Readability, Accessibility, and Bogus Domain Letters
A short snapshot of what’s changing in the web world, what I’m seeing from our clients, and a few things that might be worth having on your radar.
– Renée, Alpen Lily Web Studio founder
Table of contents
This might affect you
Google’s AI search results and your website
By now you’ve probably seen Google’s AI responses in your search results. Google has been increasingly clear (especially as AI-generated content becomes more common) that it’s prioritizing pages that are easy to read and genuinely helpful.
What I’m seeing, for better or worse, is that long paragraphs and overly complex reading levels are becoming a quiet liability. This doesn’t mean content needs to be “dumbed down,” but it does mean clarity matters more than ever. Here’s what performs better for real people and search engines:
- Shorter paragraphs
- Clearer headings
- Plain-language explanations
If your content hasn’t been reviewed with readability in mind, this is usually an adjustment, not a rewrite.
Accessibility tip
Write for scanning
One of the simplest ways content authors can improve accessibility is by writing with clear structure:
- Headings should describe what follows.
- Paragraphs should focus on one idea at a time.
- Lists should be used when order or grouping matters.
This helps people using screen readers, but it also helps everyone else. Clear structure makes pages easier to scan, easier to understand, and less tiring to read.
Convos with clients
Official-looking domain letters
Something worth flagging: Several clients have recently received official-looking letters in the mail about “domain registration” or “domain renewal” that imply urgent action is required, but the letter is not from your domain provider.
They’re designed to look serious and time-sensitive, but in most cases, no action is needed. If you ever receive something like this and aren’t sure, feel free to scan or take a picture of the letter and email it to me; I’d be happy to check it out.
One small idea
One-page scan test
Pick one key page on your site and skim it without reading every word. Is it easy to scan? Do the main points stand out quickly? Improving “scanability” is often one of the simplest ways to improve both usability and performance.
We help organizations make thoughtful decisions about their websites as technology, search, and AI continue to change. Our work focuses on clarity, usability, and long-term effectiveness, not trends or quick fixes.
Sometimes that means building something new. Often it means asking better questions and making small, strategic improvements that actually matter.