How accessibility and SEO go together

Having a website that works for all users and ranks high in search engines may seem complicated. But improving accessibility and SEO don't have to be at odds! This article will explain how making your site accessible can also make it SEO-friendly.

Accessibility 101

Accessibility means making your website usable for people with disabilities. This includes:

• Blind users who rely on screen readers to read out text

• Motor-impaired users who navigate with keyboards only

• Users with low vision who need to increase text size

• Users with cognitive disabilities who benefit from simplicity

Accessibility is achieved by adding features like text alternatives for images, ARIA labels, and strong semantics.

SEO 101

SEO stands for "search engine optimization." It means optimizing your site to rank higher in search engines like Google. Good SEO leads to more visitors from organic search traffic.

SEO is about things like:

• Optimizing page titles and meta descriptions

• Using keywords appropriately

• Building quality backlinks

• Making pages easy to crawl and index

Where Accessibility and SEO Overlap

Many accessibility best practices are also good SEO practices. Let's look at some key areas of overlap:

Semantic HTML

Using proper HTML elements like <header>, <nav>, and <main> helps screen readers and search bots understand your content structure.

For example, the UK government website GOV.UK uses semantic HTML, which improves accessibility.

Alt Text for Images

Alt text provides descriptions of images for blind users. It also helps search engines understand what images are about.

One study found over 70% of images online lack alt text. Be sure to add useful descriptions.

Descriptive Link Text

"Click here" links are bad for accessibility and SEO! Descriptive link text like "Apple iOS download" helps users know where links go before clicking.

Fast Load Times

No one likes slow websites - including search engines! According to Google research, fast load times should be at most 2-3 seconds.

Mobile Optimization

With mobile internet use skyrocketing, making your site mobile-friendly with responsive design is critical for both accessibility and SEO.

For example, Apple's website works flawlessly on mobile devices due to its responsive design.

Where They Differ

There are some areas where accessibility and SEO don't overlap.

Accessibility-specific practices like color contrast, keyboard navigation, and headings don't directly affect SEO.

And SEO-focused tactics like keyword stuffing and backlinks don't improve accessibility.

But neither should be neglected! A balanced approach is best.

In Conclusion

Optimizing for accessibility and SEO results in:

• A better experience for diverse users

• Higher rankings in search engines

It's a win-win! Prioritizing accessibility tends to boost SEO indirectly anyway.

Follow these tips to make your website work for all users while also getting found more easily in search engines.

References

WebAIM. "Alternative Text - WebAIM." WebAIM, 1 Mar. 2021, **https://webaim.org/techniques/alttext/**.

Google. "PageSpeed Insights." Google Developers, **https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/**.

Apple. "Apple." Apple, **https://www.apple.com/**. Accessed 9 Aug. 2023.