If you’re using SEO tools like Semrush, you may have encountered a warning about your website’s “HTML to Text Ratio.” At first glance, this might seem like a critical issue. After all, if the tool flags it, it must be important, right? In reality, the HTML to Text Ratio does not significantly impact your SEO. Let’s explore why this metric is not as crucial as it appears and why Semrush’s focus on it may not be helpful for your SEO strategy.
What Is HTML to Text Ratio?
Simply put, the HTML to Text Ratio measures the percentage of visible text (the words users read) compared to the underlying HTML code that structures the webpage. For instance, if your webpage contains more HTML (code, CSS, JavaScript, etc.) than visible text, the ratio will be lower. SEO tools like Semrush may flag a low HTML to Text Ratio as a potential issue, but is it really something to worry about?
Why Semrush’s Output on HTML to Text Ratio Isn’t Useful
Semrush is an excellent tool for identifying SEO opportunities, but the HTML to Text Ratio is one metric you can safely ignore. Here’s why:
Search Engines Don’t Use This as a Ranking Factor
Google and other search engines do not consider HTML to Text Ratio when ranking pages. Instead, they prioritise the relevance and quality of your content. A low HTML to Text Ratio doesn’t equate to poor content. Search engines focus on how helpful and relevant your content is to users, not on how much text appears relative to the code. So, even if Semrush flags this as an issue, it doesn’t mean your SEO is in trouble.
Modern Websites Naturally Contain More Code
In today’s web development environment, websites often have more complex code due to the need for interactive features, styling, and scripts. Whether you’re using frameworks like React or adding CSS to enhance the user experience, your HTML code can grow in size. This is completely normal and has no negative effect on your site’s ranking. Websites with intricate designs and dynamic functionality often rank well, even with a low HTML to Text Ratio.
Semrush Uses General Guidelines
SEO tools like Semrush base their audits on broad guidelines, which can sometimes lead to outdated recommendations. The HTML to Text Ratio is an old-school metric from a time when it was thought to affect SEO. Search engines have since evolved, and this metric no longer carries weight. Focusing on more important factors—such as content quality and user experience—will yield better SEO results.
Focus on What Really Matters
Key factors that influence SEO today include content quality, mobile-friendliness, page speed, and backlinks. Google emphasises user experience and content relevance far more than technical metrics like HTML to Text Ratio. Optimising these essential aspects will improve your website’s performance without worrying about how much HTML code is present.
What Should You Focus On Instead?
Instead of concerning yourself with HTML to Text Ratio, here are areas that will have a bigger impact on your SEO:
High-Quality Content
Ensure your content is valuable, informative, and relevant to your audience. This remains one of the most important ranking factors.
Page Load Speed
While the HTML to Text Ratio itself isn’t significant, excessive HTML can slow down your site. Focus on optimising your code and images to ensure fast load times, as Google prioritises page speed.
Mobile Optimisation
With Google’s mobile-first indexing, it’s essential to ensure your site is optimised for mobile devices. Responsive design and quick load times on mobile are critical for good SEO.
User Experience
Clean code isn’t about increasing the HTML to Text Ratio—it’s about ensuring your site delivers content quickly and efficiently. Streamlining your code can improve page speed and functionality.
In summary, the HTML to Text Ratio is an outdated metric that doesn’t significantly impact your SEO. While Semrush may flag it, search engines like Google focus on more important factors, such as content quality, page speed, and user experience. Instead of worrying about this ratio, invest your efforts in improving the aspects of your website that truly matter for SEO.
By concentrating on creating valuable content, enhancing user experience, and optimising for speed, you’ll achieve better search engine rankings—without getting bogged down by metrics that don’t make a difference.
Contact Us
Cheshire (Head Office)
Manchester
Get in touch
Let’s find the best solution for your business