Creating an ADA-compliant website helps you comply with the rules and, at the same time, offers a superior experience for all users and improves where you appear in search engine results. Considering that 25% of people in the US have a disability, not making websites and apps accessible means losing the opportunity to serve millions.
Making images accessible with alt text, organizing your headings and ensuring keyboard use improve the experience for individuals with disabilities and help search engines to properly rank your website. Companies like EqualWeb help fill the gap between meeting standards and providing the best possible experience for every user.
Implementing inclusive design allows businesses to reach more people, improve user interaction and improve how they appear on search engines, all while ensuring their websites accessibility. Thanks to these efforts, the web has become an equal place for everyone by enhancing website accessibility.
Why Accessibility and SEO Work Together
Websites with clear and structured content are preferred by search engines and that is also a guideline for accessibility. Alt text that tells a screen reader what an image shows, well-structured headings and navigation that can be used with a keyboard all help your site in search engine results.
This dual benefit means accessible sites often rank higher and reach more users.
Key Areas Where ADA and SEO Overlap
1. Alt Text for Images
- Accessibility: Support for screen readers ensures visually impaired users can access and understand pictures on web pages.
- SEO: Offers helpful information for search engines, boosting your image’s chances of appearing in search results.
2. Heading Structure
- Accessibility: Allows screen reader users to navigate content efficiently.
- SEO: Signals content hierarchy to search algorithms, boosting relevance.
3. Video Captions and Transcripts
- Accessibility: Makes it possible for deaf or hard-of-hearing users to access videos or images.
- SEO: Adds indexable text, capturing keyword-rich content.
Design Choices That Enhance Both Accessibility and Usability
1. Color Contrast & Fonts
High-contrast color schemes (4.5:1 minimum) and legible fonts (16px or larger) aid users with low vision while keeping all visitors engaged longer—a metric search engine reward.
2. Mobile Optimization
Given that nearly six out of ten global website visitors use mobile devices, responsive design should be a priority. Mobile sites created for accessibility do not use small designs or buttons, which lowers bounce rates and helps websites rank higher in search engines.
How to Get Started
- Audit Your Site: Run your website through evaluation tools like WAVE or EqualWeb to detect accessibility issues.
- Prioritize Fixes: Tackle critical issues like missing alt text and keyboard navigation first.
- Train Your Team: Ensure content creators understand basics like descriptive links and semantic HTML.
The Bottom Line
Beyond protecting businesses against lawsuits, ADA compliance helps them achieve noticeable results. If a website is easy to use on any device, it performs better in search, attracts more users and brings in new visitors. When companies adopt inclusive design, they make their websites easier to use for everyone and improve their visibility online.
With EqualWeb, organizations can gain website accessibility that is useful for society and their business by making the website easier to use and search for on the internet.
