SEO Secrets – How Digital Accessibility Can Improve Your Rankings
Does Accessibility Affect SEO?
Absolutely. Search engines like Google prioritise user experience and relevance when ranking websites. Websites that are accessible tend to provide a better user experience for all users, not just those with disabilities. This improved user experience can lead to lower bounce rates, longer dwell times, and higher engagement – all of which are factors that search engines take into account when determining rankings.How can we make a Website more Accessible in SEO?
There are several strategies to enhance website accessibility from an SEO perspective.
- Page titles: Use descriptive and relevant page titles that accurately describe the content.
- Headings: Structure content using proper heading hierarchy to aid in navigation and understanding.
- Sitemaps: Create XML sitemaps to ensure search engines can easily crawl and index your website.
- Anchor text: Use descriptive and meaningful anchor text for hyperlinks, aiding screen reader users.
- Breadcrumb links: Incorporate breadcrumb navigation to help users understand their location within the website.
- Alt text: Provide alternative text for images to ensure accessibility for users who cannot see visual content.
- Navigation: Create clear and intuitive navigation menus for seamless user experiences.
- Readability: Use legible fonts, appropriate colour contrasts, and proper text formatting for easy readability.
- User interactions: Make interactive elements accessible and usable with keyboard navigation and clear instructions.
- Transcripts and video captions: Include transcripts and captions for multimedia content to accommodate users with hearing impairments.