Nathan Wrigley and David Waumsley are the hosts of the No Script Show, and in this episode, they’re diving into the vast topic of website forms.

Forms, as they point out, are what make the web interactive, without them, you can’t do things like search, comment, shop online, or even book an appointment. But adding forms, especially to static websites, can be a lot more involved than it first appears.

They start by sharing their personal journeys and frustrations with forms, both as web developers and as people helping clients with website interactivity. They discuss the explosion in the number of static and hybrid sites, and the need for third-party form solutions if you’re not using a dynamic platform like WordPress. The conversation ranges from specific client expectations, like the belief that ‘if you build a booking form, bookings will magically come’, to why forms can be both a blessing and a pain to administer.

They unpack when you might actually need a form, and look into some eye-opening statistics about contact forms, such as how they typically convert much less than direct clickable emails or phone numbers.

Along the way, Nathan and David look at alternatives to forms, like WhatsApp links and website chat, and why simply putting a phone number on the site could sometimes be the best UX decision of all.

For those who do need a form, the hosts provide an overview of the different options available, from DIY setups using third-party endpoints like FormSpark, all the way up to full-featured SaaS form builders such as Jotform, Paperform, and Tally. They touch on accessibility, cost, performance, spam issues, and how keeping things simple can often be the smartest move.

If you want to understand the real value, challenges, and modern choices for website forms, whether you run static sites, work with WordPress, or are helping clients decide what’s best, this episode is for you.

This is the fourth episode in our ongoing series about the different components that make up a website, and today we’re diving deep into the world of testimonials, block quotes, pull quotes, and the cite element, and why so many of us are probably coding them all wrong.

Nathan and David take a look at how these quote elements are handled from technical, design, accessibility, and SEO perspectives. Inspired by resources like Kevin Powell’s “Is HTML the Hardest Language?” and the work of Hayden Pickering, they set out to demystify the (often confusing) specifics of semantic HTML, particularly around quotes and citations.

We start with the basics: where quotes show up, be it testimonials for credibility, comments for engagement, or pull quotes for stylistic flair, and debate what pull quotes really are. Then, they walk through the evolution of HTML specifications, the ongoing confusion around the best markup for quotations, and how expert voices like Hayden Pickering and Adrian Roselli suggest different, sometimes contradictory approaches to structuring quotes, citations, and testimonials.

You’ll learn why using blockquote for pull quotes isn’t recommended, and why the cite element doesn’t always do what you think, or anything useful at all. David and Nathan talk through common patterns for testimonials (with author images, company names, and more), how to structure them for maximum meaning and accessibility, and why major platforms like WordPress often stray from the specification.

The episode also covers the practicalities: how to rationalise your code, how to use article and aside elements when appropriate, and even touches on the perennial pull quote debate, are they worth the trouble (especially for screen readers and responsive layouts)?

If you’ve ever wondered how to properly mark up quotes and testimonials in your HTML, and how to future-proof your work for accessibility and SEO, this episode is for you.

This is the third episode in the series exploring the different components that make up a website, and today’s focus is on the often-overlooked but vitally important head element in HTML.

Nathan and David kick things off by admitting that, like many web professionals, they haven’t thought deeply about the head for quite some time, despite its massive impact on performance, accessibility, and SEO. Drawing from their own experiences as CMS users and enthusiasts, they dig into what the head is, the key tags you can (and must) use, and which practices are still essential in modern web development.

They cover everything from the basic meta tags you need for setting character encoding, viewport scaling, and page titles, to why the order of scripts and styles in your head can dramatically affect site speed and user experience. David explains some of the technical nuances, like choosing between inline styles and external stylesheets and recent updates that now allow for SVG favicons with light and dark mode support, thanks to the latest version of Safari.

They also discuss SEO considerations, such as canonical tags, language declarations, and social sharing metadata, along with hands-on tips to help you validate your sites and avoid common mistakes, like using special characters in titles that may trip up screen readers or search engines.

If you build or maintain websites and haven’t recently double-checked your head element, this episode is well worth your time.

By the end, Nathan and David will have you rethinking and refreshing your approach to the head of your HTML, ensuring you’re setting up your sites for the best possible technical, SEO, and accessibility outcomes.