In the current scenario, people need websites for their business. Along with that, now the website not only needs to be visually fantastic, but also extremely user-friendly. For this purpose, there is semantic HTML. It ensures that websites are both search-engine friendly and support accessibility. So through this article, we will try to analyze the effect of semantic HTML on the Search engine optimization factor and accessibility of a website in web development.

What is Semantic HTML?

Semantic HTML implies the use of HTML elements that hold meaningful info regarding the structure and content of a webpage. On the other hand, non-semantic elements deal with only the structure and presentation of a webpage. In a way, semantic elements deal with the motive and meaning of the content which they enclose. Examples of semantic HTML elements are <nav>, <section>, <article>, <header>, <aside>, <footer>, and many more.

Enhancing Accessibility

• Screen Readers and Assistive Technologies

semantic HTML can enable people to access the website with ease. Semantic HTML provides a proper systematic structure to the content of the website. Screen readers and accessibility rely on the hierarchy of a website. This way people can navigate through a website fluently and logically access the info.

• Keyboard navigation

some users will not be able to navigate through a website via a mouse due to impairment. In such cases, people use the keyboard for the navigation. In such cases, semantic elements provide a more predictable and smooth experience for the keyboard users.

• Adhere to WCAG(Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)

Web developers use semantic HTML to follow WCAG. These guidelines provide a framework for creating accessible web content, which makes the fundamental aspect for semantic HTML to follow.

Improving SEO

• Search engine crawlers

Several search engines use crawlers to index and rank the web pages. Here, semantic HTML provides the structure and hierarchy of the web pages. It then allows the crawlers to better contemplate the meaning and importance of the multiple sections in a webpage. It then leads to improvement in the ranking and indexing of a webpage.

• Structured Data Markup

Semantic HTML assists in the implementation of structured data markup. It is one of the vital factors in SEO and it also provides additional info about the content on a webpage. It is generally implemented by Schema.org. Also, the implementation helps search engine displays more info and visually attractive images in the search results.

• Content relevance and user experience

Search engines provide the most relevant and perfectly presented content to the users. Semantic HTML helps in this format by ensuring that the content on a webpage is well-organized and easy to follow. It can then provide a better position for a website in terms of SEO and can increase the number of visitors.

Best Practices for Semantic HTML

• Selection of elements

Select HTML elements that strictly represent the structure and content of your webpage. For example, use <nav> for the navigation links, <footer> for the page footer, and <article> for the standalone content.

• Maintain a logical document structure

Endure the correct use of hierarchy in your content. Do verify that headings are being used in a hierarchy from <h1> to <h6> to guarantee the systematic representation of the content.

• Avoid non-semantic elements

avoid the utilization of non-semantic elements for the crucial content. Instead, you can use them to depict structure. A few instances are <span> and <div>.

Conclusion

So, now we can confidently say that using semantic HTML can be beneficial for all. It will enable developers to create websites that are universal and can be easily navigated by everyone. It will also allow webpages to be more SEO-friendly and inclusive. It will also ensure that as the digital era progresses, the role of semantic HTML will keep increasing for the web.