Any SEO benefit to use TABLE SUMMARY tag?

[1Lit.com]

<table align="right" summary="buy widgets">
<tr>
<td>

Is there any value to using the summary tag for tables? I've seen it being used on a number of SEO sites. Does it help with rankings for the keywords used in it?

Cheers

[Danny]

I'd say 'no', no benefit.
By the way, it's an attribute, not a tag.

Every attribute should be properly used for its sole purpose.
This one should describe the purpose and the structure of the table and therefor should not be stuffed with keywords.

It's a good practise to use it as it will help in usability and accessibility for people using text readers but don't use it for the sake of seo.

[kalidust]

The summary attribute is for accessibility purposes as Danny said. It helps those who are using screen readers.

[Catfish]

Originally posted by kalidust
The summary attribute is for accessibility purposes as Danny said. It helps those who are using screen readers.

That doesn't mean if done properly they don't help your SEO efforts.

[Connie]

Kind of an old thread but I agree with Danny and Karen.

Catfish I would think the summary attribute would be similar to the title attribute. Do you have any evidence that the summary attribute has any SEO value?

I know your knowledgeable so I'm curious about your conclusion.

[Catfish]

No I have no direct evidence but it seems to me that Google would use all available information about a website to categorize it and if a properly done summary tag accurately reflects "accessibility purposes ...It helps those who are using screen readers." then I don't believe it should be dismissed because there is no evidence to support that it does work. Rather if it is useful in some way to visitors I can't see why Google wouldn't use that information. I would use it for its intended purpose while making sure that the summary is keyword rich without being spammy (the same as all on page elements). If it helps with my SEO then great, if not at least it helps those that it was intended to help. But again, I think it's highly likely that Google would use that information if present (especially since its not really a common misused practice at this point in the game). And of course I wouldn't put one on every table on every page, just the major blocks of content for "those who are using screen readers".