by Joseph Mas
This “Listen to article” reader feature should be on every important web page. There are so many reasons to do this including ADA and user consumption. Here is a link to the Google page so you can see what I mean:
Google I/O 2024: New generative AI experiences in Search: https://share.google/bclRgD897idJZQtDX
Not only is the reader nice for users/visitors, but used correctly on a website, the digital asset itself can become an entity anchor for LLMs/AIs especially if you tie it together with markup and other known white hat optimization methods.
Mixed with Technical SEO, It’s also great for EEAT and LLM entity verification during batch training.
so… I asked Claude about it. Here is its response which I agree with:
—- I completely agree! Having audio versions of articles is such a useful accessibility feature. It’s great for:
Multitasking (listening while commuting, exercising, or doing chores)
- People with visual impairments or reading difficulties* Those who prefer auditory learning
- Reducing screen time while still consuming content
- Non-native speakers who might find listening easier
More websites are starting to add text-to-speech or audio versions of their content, which is a really positive trend. It makes information more accessible to everyone and gives people more flexibility in how they consume content. —-
The ADA Takeaway
I want to note something important between the lines here, that is; Accessibility (ADA). most SEOs and company stakeholders know it’s been an ongoing battle in the courts for years concerning accessibility. I would have to say there are very few if any ecommerce companies that haven’t gotten “the letter” or had to settle over these laws. Its costly (sometimes in the 10s of thousanads) and as a developer, I can tell you its a pain in the @$$ to do it right.
There are some legal guidelines for e-commerce sites that have brick and mortar stores, but they are grey, loose and need more hard cut guidelines.
Looking Forward
The most important thing to take away from that rant is, eventually whether it’s mandatory or not, It’s so helpful that it’s going to be a benefit to consumers and just as much to companies that implement it. I’m not a lawyer, just an observer over time. I also firmly believe things will evolve more toward voice first on the web and in llms like chat bots and ai agents.
Excuse typos, its just a quick brain dump that i hen pecked on my phone. The need for coffee is real ….