What is the difference between <s> and <del> in html, and do they affect website rankings?

@dortha 

The <s> and <del> HTML elements are used to indicate that a piece of text has been removed or struck through. However, they differ in their semantic meaning and visual representation.

The <s> element is used to mark up text that is no longer accurate or relevant, but which is not necessarily incorrect. It is typically displayed as a strikethrough text, indicating that the text is being deprecated or should be ignored, but not necessarily that it is incorrect. For example, a product may be listed as "on sale" with the original price shown as strikethrough text using the <s> element.

The <del> element, on the other hand, is used to indicate that text has been deleted or removed from the current version of a document or web page. It is often used in conjunction with the <ins> element, which indicates text that has been inserted into the current version of a document. The <del> element is typically displayed with a strikethrough effect and a muted color, which makes it clear that the text has been removed.

Regarding website rankings, the use of <s> and <del> elements does not directly impact search engine rankings. However, it is important to use these elements correctly to avoid confusing search engines and users. Using these elements in a misleading way, such as marking up text that is not actually deprecated or removed, could be seen as spammy or manipulative and could potentially harm website rankings.