The impact of SEO on the availability of information on the Internet

The importance of digital accessibility

Not only should real life be inclusive, the desire to involve and integrate all people in various spheres should also be manifested in the virtual world. The coronavirus pandemic and the war forced people to use the Internet more – for work, study, or to communicate with family and friends. SEO specialists, as those who optimize sites, should take care of digital accessibility. Therefore, in this material, we will tell you how to make sites more convenient for people with disabilities.

Basic aspects of SEO for digital accessibility

Title tags

When optimized, title tags can drive traffic from a search engine to your site. In addition, there is no digital accessibility without them. The first thing visually impaired people hear when they visit a site and use a screen reader are the title tags.In order for persons with disabilities to know which page is open and what the site has to offer, the title tags should accurately describe its content. Additionally, you should use the following tagging tips:

• title tag must be written;
• it is preferable to place the most important keys near the beginning;
• title tag should be between 55 and 60 characters long;
• title tags must contain an error message or confirmation of a successful action;
• at the end of the title tag, you should specify the name of the brand;
• title tags must be unique for each page.

Structure of headings

Headings are also important for the SEO of a site for persons with disabilities. In order for screen readers to correctly convey information to people, there should only be one H1 tag per page. Along with that, the best place to place the title is at the top of the page. All headings should be self-explanatory and follow a hierarchical ladder – you should not jump from H1 straight to H6.

Links in the text

When it comes to accessibility, link text is important because it is used as an anchor to navigate to another page. Therefore, special programs to help persons with disabilities should read what is said on another page. In addition:

1. Links must be distinguishable.
2. The text of one anchor must be different from the other anchor text on the page.
3. Navigation links should be the same throughout the site.
4. It is necessary to indicate if the link leads to an external website.

Alternative text

One of the important factors of site optimization for people with disabilities is the creation of a meaningful and concise (up to 150 characters) alternative text under each photo in the article. However, if the photo does not convey the meaning, then there is no need to write alt text.

Multimedia

Multimedia materials (audio, video) should also be available to all site visitors. To do this, use:

• Captions are texts that are synchronized with visual content (YouTube video, shows, webinars, etc.). Background sounds should also be mentioned in the material.
• A transcript is a transcription of audio content.

Tips from specialists of Lanet CLICK

These tips are not exhaustive. Therefore, when optimizing the site, if possible, involve people with impaired vision or hearing in cooperation. They will be able to test the site for digital accessibility. And remember, web resource optimization and usability are necessary not only to bring the site to the top of search results, but also to make it convenient for users.If you need high-quality SEO, you can contact the experts of the Lanet CLICK digital agency. The agency also provides a number of other services in the field of Internet marketing, including SMM, promotion of the page on YouTube and Google Maps, copywriting, and setting up targeted advertising.