Featured Blogger: Marie {Code it Pretty}

Todays post is mostly for those of you who are fellow bloggers. We are switching gears a little doing a 180 from the caterpillar party, and Marie from Code it Pretty is here with a guest post! 

When I decided to start this blog a few months ago, I knew I wanted to create a page that reflected my personality and style.  I wanted there to be little details that made the blog feel finished and professional, and I WANTED A HOVERING PINTEREST BUTTON, dang it!  Yeah...turns out you can't just say "the magic words" to get one of those. 

In the quest for this magical,floating button, I stumbled across Code it Pretty.  Marie gives great tutorials making HTML a little less scary!  Today, we're going to find out a little bit about the lady who helps make our lives easier, and our blogs prettier!

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Beth: So, Marie,  tell us a bit about the girl behind the techy tutorials at Code it Pretty.

Marie: I'm a freelance web developer, and I live in Virginia with my husband and our son, who just finished kindergarten. My husband and I were high school sweethearts and we're about to celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary! I like 70s glam rock, goofy 90s comedies, and salted caramel.

Beth: How long have you been blogging at Code it Pretty, and what inspired you to start the site?

I started Code it Pretty in March of 2012. I'd been daydreaming about starting a blog like this for years because so many of the online resources for HTML and CSS are not very approachable. I thought it would be nice to put a friendly face on the basics of web development.

Beth: If I was going to read one tutorial at Code it Pretty, which one would you recommend for an HTML dummy?

Well, it's not really one tutorial, but I have a series called Practial HTML for Bloggers that can take you from zero HTML knowledge to writing all of your posts in HTML. Seriously! I recommend it for anyone who's interested in learning a little more about the inner workings of their blog.

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 Beth: What post do you find is the most popular with your readers?

The most popular post really fluctuates a lot month to month, but I think the post that has made the most people happy is my grab button tutorial. A lot of readers tell me that it's the only grab button they've come across that actually works.

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Beth: What role does SEO really play in blogging?

I don't write with SEO in mind. Most of my tutorials are written in response to reader/client requests, or to "scratch my own itch" -- for example, I write posts about accessibility issues or web standards to help promote things I feel are important but don't necessarily get the kind of attention they deserve in the blogging community.

Beth: What one tip would you give us creative-type bloggers?

If I could give bloggers just one tip to improve their blogs it would be this: give the images in your posts alt text. Alt text should concisely describe your image for readers with visual impairments -- that's the primary purpose of alt text. Search engines also use alt text to find information about your images. It tends to increase your chances of showing up in image searches like Google Image Search or Bing Images. Be brief and descriptive, and remember that you're writing for people first!

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There you have it folks..... a little more about the gal who makes that computer witchcraft HTML a little less mystical and a little more accessible.  Make sure you check out the various helpful posts, by following the links below the images!

Have you guys found any of Marie's posts helpful?  What about any other HTML editing tips and tutorials out there?