What is the role of readability in on-page SEO?

Readability is an important factor in on-page SEO because it affects user experience, engagement, and ultimately, the likelihood that a user will take the desired action on a webpage (such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter).

Search engines like Google consider user engagement metrics, such as bounce rate and time on page, as ranking factors. If a webpage has low readability, users may struggle to understand the content, become frustrated, and leave the site quickly, leading to a higher bounce rate and lower engagement. This, in turn, can negatively impact the page's search engine rankings.

Additionally, readability can impact how easily search engines can crawl and index a webpage. Content that is poorly written, uses excessive jargon, or is difficult to understand may be more challenging for search engines to parse and interpret, which can negatively affect the page's ability to rank for relevant keywords.

To improve readability, webmasters and content creators can use clear and concise language, break up text into shorter paragraphs and sentences, use headings and subheadings to organize content, and use bullet points and numbered lists to make information easier to digest. By prioritizing readability, website owners can create a better user experience, improve engagement metrics, and potentially boost their search engine rankings.