Ac­cess­ib­il­ity as SEO game changer

In today's digital landscape, accessibility is not only an ethical or legal obligation, but also a crucial factor for success in search engine optimization (SEO). Search engines such as Google are placing increasing emphasis on the usability and accessibility of websites. Therefore, integrating accessibility can significantly improve the visibility, user engagement and overall performance of a website.

What does web ac­cess­ib­il­ity mean?

Web accessibility means that websites are designed and developed in such a way that they can be used by all people, regardless of their physical, cognitive or technical abilities. This includes the implementation of measures such as:

• Alternative text (alt text) for images: Descriptive text read aloud by screen readers to make the content of images accessible to people with visual impairments.
• Keyboard navigation: Enables navigation through the website using only the keyboard, which is essential for people with motor impairments.
• Clear content structure: Use of headings (H1-H6), paragraphs and lists to structure content logically and facilitate simplified navigation.
• Screenreader Compatibility: Ensure that the website can be correctly interpreted and read aloud by screen readers.
• Audio descriptions and subtitles for videos: Provide audio descriptions for visual content and subtitles for audio content to make it accessible for people with visual or hearing impairments.
• Forms with clear labeling: Clearly labeling form fields to facilitate interaction for all users.

How does ac­cess­ib­il­ity affect SEO?

Accessibility and SEO may appear to pursue different goals, but they complement each other quite well. This is because an accessible website is usually also a search engine friendly website.

Here are some of the key benefits:

• Improved user experience (UX): Accessibility improves the user experience for all visitors:not just people with disabilities. A well-structured, easy-to-navigate website with clear content is rated positively by search engines.
• Increased visibility in search results: Search engines prefer websites that offer a positive user experience. Accessibility helps to reduce the bounce rate and increase the time spent on the website, which has a positive effect on the ranking.
• Better indexing: Search engines can crawl and index the content of accessible websites more easily, as they usually have a clearer structure and semantic markup.
• Accessibility to a wider audience: Accessibility allows businesses to reach a wider audience, including the estimated 15% of the world's population with disabilities.
• Positive branding: Companies that are committed to accessibility demonstrate social responsibility and build a positive image.

Best Practices

• WCAG guidelines: The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) represent an internationally recognized standard for accessibility. Compliance with the WCAG guidelines is an essential step in the development of an accessible website.
• Alt text for images: Descriptive alt text for all images is essential to make their content accessible to screen reader users and provide additional context to search engines.
• Structured data: The use of structured data improves the understanding of website content for search engines and enables products and recipes to be displayed on Google's search results.
• Semantic markup: The use of HTML elements such as headings, paragraphs and lists contributes to a logical structure of the content.
• Responsive design: Responsive design ensures that the website functions properly on all devices, including cell phones and tablets.
• Regular review: Regular review of the accessibility of the website ensures compliance with the standards.

Additional notes:

It is important to note that accessibility is an ongoing process.

The integration of accessibility should be included in the development process from the very beginning.

Accessibility encompasses both the design and the content of a website. An accessible design is the basis for accessible content. More information on accessible content and accessible design from our blog.

Conclusion

Accessibility is an essential part of a successful SEO strategy. By implementing accessibility measures, companies can not only improve the user experience and reach a wider audience, but also increase their visibility in search engines and boost their competitiveness.