Accessibility, SEO & AI

Digital Accessibility means that all people can perceive, understand, and navigate your content without restrictions (including with the use of screen readers).

Many accessibility requirements are already implemented in the TYPO3 design of the University of Vienna. However, please still pay attention to the following points when creating content:

• Heading structure: One H1 main heading per page, followed by logically structured H2/H3 subheadings.
• Texts: Write short, clear sentences; explain technical terms and avoid abbreviations.
• Links: Use descriptive link texts (“Register now” instead of “Click here”).
• Images: Always provide meaningful alternative text (exception: purely decorative images, such as photos of students, buildings, etc.).
• Media: Include videos with subtitles and short descriptions.
• Tables: Use tables only for data, not for layout purposes.
• Navigation: Maximum of 5 main menu items and no more than 4 sublevels.

Search engine optimisation ensures that your page is more visible and easier to find in search engine results.

The aim is for users to quickly find what they are looking for and for search engines to classify your content correctly.

• One topic per page: Avoid duplicate content; link internally and externally to relevant (sub)pages.
• Meta data: Fill in the meta title (max. 65 characters) and meta description (approx. 150 characters) in the page properties for each page individually.
• Alt text & file names: Give images meaningful descriptions so that users and search engines can easily understand the content.
• Keywords: Include relevant keywords that your users search for in search engines.
• Structure: Ensure clear H1 main headings and appropriate H2/H3 subheadings, meaningful paragraphs and lists.
• Up-to-dateness: Update and check content regularly.

AI systems analyse texts in a similar way to humans and search engine algorithms, favouring content that is clear, consistent and unambiguous.

• Write actively: Write check instead of carry out a check.
• Consistent terms: Always use the same term for one thing.
• Filler words & softeners: Avoid words such as possibly or under certain circumstances.
• Clear statements: Avoid ambiguous statements.
• Structure: Use headings, lists and paragraphs to make content easy to understand – both for users and AI systems.

Clear and consistent language not only improves readability, but also has a direct impact on accessibility, search engine optimisation and AI comprehensibility.

• Use British English and ensure consistent spelling throughout all texts.
• Keep your wording short, clear and understandable, avoiding abbreviations and unnecessarily complex sentences.