How to Make Your Website Inclusive and SEO-Friendly
Did you know approximately 97% of websites are not compliant with accessibility guidelines, such as WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)? That means a large portion of website content is not accessible to those with disabilities.
This draws attention to the fact that many businesses need to realise the importance of inclusivity and accessibility, gaining a competitive edge.
Accessibility and inclusivity work together when it comes to website design, they are interlinked, and yet remain dependent. This involves adding a range of elements to your website to ensure an all-inclusive experience. This is how to address the concerns and needs of your audience.
Most businesses create their websites based on a marketing campaign. While there is nothing wrong with this approach, it often overlooks inclusive design and without inclusiveness, you cannot grow and convey your brand message effectively.
The team at Genie Crawl have listed their best practices to create a more inclusive SEO strategy:
Let's start with the images you use on your website. Avoid stock or low quality images that can confuse your website visitors, focusing on high quality and clear images with visible features. When it comes to inclusivity, your site should be diverse, adding up to date visuals that are clear and yet remain neutral.
High quality content is vital to your website, making it more engaging, reducing bounce rates. When creating content, bear in mind that over two hundred and fifty million people in the world struggle with visual disabilities. This means structuring your website that is readable to all visitors, including those with visual impairments. Structure your content in a way that all visitors can read and enjoy it, whether they have visual, cognitive or language disabilities.
You may have noticed websites incorporating blue-dotted outlines around their links and buttons. These outlines are focus states, important elements that improve inclusivity on your website. They are used to highlight selected elements on your website. Incorporating them strategically on your website can capture your audiences attention, creating an user-friendly and inclusive experience.
Ensure your website content can be navigated with keyboard support. Keyboard accessibility makes your site inclusive, realising that people with motor disabilities may not be able to use a mouse. With the keyboard as their primary tool to navigate, you create an environment where they can move through your site, browsing your products and services without relying on a computer mouse.
Inclusive design is essential in today's evolving landscape. It helps you create a transparent and dynamic website that provides an all-inclusive experience. If your website isn't inclusive, or you are struggling with your SEO strategy, the Genie Crawl team are ready to assist. Contact us now to find out how.
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