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|  | | | | A note about accessibility and SEO
With Global Accessibility Awareness Day coming up on May 16, we want to take this opportunity to talk about the overlap between accessibility and SEO. So here are a few examples of how, as SEOs, we can help make the web a more inclusive place.
Add alt text to images: Not only does adding alt text to all of your images help create a more accessible experience, it helps Google understand the images on your pages. That said, we advise against stuffing keywords into alt text. Be descriptive but efficient—so create alt text that describes the image in a concise manner.
Use headings to create structure: While Google has said you can have multiple H1s on a page, it’s best practice to just have one. Part of that is due to accessibility. Having more than one H1 header can be confusing to a user relying on a screen reader. To that end, make sure your headers are explanatory and speak to the content found within them. This not only aids users with impairments, it helps search engines checking if your pages are worth indexing—and subsequently ranking.
Write intuitive anchor text for links: Not only does creating unclear anchor text hinder Google, it also makes your page inaccessible. So avoid linking from vague terms like “this” or “here”—be specific about where the user is headed.
Here’s to a more accessible web for all! |
| Happy reading,
Crystal and Mordy | | |
Pointers from the pros | Neil Osman | Accessibility Specialist, Wix | | |
Misconceptions about web accessibility
Myth # 1: Accessibility doesn’t impact growth
How often have you been in a loud bar or a cafe? In cases like this, having a video with captions can be the difference between getting another view (or conversion), and not. Or, if you’re busy at work and don’t have time to read a long article—an audio reader can be the difference between a user that skips the article and one that listens in the background while completing other tasks. Creating an accessible experience not only helps you create something that all users can benefit from, it simultaneously opens new opportunities for growth itself.
Myth # 2: Accessible sites are ugly sites
This is simply not true. An accessible site can be just as attractive as any other. We can make anything accessible—even the most complicated setup and design. Regardless, overcomplicating a website is generally a bad experience for the user, irrespective of whether the site is accessible or not.
Myth #3: Accessibility is all about alt text and headers
There’s a lot that goes into creating an accessible web experience. While headers and alt text are obviously important, accessibility is far more holistic and considers things like color contrast and far beyond. This is because there are not only so many types of impairments, but within a given impairment, there can be numerous forms and severities.
Stay tuned for this ep of SERP’s Up on May 16.
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Newflash
Crystal Carter
- Google's so-called "March" core update concluded after 45 days. In an unusual move, Google announced the end of the update a week after it had already finished.
- Affected publishers continue to discuss tactics and experiences as they await recovery from the September helpful content update. John Mueller of Google recently offered some insight.
- In the United States, legislators have signed a bill to ban TikTok unless it’s sold by the end of the year. TikTok has responded with a lawsuit suggesting a violation of free speech.
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 | How to make sure content is accessible to your audience
1. Know who your audience is—each of them
Segment your audience by age, interests, or whatever makes sense for your brand, and create content that addresses their specific concerns and desires. You should have multiple, detailed persona types and create content that suits each of them. Think of this like tailoring a suit—the better the fit, the better the look.
2. Keep it clear and relatable
Write in a way that’s not only easy to digest and mirrors how your audience communicates, but in a way that is accessible to all. Present your content in various formats such as text, video (with captions and audio descriptions), infographics, and podcasts to cater to different preferences and needs. This diversification helps reach users regardless of their preferred method of consumption or any sensory impairments they might have.
3. Optimize for usability and SEO
Share your content where your audience hangs out most. That can look like turning a blog post into a YouTube video, or creating graphics from text content to share on Instagram. From search engines to social media, strategically place your content where your audience engages the most, and ensure it’s optimized for that platform, whether for search engines or Meta algorithms.
4. Pivot
Don't be afraid of feedback or making major changes within your content strategy. Instead, use feedback to continuously refine and optimize your content. The more you tune your content based on audience reactions and interactions, the more engaging it will become. Regularly invite feedback through polls, comments, or direct outreach and use what you learn to make your content better. Keep an eye on which posts get more love so you can create more content that strikes a similar chord.
And remember….
By making your content accessible and relatable, you're not just ticking boxes—you're building bridges to your audience that can result in deeper engagement and loyalty.
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In the pipeline
Watch out for a must-read on how to drive more sales with Meta Ads, written by Akvile DeFazio of AkVertise, Inc. Plus, local store owners can look forward to a play-by-play of how to get started with Buy Online Pick Up In Store (BOPIS) from Uberall’s Krystal Taing.
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