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The happy couple: accessibility and search engine optimisation (SEO)

Published: 21 June 2005

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By: Nick Tatt

There is no doubt that in order to build a lean, clean, accessible website one of the best methods is to follow web standards and separate the website’s content from the way it is presented. Creating websites with valid semantic mark-up forces designers and developers to think about the building blocks required to create a page. These building blocks act as the foundation of solid accessible websites that perform well in organic search engine listing.

It is important to differentiate between organic search engine listings and Pay-per-click (PPC) listing. Essentially, organic listings form the main body of search results and are based on the website’s content. PPC listings are paid for adverts based on a bidding system. The higher the bid, the higher up the list the website appears. When talking about our happy couple of accessibility and search engine optimisation (SEO), we simply mean organic search engine listings.

The basic building blocks

The basic building blocks are XHTML tags. For example, using <h1> for main headings, <p> for paragraphs, <em> to emphasis some text, to name a few. All give a website real meaning. Meaning that can be understood by search engine spiders and a range of assistive browsing devices.

Proper building blocks also helps search engine spiders understand the content of the page, resulting is better search engine listings. It helps visitors using audio browsers to understand the content of the page, resulting in more satisfied customers. It also means that a website should be lean on file size, resulting in faster loading times.

A strong foundation

The benefits of creating accessible websites and SEO go hand in hand and do make a happy couple. Starting with a strong foundation it gives a website a head start in search engine optimisation and will make it more accessible.

Search engines are, in effect, blind. It is often said that Google is one of the web’s biggest blind users. Its indexing spiders are not concerned with the colour of the font or if the logo is positioned to the right of the page. They can’t see those. It is more concerned with the words and how they are marked up – the meaning behind them.

Ideal world

In an ideal world the development of a website should marry both the creation of semantic mark-up, the designer/developer’s role, and search engine optimisation, often a specialist’s role. Website design companies like Tinderhouse provide both services under one roof meaning a holistic approach in the development of a website is taken. It is beneficial to marry accessibility and SEO during the development stage of a project in order to provide cost effective solutions that work well.

Best practice

Ultimately it is all about best practice. Good design, good mark-up, good content all go towards making the happy couple. Get this right and half the job is done.

So much of creating accessible websites is based on the appropriate use of XHTML tags. So much of creating websites that are optimised well for search engines requires the site to be built with appropriate XHTML tags. Following best practice (web standards) and the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines will inherently make websites more search engine friendly.

It is a ‘win win’ situation. Better search engine listings and a better experience for a wider audience.

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