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Some might argue that simply by putting a web site on an internet server they have made the web site "accessible" to everyone. We disagree. If a person searching for your products or services does not find your web site in the search engine results, is it really accessible? Maybe to those who know your web site address. What about the millions of other potential clients that don't? To them, your web site doesn't exist. If your site is not easily found, nothing else you have done to make it appealing will really matter. Building a web site without considering its "friendliness" to the search engines is like opening a business without putting up a sign or advertising that you exist.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is one of the most important aspects of good web site design. Sites in the top ten search engine results did not get there by chance. A lot of attention was paid to the structure, organization and presentation of the site content. At Pagetender, we know how to build a "search engine friendly" web site and how to keep it that way.
You've optimized the site and visitors are reaching it. What else can you do to make it more accessible? Make it inclusive rather than exclusive. Did you know that text only browsers exist for visually impaired web surfers? Section 508 of the Americans With Disabilities Act where written to guide developers in building sites for visitors with physical challenges. Every Pagetender web site is built with these guidelines in mind.
Section 508 of the Americans With Disabilities Act requires that Federal agencies' electronic and information technology is accessible to people with disabilities, including employees and members of the public. Although it is not mandatory that all sites comply with this regulation, we believe it is important to design our sites to be as accessible as possible to all users. Visitors access sites with a wide variety and increasing number of devices (e.g., desktop browser, voice browser, mobile phone, PDA, etc.) and may not be in the best of environments to view it (e.g., noisy surroundings, under- or over-illuminated rooms, in a hands-free environment, etc.). By adhering to accessibility guidelines we are making your site more accessible to all visitors and, as an added benefit, more accessible to the search engines. We feel it is well worth the added effort. To read more about these guidelines visit the sites below.
W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
Section 508 and Accessibility at WebsiteTips.com
State of Massachusetts Information Technology Divison Section 508 Guidelines
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