When creating your website, most understand the importance of it being visually appealing and user-friendly.

But have you thought about the importance of accessibility on your website?

Making your website accessible will benefit those with disabilities, and also improve your website’s SEO and keyword rankings.

What is website accessibility?

Website accessibility refers to the practice of designing and developing a website that is usable by those with disabilities.

This includes making sure that the website is compatible with a range of assistive technologies.

Such as screen readers, which are text-to-speech applications for those who are visually impaired, and alternative input devices for people with motor impairments.

Why is website accessibility important?

Website accessibility is important for many reasons.

Firstly, it makes sure that people with disabilities can access your website and content.

This is a legal requirement under the Equality Act 2010 in the UK, but it is also the right thing to do.

Second, making your website accessible can improve UX (user experience) for all users, not just those with disabilities.

As an example, adding captions to videos featured on your site can benefit people who are browsing in public or a noisy environment, or just work for those who prefer to read.

Larger font sizes can help people who struggle to read small text on a mobile device.

There are plenty of ways that accessibility can improve everyone’s experience on your website.

Lastly, website accessibility can also play a part in your website’s SEO and keyword rankings.
How can it help?

Accessibility and SEO

Google is constantly updating its algorithm for search to make sure it’s delivering the most relevant and useful search results to its users.

One way it does this is by taking website accessibility into account when it comes to ranking.

Google has stated that it rewards websites that are accessible to all users, regardless of disability.

Meaning, if your website is accessible, it’s much more likely to rank high in the SERP (search engine results page).

Google’s algorithm also takes other factors, like page speed, responsiveness, and UX, into account, these are also closely related to accessibility.

Accessibility and Keywords

Alongside improving your SEO, accessibility can also benefit your keyword strategy.

When you are designing an accessible website, you will need to use descriptive alt text on images, captions for videos, and transcripts for audio content.

All these elements improve UX for those with disabilities but also provide more context for search engines to understand your website content.

By using descriptive alt text and captions, you can target specific keywords that are relevant to your content.

As an example, if you are a retailer selling trainers, you could use alt text and captions that include keywords like “running trainers” or “men’s blue trainers”.

This would help your website rank higher in the SERP for those search terms.

Make sense?

Overall, it’s safe to say that website accessibility is a very important consideration when it comes to your website.

By making it accessible, you are making sure that all users can access your content, improving usability, and boosting your website’s SEO and keyword rankings.

When we are building your website, we ensure that accessibility is kept in mind throughout the design and development process and use it as an integral part of your strategy.

Do you need a website for your business, or want to change your website provider?

Contact our team and see how we can help you.