Digital accessibility and Google

December 19, 2022

We know by now that Google values digital accessibility. At the beginning of this year, I wrote about the relationship between SEO and digital accessibility. But how important is it and what is Google doing to improve website accessibility?

No direct impact on ranking

In March this year, Google's John Mueller told the Google Search Central SEO office-hours hangout that accessibility has no direct impact on ranking. So this means that you will not rank higher in Google if your website is properly accessible. At least, not directly. Mueller did stress the importance of accessibility, though. It is possible that accessibility will become a ranking factor in the future, though.

Responding to the question of whether accessibility has benefits for Google ranking, Mueller said:

No, not really. So I think accessibility is something that is important for a website because, if you drive your users away with a website that they can’t use, then they’re not going to recommend it to other people. But it’s not something that we would pick up and use as a direct ranking factor when it comes to search. Maybe that will change over time.John Mueller
Senior Webmaster Trends Analyst (Google)

For a full response from Mueller, watch the video below. The topic of Google and digital accessibility comes up from about 34:30. So you can skip the first half-hour.

English Google SEO office-hours from March 25, 2022

Accessibility not a ranking factor, but...

So at the moment, digital accessibility is not a ranking factor. So strictly speaking, a digitally accessible website does not make you rank higher in Google. Yet we mention it regularly, and for good reason. Many of Google's requirements for "good websites" correspond to rules from the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

So taking into account the WCAG requirements certainly helps. After all, the proper use of text alternatives, headings, semantic code and a clear structure helps visitors with disabilities as well as Google.

In addition, Google itself is also paying a lot of attention to digital accessibility. At Google.com/accessibility you can read about what they are doing. Google itself says the following about this:

Everyone should be able to access and enjoy the internet. We are doing our utmost to make this happen.
Google

They also support all kinds of digital inclusion initiatives and research. Google employees are also actively involved in WCAG. Google's user experience researchers work closely with people from all kinds of different backgrounds and disabilities. Accessibility is also important when developing their own products.

Google Style Guides

Google has extensive documentation that helps Google developers write documentation. However, the Google developer documentation style guide, or the Google Style Guides, can also help other developers, UX designers and content specialists create easily findable as well as accessible websites. It gives a good idea of how Google approaches the subject of digital accessibility.

Indeed, Digital accessibility is an important and often recurring topic in the Google Style Guides. The key point here, according to Google, is:

Write documentation that is accessible to people with disabilities.
Google developer documentation style guide – Accessibility

Some key tips given are:

Please use standard HTML elements, rather than self-built ones.
Please do not write words entirely in capitals. Reading software can spell-read this.
Make sure readers can reach all parts, including tabs, forms and interactive elements.
Always test with reading software too.
Use semantic elements in HTML. For example, use the element to give emphasis, not to italicise something.
Try to use less than 26 words per sentence.
Avoid large blocks of text to allow "scanning reading". For example, use paragraphs, headings and a list.

In addition to these general tips, there are also tips on using jargon, including language, abbreviations, footnotes, tables and links. Often with extensive (code) examples and variants.