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What are Microformats?
A Microformat is a small HTML addition to your webpage that makes your data readable by machines and humans alike. Read the introduction.
How do They Work?
A microformat simply adds class, rel and ren attributes to your HTML elements. There are different flavours for different situations, such as hCard, hCalendar, hReview and XFN. Want some code?
Why are they a Success?
Microformats are simple to create, simple to consume, and only require you to build on existing data (i.e. not replace it). They are useful right now and supported by the likes of Yahoo and Technorati. Key industry figures, such as Tim O’Reilly and Bill Gates, have publicly discussed their importance. Finally, they have a bright future, as they are laying the foundations for future technologies that can build on them.
Why do it?
Right now, microformats can be used to let users easily extract people/event information from your website for their organiser software (like Outlook). It also submits your documents into Technorati’s new microformat search engine. In the near future, microformats will help both you and your work be better ranked by conventional search engines like Google. They will also make your data accessible to other sites – like event organisers – who in turn will promote your site. See where Microformats might take us.