Microsoft Expression Studio

Microsoft Expression Studio 4, a program which includes tools for web developers and designers to create web user interfaces, will now include Search Engine Optimization capabilities.  Expression Web is now addressing how its users get greater visibility on search engines such as Google and Bing.  The Web team responsible for the design of the SEO program has created an application which will assist web developers by making suggestions for changes that may enhance search engine optimization results.   

Expression Web will also feature a compatibility tester for web browsers called SuperPreview along with a prototyping ability called SketchFlow.  Three versions of Expression Studio 4 are available: Ultimate, Encoder Pro, and Design.  Expression Studio 4 Ultimate is targeted to professional web designers and firms. 

Although its assistance with SEO capabilities will be helpful to many web developers, the program will not support the VP8 video codec that is currently promoted by Google.  Microsoft has stated their reason for not supporting this codec is due to lower quality, whereas their goal is to deliver high quality video at a lower bit rate.  Google is promoting the VP8 codec as key factor in open media format.  Microsoft’s refusal to support the VP8 codec with this program could make some difficulties for web developers who are supporters of Google’s move for a single web video format.