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htmlnavigationnavrel

Should we be using (HTML5) rel attributes within site navigation

Simply straightforward question, but one for which I cannot find any suggestions.

Supported HTML5 values that are appropriate are:

  • author
  • first
  • last
  • next
  • prev
  • help
  • license (not "licence")

Example

Navigation consisting of index, about, contact & legal

..from the perspective of the index.html page:

  • index.html with rel="first"
  • about.html with rel=author next"
  • contact.html with rel="help"
  • legal.html with rel="license last"

...from the perspective of the contact.html page:

  • index.html with rel="first"
  • about.html with rel=author prev"
  • contact.html with rel="help"
  • legal.html with rel="license next last"

I accept that the use of rel in navigation will achieve very little; but it might help Search Engines in some small way.

I gave the examples both as a demonstration of how this would work in practise and for critique!

Kind Regards, Dale

Edits to examples from comments below

Navigation consisting of index, about, contact & legal

..from the perspective of the index.html page:

  • index.html with no rel
  • about.html with rel=author"
  • contact.html with rel="help"
  • legal.html with rel="license"

...from the perspective of the contact.html page:

  • index.html with no rel
  • about.html with rel=author"
  • contact.html with rel="help"
  • legal.html with rel="license"
Solution

  • Good Question ! To be honest i'm no expert with the rel attribute (so someone correct me if i'm wrong) but from what i can find Google can verify an identity on a web page via the attribute. Such as

    <a rel="me" href="https://plus.google.com/110037486217106671520">Luke Southam</a>

    i know this is off the subject of site navigation but it shows Google is reading and indexing the attribute within the <a></a> tag. As for using it within site navigation, if it (possibly) helps Google (or other search engines) to index your website better I say go for it.