information that indicates which domains are allowed to embed its pages in frames

• Reduce the risk of your content being used in misleading ways.

#Security  #Development 

Best practice n°207

The website offers a security mechanism that limits the sources of its content.

• Reduce the risk of executing or serving content that is undesirable or that comes from an unauthorized source.

#Security  #Development 

Best practice n°208

The server doesn't communicate information on the software and languages used.

• Prevent the risk of intrusion on the server.
• Prevent the appearance of malicious content or scripts on the site.

#Security  #Development 

Best practice n°209

Integrity control of third party resources is present and valid.

• Prevent the appearance of malicious content or scripts on the site

#Security  #Development 

Best practice n°210

The website offers at least two mechanisms to validate a secure operation.

• Prevent the risk of operational failure.
• Avoid exclusion of users for technical or material reasons.

#Security  #Development 

Best practice n°211

The address of the website and of its subdomains works with and without a www prefix.

• Allow users to reach the site’s homepage, even if they forget to enter the “www” prefix.
• Reduce the energy impact related to the consultation of the site.

#Ecodesign  #Server and performances  #Development 

Best practice n°212

The website’s root contains instructions for web crawlers.

• Enable targeted referencing.
• Improve guidance for search tools.
• Reduce the energy impact related to the consultation of the site.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #Server and performances  #Development 

Best practice n°213

The website provides a sitemap file listing the content to be crawled.

• Provide summary information about all of the available content that is machine-readable.
• Reduce the energy impact related to the consultation of the site.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #Server and performances  #Editorial 

Best practice n°214

The server does not force redirects from the desktop version to the mobile version or application.

• leave the choice of version to the users and their own personal preferences.
• Reduce the energy impact related to the consultation of the site.

#Mobile  #Server and performances  #Development 

Best practice n°215

The server sends a 404 HTTP error code for resources not found

• Enable the automated detection of incorrect URLs.
• Send reliable information to the browser.
• Reduce the energy impact related to the consultation of the site.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #Server and performances  #Development 

Best practice n°216

The server sends a customised 404 Not found error page

• Inform users of the error encountered and of the server’s continuing operation.
• Inform users that the problem isn't caused by their connectivity.

#Server and performances  #Development 

Best practice n°217

The server sends a customised 403 “Forbidden” error page.

• Reassure users that they are still on the same website.
• Allow the webmaster to provide guidance to your users.
• Inform users of the error encountered and of the server’s continuing operation.
• Inform users that the problem isn't caused by their connectivity.

#Server and performances  #Development 

Best practice n°218

The main navigation menu is displayed on custom error pages.

• Save users from any interruption in their navigation, landing on dead-end pages, or being forced to use their browser’s Back button.

#Server and performances  #Development 

Best practice n°219

The server transmits compressed contents to the clients which accept them.

• Improve the speed of the page’s rendering.
• Reduce bandwidth costs.
• Reduce the energy impact related to the consultation of the site.

#Ecodesign  #Server and performances  #Development 

Best practice n°220

The server sends information to enable the caching of contents

• Speed up the display of content and enable a smoother navigation experience.
• Reduce bandwidth costs.

#Server and performances  #Development 

Best practice n°221

Headers sent by the server contain information pertaining to the character set used

• Allow the browser to choose the right character encoding to display the page.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #Server and performances  #Development 

Best practice n°222

Style sheets of the site are minified.

• Minimize the quantity of data for users to download.
• Improve performance.
• Reduce the energy impact related to the consultation of the site.

#Ecodesign  #Server and performances  #Development 

Best practice n°223

Scripts of the site are minified.

• Speed up the display of your pages.
• Improve performance.
• Reduce the quantity of data to download.
• Reduce the energy impact related to the consultation of the site.

#Ecodesign  #Server and performances  #Development 

Best practice n°224

The date of publication or update of the contents is made available in a programmatic form.

• Provide date of publication to search engines and indexing tools.
• Improving the integration of content by search engines and indexing tools.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #Structure and code  #Development 

Best practice n°225

Each page’s source code contains metadata which defines the character set used.

• Display pages offline correctly, by telling the browser which character set was used.
• Prevent the risk of character display problems associated with the sometimes unsure functioning of browsers’ catch-up mechanisms when they don’t receive the necessary information from the HTTP content-type header.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #Structure and code  #Development 

Best practice n°226

The character encoding is UTF-8.

• Use an international character set.
• Prevent display faults.
• Simplify content manipulation by users and developers.

#Structure and code  #Development 

Best practice n°227

Each page’s content is organized according to a hierarchical structure of headings and sub-headings.

• Allow interested users to view and navigate through the structure of the page’s content.
• Enable machines and indexing tools to extract each page’s map.
• Improve SEO by simplifying the content’s interpretation by web crawlers.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #Structure and code  #Editorial 

Best practice n°228

Elements that are visually displayed as lists are tagged in an appropriate way in the source code.

• Enable browsers and technical aids to identify lists and then reproduce them accurately, in order to facilitate their understanding by users.
• Improve the semantics of page content and its reusability.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Structure and code  #Editorial 

Best practice n°229

Each HTML ID is only used once per page.

• Prevent content reproduction errors and interaction errors via scripts.
• Limit the risk of random interpretation of the Document Object Model (DOM) by different user agents.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#Accessibility  #Structure and code  #Development 

Best practice n°230

The website does not block the copying of content.

• Facilitate the use of content by users (translation, reference, quotation etc.)
• Allow users to control their browsers.

#Structure and code  #Development 

Best practice n°231

The website does not block access to the contextual menu.

• Facilitate navigation and access to the functionalities of the consultation tools.
• Leaving users in control of their menus and actions.

#Structure and code  #Development 

Best practice n°232

The site does not force any redirects or auto-refreshes on the client side.

• Allow users to maintain control over their work environments.prevent cut-offs or losses of information while reading, particularly for users with screen readers whose functions would be interrupted by a timed refresh or redirect.
• Not penalize mobile users trying to access content when their network signal is variable over short periods of time.
• Prevent unwanted increases in the cost to users of using mobile data.

#Accessibility  #Structure and code  #Development 

Best practice n°233

The text of internal PDF documents can be selected.

• Enable the referencing of the contents of PDF documents.
• Simplify the handling and reuse of the contents of PDF documents.
• Ensure the readability of the contents of PDF documents.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools.

#SEO  #Structure and code  #Editorial 

Best practice n°234

Internal PDF documents are given a structure based on titles.

• Give users direct access to the different sections of a PDF file.
• Provide a structure of headings to users who need that.
• allow PDFs to be read using a technical aid.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.
• Improve the way content is taken into account by search engines and indexing tools

#SEO  #Structure and code  #Editorial 

Best practice n°235

Syndication feeds can be detected by user agents

• Allow browsers to indicate, in their interfaces, the presence of a syndication feed associated with the current page.

#Structure and code  #Development 

Best practice n°236

Cells in data tables are linked to their headers

• Allow technical aids to return the information contained in data tables in a comprehensible way, by informing users of the logical relationships between the table’s content and headers.

#Accessibility  #Structure and code  #Editorial 

Best practice n°237

Captions for data tables are provided

• Allow users of technical aids (like screen readers) to easily identify the nature of the information provided in a table.

#Accessibility  #Structure and code  #Editorial 

Best practice n°238

Linearising tables used for layout does not impede the understanding of contents

• Supply content that is understandable to users whose user agents or technical aids (screen readers) cannot reconstruct the formatting that was initially defined by a table.

#Accessibility  #Structure and code  #Development 

Best practice n°239

Data tables are not replaced by images.

• Give users access to tables that are exploitable by their user agents and that can be reproduced in a way that will always be understandable.

#SEO  #Structure and code  #Editorial 

Best practice n°240

Data tables are not simulated through styled text

• Give users access to tables that are exploitable by their user agents and that can be reproduced in a way that will always be understandable.
• Improve the accessibility of content for people with disabilities.

#SEO  #Structure and code  #Development