As a former member of the Accessibility Product Support Team at Wix, I had the privilege of working with an incredible group of passionate people dedicated to making the web more accessible for everyone. It was a deeply meaningful experience that opened my eyes to the importance of web accessibility, not just from a technical standpoint, but from a human perspective. In today’s online world, website accessibility and SEO (search engine optimisation) go hand in hand—helping ensure your site is discoverable and usable for all visitors. Whether your audience has disabilities or just needs a better user experience, making your website accessible benefits both them and your business. Let’s explore why website accessibility is important and how it impacts SEO.
What Is Website Accessibility?
Website accessibility refers to designing and developing websites so that they can be used by everyone. It’s about ensuring all users, regardless of their abilities, can access your content, interact with your site, and complete tasks with ease.
Why does it matter?
Accessibility is about creating an inclusive online experience for all, including people with visual, auditory, cognitive, or motor disabilities. Making sure everyone can interact with your site is not just ethically important, but legally required in many places.
Real-world impact:
Websites that are more accessible improve user experience (UX) and can increase engagement and customer loyalty.
"The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect." - Tim Berners-Lee, W3C Director and inventor of the World Wide Web
How Do Accessibility and SEO Work Together?
The relationship between accessibility and SEO is stronger than you might think. While they aren’t the same thing, both aim to improve user experience (UX), and as a result, they often overlap. Accessible websites are generally better optimised for search engines as well.
Improved User Experience: Websites that are easy to navigate, with clear structure and readable text, lead to longer visit durations and lower bounce rates—both of which are important ranking factors for Google.
Broader Reach and Engagement: By making your site usable for all, you expand your potential audience, including users who rely on assistive technologies.
Lower Bounce Rates: Accessible websites keep visitors engaged for longer, which can improve metrics like bounce rates that search engines consider for ranking.
Search Engine Crawlers: Search engines also use similar techniques to make content more accessible, such as reading alt text for images or following well-structured heading tags. These are practices that also benefit users with disabilities.
What Are Some Simple Ways to Make My Website More Accessible?
Here are some practical, easy-to-implement tips to enhance your website’s accessibility while helping improve your SEO at the same time.
Write Descriptive Alt Text for Images
Alt text describes the content of images for screen readers, helping visually impaired site visitors. Additionally, it helps search engines index images better.
Tip: Keep alt text clear, concise, and relevant to the image. Avoid overloading it with keywords.
Ensure Proper Heading Structure
Using headings properly helps both screen reader users and search engines. Always start with a clear H1 tag and structure your content using H2 and H3 tags to create a hierarchy.
Action: For more on optimising heading tags, check out our blog post on why H1 headings matter for SEO.
Check Font Size
Text that is too small can be difficult to read, especially for site visitors with visual impairments. Using appropriate font size ensures that your content is legible for all site visitors.
Action: Follow WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) recommendations for font size—typically 16px for body text.
Tip: Use relative units like em or rem to make text size more flexible and responsive.
Check Colour Contrast
Colour contrast is critical for users with visual impairments, such as colour blindness. A poor contrast between text and background makes it harder to read.
Action: Use tools like Colour Contrast Analyser to test your colour combinations. Aim for a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 7:1 for smaller text.
Tip: High contrast between background and text, such as black text on a white background, provides the best readability.
Use Descriptive Link Text
Screen readers help users navigate your site by reading out the link text. Instead of using vague phrases like “click here,” use descriptive link text that tells users exactly what the link leads to. Learn more about Google's linking best practices here.
Tip: For example, "View our services" is better than "Click here."
Have Two Methods of Navigation
To meet WCAG AA standards, and generally to be helpful to your site visitors, provide two types of navigation on every page. One could be the main menu, and another could be a sidebar navigation, search box or footer menu. This provides an alternative way for users to get around your site.
Add a Footer Menu: Including a footer menu is another way to provide easier navigation. This additional menu gives users access to key pages like your About Us or Contact information at the bottom of each page, making it easier to find information without having to scroll back to the top.
Tip: Make sure the footer links are logical and accessible, providing users with a quick way to navigate to important sections of your website.
Add an Accessibility Statement
Show your commitment to accessibility by including an accessibility statement on your website. This is a simple page that lets users know about your accessibility practices and how to get in touch if they encounter an issue. Learn more about W3C's accessibility statement guidelines.
Keyboard Accessibility
Make sure all interactive elements on your site, such as buttons, forms, and links, can be navigated using only the keyboard.
Why it matters: Many users with motor impairments rely on keyboard navigation rather than a mouse.
Quick tip: Test your site by using the Tab key to make sure users can easily move through all clickable elements, like links and buttons, without a mouse.
What Tools Can I Use to Improve Accessibility and SEO?
Many tools, including accessibility checkers and SEO extensions, can help ensure your website meets accessibility standards and improves your SEO.
Wix Accessibility Wizard: If you’re using Wix (Classic Builder), the Accessibility Wizard identifies potential accessibility issues and provides guidance on how to fix them.
Google Lighthouse: Part of Google’s development tools, Lighthouse analyses accessibility, performance, and SEO to give you actionable insights.
Colour Contrast Checkers: Various colour contrast tools are available to help you ensure your colour choices meet accessibility guidelines for optimal readability.
SEO Extensions for Alt Text: Several Chrome extensions can show the alt text for images, helping you verify that each image includes relevant and descriptive text.
Legal Considerations of Website Accessibility
When it comes to web accessibility, it’s important to understand that there are legal implications in many countries that require websites to be accessible to people with disabilities. Here's an overview of what you need to know:
Global Legislation: Many countries have laws in place that mandate website accessibility. For example, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the United States requires that public-facing websites be accessible to individuals with disabilities. Similar laws exist in the UK (Equality Act 2010) and across the European Union, where businesses are required to make their websites accessible to all users.
Accessibility Statements: In several jurisdictions, having an accessibility statement on your website is now a legal requirement. This statement provides users with information about your site's accessibility features, offers a point of contact for feedback, and shows your commitment to improving accessibility. It can help protect you from potential legal disputes related to accessibility.
Compliance with WCAG: The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide the global standard for making websites more accessible. Many countries recommend or require adherence to the WCAG 2.1 AA level as part of their accessibility legislation. These guidelines cover a wide range of considerations, such as colour contrast, font size, navigational ease, and multimedia accessibility.
However, please note that while following accessibility guidelines like WCAG is a good practice, we cannot guarantee or ensure that doing so will ensure full compliance with all accessibility laws and regulations worldwide. The responsibility to review and comply with local legislation relevant to your specific business or target audience lies with you.
We recommend consulting with a lawyer or legal expert who is familiar with the specific accessibility requirements in your country or region to ensure full compliance with applicable laws.
By making your site more accessible, you can help ensure compliance with legal standards while also creating a more user-friendly experience for all visitors.
Accessibility can contribute to improved engagement and may have a positive impact on your SEO performance. Accessible websites are easier to navigate and can reach a broader audience, including those using assistive technologies. While accessibility can benefit your site, it's important to review local regulations and ensure your website meets the requirements that apply to your business.