Web Accessibility Is the New SEO: How ADA Compliance Can Boost Your Rankings

If you’re focused on growing your website’s visibility, there’s a powerful, often overlooked tactic that could boost your SEO—web accessibility.

Search engines like Google don’t just crawl for content—they crawl for quality. And many of the same principles that make a site accessible to people with disabilities also make it easier for search engines to understand and rank.

In this post, we’ll explore how web accessibility and SEO are closely linked—and how tools like Reguweb can help you achieve both.

Happy man looking at laptop screen

What Is Web Accessibility?

Web accessibility means designing and developing your website so that everyone, including people with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments, can use it effectively.

This includes:

  • Proper use of alt text for images

  • Clear heading structures

  • Keyboard navigability

  • Adequate contrast between text and background

  • Descriptive link text

 

Accessible websites follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which are also increasingly cited in SEO best practices. Read more about Americans with Disabilities Act compliance (or ADA compliance), and European Accessibility Act compliance (or EAA compliance).

The SEO Benefits of Accessible Design

When you make your website accessible, you improve several key elements that also impact your search engine rankings:

 

  1. Alt Text Improves Image SEO

    • Alt attributes help users with screen readers, but they also give search engines more context about your visuals.

  2. Semantic HTML Boosts Indexing

    • Using proper HTML elements (like , , , ) helps screen readers—and Google—understand your content hierarchy.

  3. Clear Navigation Reduces Bounce Rates

    • Simple, intuitive navigation improves user experience and dwell time, both of which are positive SEO signals.

  4. Video Captions and Transcripts Index Content

    • Providing captions and transcripts allows Google to index spoken content in your videos.

  5. Fast Loading, Clean Code

    • Accessibility-friendly code is usually streamlined and optimized—resulting in faster load times and better mobile usability, both key SEO factors.

  6. Improved Mobile Usability

    • Accessibility often overlaps with mobile-friendly design, helping you meet Google’s mobile-first indexing standards.

Accessibility Helps With Voice Search Too

As voice search continues to grow, accessibility best practices like semantic structure and clear content become even more important. Screen readers and voice assistants rely on structured data and logical page design—just like Google’s ranking algorithm.

 

Meet Both Goals With Reguweb

Instead of juggling multiple tools to optimize your website for compliance and SEO, Reguweb offers a comprehensive solution:

  • Automated Accessibility Scans that flag issues impacting both usability and discoverability.

  • Actionable Reports that show you how to fix alt text, headings, navigation, and more.

  • Accessibility Widget that enhances UX without compromising performance.

  • Manual Reviews to catch subtle issues that automation may miss.

Reguweb even helps agencies who want to upsell accessibility as part of a broader SEO or website redesign package.

 

Real Results: Accessibility as a Ranking Factor

While Google hasn’t confirmed that accessibility is a direct ranking factor, its components—like mobile usability, site structure, and user experience—definitely are.

In other words: the more accessible your site is, the easier it is for Google to index and recommend it.

 

Bonus: Reduce Risk and Build Trust

Accessible websites aren’t just better optimized—they also help protect your business from lawsuits under ADA (U.S.) or EAA (EU) regulations. On top of that, they enhance your brand’s image as inclusive and forward-thinking. 

 

Final Thoughts

Accessibility and SEO are no longer separate goals. They’re intertwined. And with Reguweb, you don’t have to choose between ranking higher and being inclusive—you can do both.

Ready to climb the search results while building a better digital experience for all?

 

👉 Start your free Reguweb trial today and see how accessibility can drive your SEO success.