Section 508 accessibility implementation

Real interest to Google or SEO sales smokescreen?

[pauldmitri]

A certain fairly well known SEO company touts as a sort of "secret weapon" that one of the things they do is to add optimization attributes to your web site to make it compliant with Section 508 of the American Accessibilities and Disabilities Act-a process which makes the site inclusive of those customers with special needs, specifically, the hearing and sight impaired.

According to these guys, Google loves you for this, the fact that you took a few extra steps to make the site more accessible to the handicapped.

While it sure sounds noble, I wonder if it is just a little bit of sales smokescreen from the guy tring to sell the SEO service.

Has anyone ever heard about this?

[abacuss]

Nopes no idea that google takes this as a positive incentive for ranking the site better.

[larryhatch]

Good question though.
What exactly can a site do to make it friendlier for people with disabilities? -Larry

[sandpetra]

There is no evidence Google looks kindly on invalid html or compliant sites.

An accessible site SHOULD be accessible by search engine robots though - and of course you have a moral obigation to make your sites more usable and accessible.

Google results are not compliant are they?