Cracking the Code: How Website Accessibility Affects SEO
Elevating Accessibility, SEO, and Inclusivity for Optimal User Experience and Higher Rankings
In the ever-evolving digital landscape, maintaining a well-balanced relationship between web accessibility and search engine optimization is no longer a choice but a strategic vital for companies aiming to thrive online.
This article serves as a guide to understanding the relationship between these two crucial factors and how cracking the code can result in exceptional success.
Website Accessibility and its Importance
As website accessibility continues to be significant in 2024. Improving web accessibility not only aligns with principles of inclusivity and diversity but also helps create a more equitable digital space, fostering a sense of belonging and usability for individuals with varying abilities. It enables them to access all sorts of information, including news articles, online shopping, banking services, and government information.
There is a huge increase in the number of people with disabilities, and that is the sole reason website accessibility is important. According to WHO, 16% of the world population suffers from disabilities, i.e., 1 out of 6 people and about 1.3 Billion people worldwide. This includes people with physical, intellectual, sensory, and cognitive disabilities. And they might not access websites that are not accessible.
SEO and its Importance
Search engines receive billions of searches every day. Most of these search queries represent potential buyers. And if you as a brand are placed well on search engines, it’s a huge opportunity.
Businesses take care of the SEO to get found and capture the attention of potential buyers. This can drive traffic to your website and increase sales. SEO can give you visibility on SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages) organically rather than having to pay for it. The image below explains the difference between sponsored (paid) ads on the Google search engine result page and organic results on the same page.
Web Accessibility and Its Relevance to SEO
There has been a drastic change in how SEO works in the past few years. From 2010 to 2019, Google came up with 13 major updates for SEO, and the Page Experience Update, Multitask United Model, and Helpful Content Updates changed the way how we see SEO results.
When we talk about Accessibility and SEO, Accessibility is not a direct ranking factor; John Mueller in 2022 explained that in an interview. However, Google always supports website accessibility in order to make every user experience seamless, be it a normal person or a person with any disability.
Below are the indirect benefits of Improving website accessibility on SEO:
Brand Reputation
Taking care of your website accessibility shows you treat everyone equally and want to make the information available for every individual, including people with disabilities. It also shows your commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility, which has a positive impact on your Brand Reputation.
Enhance User Experience
With Google’s Page Experience Update, it’s clear that Google takes user experience seriously. Improving the accessibility of the website is beneficial for everyone regardless of their abilities but also essential for fostering inclusivity and ensuring equal access to information and services.
The best example here is having inadequate color contrast. A balance of color contrast between text and background makes the text readable for people with visual disabilities, and it also makes it easier for people with no disabilities to read the text.
This positive experience leads to lower bounce rates and higher conversions and search engines like Google consider this a major ranking factor.
Improved technical SEO
Making your website accessible can also help in improving the technical SEO as well. For example, Alt texts for images not only help people with visual impairments but also give search engines correct information, so that they can index the content correctly.
Another example is the use of landmarks. Landmark elements such as <nav> or <main> gives proper context to screen readers and provides search engines with a better understanding of the content on the page.
Larger Audience Base
Website accessibility is also an important factor for businesses because it can give you access to a wider audience. It can help you tap a larger audience, which can give you an increase in revenue, growth, sales, and customer satisfaction. In 2021, e-commerce websites suffered a loss of $828 million because their websites were not accessible.
Navigating the WCAG Guidelines
The W3C (World Wide Web Consortium developed WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)) to make websites more accessible. These are some sets of standards that web developers have to follow while creating websites. It comprises 4 principles of accessibility; they design These principles to make sure that the website can be accessible by all users despite their disabilities.
- Perceivable: This means that users must be able to perceive the information being presented (it can’t be invisible to all of their senses).
- Operable: This means that users must be able to operate the interface (the interface cannot require interaction that a user cannot perform).
- Understandable: This means that the content is easy to understand, users can understand the information, and the user interface (the content or operation cannot be beyond their understanding)
- Robust: This means that users must be able to access the content as technologies advance (as technologies and user agents evolve, the content should remain accessible)
To align with these principles, we can take some simple steps:
- Use simple and clear language, and avoid jargon.
- Make sure that users can stop and skip content that can cause seizures because of photosensitivity.
- Try to use technology that is supported by widely available assistive technologies.
Business owners can follow these WCAG Guidelines and ensure that their website is accessible. By doing this, we can make an inclusive web experience for everyone, and this also has indirect benefits in SEO.
The Crucial Role of ADA Compliance in Web Accessibility
The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), a U.S. federal Law, was established in 1990. The act was created to make sure that there is no discrimination against people with disabilities. This act was later extended to the digital world, making it mandatory for websites and digital services to be accessible for everyone, irrespective of their abilities.
For example, if there is a college online admission website, ADA compliance makes sure that the website can be used by students with disabilities as well. For instance, if the student is blind, they should be able to access the website and course material with the help of screen readers. ADA guarantees giving equal educational opportunities.
There are numerous benefits to having ADA-compliant websites, and they directly or indirectly help boost your SEO as well. Let’s look at some of the ADA must-haves that will help you improve your SEO.
Note: This is not a comprehensive list, but this can be a good starting point.
Title Tags, Alt Tags, and Assistive Labels
The title tag is a part of basic SEO. This describes what the page is about; it doesn’t appear on the page but can be seen on the search engine results pages.
- SEO benefits: Basic SEO is very important, this tag needs to match your user intent, and what they are looking for. For example, if the person is searching for “accessibility best practices,” the title tag should include this as a title tag or maybe some variation of the same phrase. This entices the user to click on the link.
- ADA benefits: For people with disabilities who need screen readers to read the content or use the computer, a specific title tag will be much more useful and hence we should keep the title very specific about the content on the website.
As an example, according to the accessibility guidelines, the Title tag should be “Accessibility best practices to follow in 2023” rather than “Why it is important to follow accessibility best practices”.
Responsive Design
The below stats clearly show how important it is to take care of responsive design for your website. Responsive design has been there since early 2012 in some or the other way. But this is more than just about your website being responsive to multiple screen sizes. It is about how your content is placed on the page, how your images and logo are placed, how easy is your website to navigate, its load time, and readability as well.
- SEO benefits: We always follow an algorithm change by Google and Google’s Mobile-first index recommends responsive design for a better user experience and this has a serious impact on SEO performance.
- ADA benefits: A good, responsive website is one that a user can easily navigate through, even without a mouse. It always puts the user first.
This is the reason we should keep in mind that the content should be easy to read for the visually impaired audience and have a quick load time for people having a slow internet connection. In short, we should make it accessible to people with any disabilities.
Heading Structure
Heading structure defines how the content is organized on the page. It shows up in the code as <h1>,<h2>,<h3>,h4>, etc. It is like every heading tag should be in a proper hierarchy <h1> should be first, then <h2> then <h3> and nothing should break the hierarchy; for example a <h3> should not come after <h1>.
- SEO benefits: If content is structured with a proper heading hierarchy, it will be easy to read and understand. Google can also crawl it properly and understand what’s important based on these heading tags. For example, if it’s
<h1>, Google will consider it the main heading, etc. A page with a proper heading structure will also have a chance to appear in rich snippets in Google search results. - ADA benefits: For users with reading disabilities, having a proper and clear heading structure is very important. It makes the content easy to read and understand, and they can also decide on which part to read and which to skip.
It is also beneficial for screen readers because, based on the heading structure, a person who is using a screen reader can easily decide which heading to skip, and this makes the heading structure an integral part that cannot be missed.
Pivotal Factors Impacting Accessibility and SEO
In today’s dynamic digital world, accessibility and SEO play a critical role in online success. Let’s talk about some of the major factors that shape the worlds of accessibility and SEO, explaining how they impact user experience and content, and setting the stage for future optimization practices.
Accessibility and User Experience: Elevating Digital Interactions
Creating a seamless and inclusive user experience is at the heart of accessibility and SEO convergence. Accessibility measures not only cater to individuals with disabilities but also enhance the overall user experience for everyone. From intuitive navigation to responsive design, ensuring that every visitor can effortlessly engage with your website sets the foundation for positive user interactions. This harmonious user experience becomes a driving force behind SEO success, as search engines prioritize sites that prioritize user satisfaction and engagement.
Accessibility and Content: Crafting Inclusive and Optimized Narratives
The synergy between accessibility and content optimization is transformative. By aligning content with accessibility standards, including descriptive alt text, structured headings, and readable fonts, you not only make your content more accessible but also enhance its discoverability by search engines. Dive into the art of creating content that resonates with diverse audiences while strategically incorporating keywords for improved SEO performance.
Accessibility and Technical SEO: Unleashing the Power of Technical Optimization
Technical SEO and accessibility share common ground when it comes to website structure and performance. Explore how technical considerations such as site speed, mobile optimization, and schema markup contribute to both accessibility and SEO. From optimizing images for faster loading to ensuring a responsive design across devices, discover the technical intricacies that play a pivotal role in elevating both accessibility and SEO metrics.
Accessibility Considerations for Optimization
The complexity of the relationship between accessibility and SEO means we’re just scratching the surface of optimization possibilities. This dual approach to optimization not only expands your audience reach but also reinforces your commitment to a user-centric and socially responsible digital presence.
The Competitive Advantage of Accessibility
Let’s deep dive into some real-world case studies showcasing businesses that have seamlessly integrated accessibility into their SEO strategy, unveiling the tangible benefits and the competitive advantage it provides.
Apple: Apple has been the torchbearer for accessibility since they started the company. They never took accessibility as a feature, rather they looked at it as an experience they wanted to give to everyone regardless of their abilities.
They were the first in the industry to launch a fully accessible touchscreen interface. Not only that, but they have multiple accessibility features catering to a wide range of disabilities.
For example:
- Vision-related accessibility features — You can change color, and text size, use braille, hear what’s on the screen, or use voice-over to intact with your phone.
- Mobility-related accessibility features — You can navigate through your phone hands-free, or you can use your voice to connect any external device to your phone, customize gestures and alerts, and control how your phone should react when you tap or touch the screen.
- Hearing-related accessibility features — You can convert sound into text, and adjust the audio for loud content also you can select the way you want your phone to alert you they have multiple options: LED flash-lights for alerts or vibrations
- Speech-related accessibility features — Apple has a lot of features for people with speech disabilities. Live Speech, record your voice commands, make Siri requests with text, and much more.
- Cognitive-related accessibility features — You can reduce distractions like background sound, and on-screen motion, adjust focus, guided access to the device, get help with everyday tasks with Siri, dictation, and the list goes on.
Unlocking Accessibility: A Compelling Barclays Case Study
To foster an inclusive culture, Barclays established a countrywide accessibility strategy. To enhance its overall online banking experience, the British bank redesigned its website to include several accessibility features, such as a virtual sign language interpreter and assistive device compatibility. As part of its expansion, Barclays has also introduced talking cash machines (a first in the UK) and high-visibility debit cards. They shifted the mindset to consider accessibility as just legal compliance and worked towards giving a better experience to everyone.
As a result, Barclays has improved its overall brand image after implementing its accessibility and diversity initiatives and working towards being an open, inclusive, and human company. Their customers are happy to do business with them, and their employees proudly represent their company culture. Barclays customers are not only loyal, but they also recommend and advocate for the bank based on their own positive experiences.
Conclusion
By making accessibility a strategic priority, businesses not only contribute to a more inclusive digital landscape but also unlock the doors to unparalleled online success. As you embark on the journey to crack the code, remember that accessibility is not just a feature; it’s the fuel for long-term victory in the digital era.
In our next article, we will deep dive into advanced accessibility considerations that provide a competitive advantage in the online world. Get ready to discover how cutting-edge strategies can propel your website to new heights in terms of accessibility, SEO, and overall online success.
