a. why bother with semantic integration? Well, from a web developer's perspective, the excitement doesn't stem from the notion of being replaced by machine language (lol...tongue firmly planted in cheek). But it does stem from the SEO rewards of feeding Google's appetite for more...more data...more micro-definitions...more info...more...more...more.

One thing seems obvious; Google can't seem to get enough in terms of unique content, new information, new ways of information dissection, and all the verbal crunching of an accounting with numbers and calculations. At the end of the day, it's bean counting or word dissection...

Semantics are: a form of linguistics based on word stemming. Google has been factoring semantic data into search algorithms for years. With the advent of Microformats, enhanced Html 5 properties, and more diversified CSS 3 selectors, classifying and micro tagging website content has become prolific and profitable as a means of onpage Search Optimization.

semantics (se·man·tics)

pronunciation: /si-'mant-iks/
definition: semantics

1. the scientific or philosophical study of the relations of words and their meanings.

2. the branch of linguistics that deals with the study of meaning, changes in meaning, and the principles that govern the relationship between sentences or words and their meanings.

c. the semantic web: web 3.0, pronounced "web three point oh", is being referred to as the "semantic web" by the web industry. Whereas web 1.0 was basically reading and writing online with very limited interactivity, web 2.0 introduced the advent of Social Media, and was therefore dubbed the "collaborative web". Web 3.0 had been referred to as the next version for some time, vaguely and futuristically, but only recently was themed semantical in nature.

h. custom vocabulary options vs. dublin core, etc: Semantical markup takes the meta data of web 1.0 and 2.0, very basic in nature, and enhances web authors capabilities by allowing the creation and reference to custom vocabularies. for instance, one of our clients might have carved out a professional niche in "Jury Selection" services that she markets to other criminal defense attorneys who are taking high risk cases to trial. This client might have in-depth experience not only in criminal defense, but may specialize in DNA research and laboratory specimen contamination. Therefore, she may use a bacterial or chemical vocabulary that is very unique in nature. For this client, we could establish the custom vocabulary based on her highly specialized keywords and topics.

i._a referencing vocabulary definitions externally: Thus, when we reference RDF, or framework, in the header of the web page, we link externally to that vocabulary to assist search engines and artificial intelligence robots in further defining and categorizing our client's services. This data is then translated into "machine language". This automation is the type of information Google loves. It is also, sadly, the beginning of the end of a human controlled internet. Future languages of the web will no longer be solely reliant on what web authors and bloggers post. It will generate its own content based on pre-programmed understanding of these XML based languages of the future. Huge databases will chew up and spit out data that far surpasses what non-machinated input can provide.

j. dublin core | dc: One popular vocabulary often referenced externally from the header section of semantically optimized webpages is the Dublin Core, one of the oldest and most comprehensive general vocabularies online. Not all clients or websites necessitate custom vocabulary creation, and semantically reference can be as generic as specifying "date of publication", "author", "industry", (i.e, computers and internet), "relationships" ("foaf", for example...acronym for "friend of a friend", and currently in use by social media software), and more.

k. worst case scenario for semantic tagging: Extra markup seems to be one of the only downsides to semantically classifying web content. But what is a few extra tags if they make Google happy? The trend toward semantical markup far outweighs a bit more complexity in the website's tags...Google is encouraging [ultimately driving the web toward] Ontology Web Language [OWL]), Reference Definition Framework [RDF], Microformats [RDFa], Extensible Markup Language [XML], and Custom Vocabularies. Machine Language means the web running the web...or Google running the web even more so?.

l. validate to correct errors & ensure compliance: Obviously, as wiith any webpage construction and/or authoring, the possibility of human error exists. Incorrect, spammy, and / or inappropriate semantic markup runs the risk of creating seo penalties by Google's algorithmic formulas. This is nothing new, and why experienced webmasters advise "validate, validate, and validate again"...per the W3C Valid Markup Tool and Semantic Data Extractor, at the very least.

*   Please Note: Semantic Markup is an advanced onpage Seo service. It is an add-on service for for san diego web design & Seo clients. Please request a semantic consultation if you are unsure semantics will benefit your business. For specific terms regarding your web design project in progress, or post launch, please refer to the custom proposal and website design agreement defining the in-scope features requested. Please feel free to call 619.504.0450 anytime, for any reason. san diego web design studio is always happy to help ... sweet

"the web isn't merely words ¯ it's information about things in the real world, and understanding the relationships between real-world entities can help us deliver relevant information more quickly. … With efforts like rich snippets and the search answers feature, we're just beginning to apply our understanding of the web to make search better... and we've acquired Metaweb because we believe working together we'll be able to provide better answers." Google also recently purchased Freebase.com

Google's Official Blog Announcement, July 16th, 2010