Digital Marketing Insider (138): 3-29-24

Hello Insiders!

Join us as we uncover the symbiotic relationship between accessibility and SEO in our upcoming newsletter.

This blog was written by our Search Engine Optimization Specialist Tanner Medina. (A STUDDDD in the SEO space)

Discover how prioritizing accessibility can skyrocket your website's search engine ranking while fostering inclusivity.

Stay tuned for actionable strategies to optimize your digital presence and propel your SEO efforts to new heights.

Enhancing SEO with Accessibility & Top 8 Effective Strategies

Digital accessibility (web accessibility) can sometimes be treated as a buzzword used by websites that aren’t. But really, web accessibility is extremely important for enabling people with disabilities access to the web. In addition to allowing a site to be easily accessed by all users, it improves virtually every aspect of a site such as user experience, reduced maintenance costs, and even improved search engine optimization (SEO). While the connection between accessibility and SEO isn’t always obvious, it’s important to understand. 

Accessibility and SEO

Many SEO specialists tend to focus most of their strategy around keywords and clicks, and although those are still important, the user's experience once they’ve landed on the page is often neglected. SEO is about the entire user journey, from the user’s first search input to a search engine, till they find a solution to their quire on your website. But, before we get into the details of web accessibility, SEO, and user experience, let’s define exactly what it is. 

Alt text: Icons for accessibility on blue background: a person with a cane, a wheelchair, and an eye for visual impairment.

What Is Web Accessibility and Why Is It Important?

Web accessibility is the practice of creating websites, tools, and technologies that are accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities. This concept is rooted in the idea that the digital realm should be universally usable, enabling people to perceive, understand, navigate, interact with, and contribute to the web regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities.

Key Aspects of Web Accessibility:

• Comprehensive Inclusion: Accessibility addresses the needs of people with various disabilities, including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, and neurological impairments.

• Broader Benefits: While focused on disabilities, web accessibility also aids those with temporary or situational limitations, like using a device under direct sunlight, or individuals with temporary injuries.

The principles of web accessibility not only support individuals with permanent disabilities but also enhance the usability of digital content for a wider audience, creating a more adaptable and resilient web environment.

Bridging Accessibility and Usability:

• Device Flexibility: It makes web content more usable on a wide array of devices, including mobile phones, smartwatches, and smart TVs, accommodating different screen sizes and input methods.

• Ageing Population: Older adults with changing abilities find accessible websites easier to use, enhancing their online experience.

• Temporary and Situational Limitations: It helps individuals facing temporary disabilities, such as a broken arm, or situational constraints like being in a noisy environment where audio can't be used.

The transformative power of the web lies in its ability to break down the barriers that people with disabilities face with traditional print, audio, and visual media. Through accessible web technologies, information and interactions that were once challenging can become readily available and inclusive.

“Accessibility is essential for developers and organizations that want to create high-quality websites and web tools, and not exclude people from using their products and services.” - w3.org

Social and Economic Impact:

• Inclusion and Diversity: Accessible web design fosters social inclusion not only for people with disabilities but also for other marginalized groups, such as older individuals, residents of rural areas, and populations in developing countries.

• Business Benefits: Beyond the ethical implications, embracing accessibility can enhance a company's brand image, spur innovation, and expand market reach by appealing to a broader audience, including the aging population and those with temporary impairments.

Web accessibility is pivotal for creating an inclusive digital environment that accommodates all users, offering significant social and economic benefits while ensuring equal access to information and functionalities on the web.

Does accessibility affect SEO?

Yes, accessibility does affect SEO, but perhaps not in the way you might initially think. Web accessibility and SEO are intertwined, sharing a core focus on optimizing user experience. While accessibility primarily aims to enable users with disabilities, its features also play a pivotal role in SEO. For instance, using alt text for images, implementing semantic HTML, and maintaining a logical site structure not only make a site more accessible but also significantly boost its SEO performance. 

To read the rest of this article go check it out for free on our WebMechanix Blog. See you there!

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