Rich's Web Design - Sept. Newsletter
RWD LLC, Google Helpful Content - ADA Accessibility
Rich's Web Design is now Rich's Web Design, LLC. Nothing regarding the service to your new or existing sites will change, I just wanted to inform all my clients.
Google Updates - Helpful Content

As you know, Google is constantly tweaking their algorithm. On average, they did that 13 times a day in 2021. But occasionally they do a major update that they'll announce, sometimes ahead of time but usually when the update begins. The last time they did this was recently in mid-August.

In the past, to learn about such an update, we needed to pay attention to twitter. Usually someone would notice, tweet a question about it, and then someone from Google would confirm (or deny) it. Apparently Google got tired of that process because now they've created a dedicated Google Search ranking updates page where you can simply go look. 

Google started to roll out the new helpful content update in August. As a reminder, Google’s helpful content update is a sitewide signal. It targets websites that have a relatively high amount of unsatisfying or unhelpful content, where the content is written for search engines first. In short, did you write that piece of content to rank on Google or did you write it to help users?

Google wants to reward better and more useful content that was written for humans and to help users. Content written for the purpose of ranking in search engines, maybe called search engine first content, has been a topic coming up more and more across social media and other areas. In short, searchers are getting frustrated with landing on web pages that do not help them but rank well in search because they were designed to rank well.
Accessibility: The Missing Key to Connecting with Customers

While some brands are prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion in their messaging and marketing campaigns, an essential component of inclusivity may be missing: accessibility.

It's especially important to cater to people who are typically underserved in the digital world. For example, people who are blind or have low vision, are deaf or hard of hearing, or those who have motor conditions. These individuals often face barriers when an experience is not properly designed. Online journeys are often convoluted experiences for people, and brands need to ensure their apps and websites don’t add further complications.

Building accessible user experiences will soon become a regulatory requirement too. This year, European Union member states are adopting the European Accessibility Act into their laws. The expectation is that all products and online services will need to be accessible once the requirements come into force in 2025.

ADA Accessibility Examples
So where do you start on your accessibility journey?