SEO And Accessibility: Why It Matters For Small Businesses

Have you ever thought about how accessible your website is? Have you ever tried navigating your sales page without a mouse or listening to your homepage through a screen reader? If you’re like most business owners, probably not. Accessibility is easy to overlook because it’s not something most people think about. Not until they have to.

That’s why digital accessibility might be the hidden growth strategy you’re missing. It’s essential for people with disabilities. It makes your product or service an obvious choice over a competitor that hasn’t prioritized it. Beyond reaching a wider audience, accessibility improvements make your site better, faster, and more visible in search rankings.

The good news? Many accessibility improvements are simple, cost-effective, and easy to implement. Even small changes can have a big impact. Read on for a clear, step-by-step guide to improving your site’s accessibility at your own pace. 

Key takeaways:

1. Inclusive design is a smart business move; overlooking accessibility means potentially losing nearly 28% of American adults as customers.
2. Accessibility improves SEO because many best practices are direct Google ranking factors. 
3. Small changes can significantly improve your website’s functionality without requiring a complete overhaul.

Accessibility is more than just compliance

Many businesses see accessibility as only a compliance issue, but it’s also a smart business strategy. About 1 in 4 U.S. adults has a disability according to the CDC, meaning a significant portion of potential customers may struggle to use websites. A hard-to-use site drives people away, costing you leads and revenue.

In contrast, a site that’s easy to use keeps visitors engaged longer, reduces bounce rates, and improves conversions—all of which influence SEO rankings. Most inclusive changes don’t just help one group of potential clients; they enhance the experience for everyone. In this light, accessibility is a hidden growth strategy. 

Prioritizing functionality ensures you’re not shutting out potential customers that your competitors might be ignoring—all while strengthening your SEO and increasing conversions. Better yet, implementing it is easier than you might expect. This article includes a checklist with easy, medium, and advanced steps you can start today.

What access means in a digital context

What is digital accessibility?

Digital accessibility ensures that everyone, including individuals with disabilities, can fully access and interact with online content. It removes barriers to website and app use. This concept is not just a matter of inclusivity; it’s a practical approach that can improve the overall user experience.

As Sheri Byrne-Haber, a respected advocate for the deaf and digital accessibility, writes on her website, “The disability is not the barrier. The barrier exists solely because the software or content fails to account for the wide range of abilities and needs of their users.” If your website isn’t accessible, it’s your responsibility to fix it.

What are some benefits of digital accessibility?

Accessibility-friendly design means making your site navigable and usable for people with all abilities. For example, people with visual impairments often rely on screen readers, which read aloud the text on the page. People with limited mobility may navigate websites via keyboard shortcuts, rather than a mouse. 

Adding features like alt text for images, captions for videos, and high-contrast color schemes means that your content is easily understood and usable by people with different needs. 

Inclusive web design means designing for neurodiverse people who may struggle with overwhelming layouts, flashing animations, or unclear navigation paths.

Why is digital accessibility important for businesses?

For small and mid-sized businesses, digital accessibility is more than a compliance requirement. It’s an opportunity to reach a broader audience. Accessible websites create a more welcoming experience for all customers. 

In the U.S., the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires businesses to make websites accessible. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide a set of standards to help guide businesses in creating websites. However, many businesses still ignore digital accessibility. According to WCAG’s 2024 report, 95.9% of home pages had some sort of error, with the most common errors being low-contrast text or missing alt text. 

Non-compliance with these regulations can result in lawsuits, such as Robles v. Domino’s Pizza and National Federation of the Blind v. Target. Small businesses aren’t immune. During the first half of 2024, 1467 lawsuits related to website accessibility were filed. More than 30% of those lawsuits involved Shopify, an e-commerce platform commonly used by small businesses. WordPress, another popular platform for small business websites, hosted about 16% of the sites involved in ADA compliance lawsuits.

Focusing on accessibility helps small businesses avoid legal issues and improves their online presence. This is an opportunity to stand out in a competitive market and build a stronger connection with your audience.

How Google views accessibility and SEO

Google’s official stance is that accessible websites are good, but not directly rewarded for being accessible. In terms of SEO impact, Google’s John Mueller says accessibility is not a direct ranking factor. However, he does recommend it for better user experience. 

Google invests in accessible tools, products, and research. 

Eve Andersson, Google’s Director of Accessibility Engineering, shared two interesting perspectives with Co.Design: “Accessibility is a basic human right” and “I’m passionate about accessibility, not just because I believe in a level playing field…But because [inclusive design] makes life more livable for everyone.” 

Nimer Jaber, a Google Android Accessibility Analyst who happens to be blind, shares “The biggest barrier I face is not the lack of vision; it is the environment that is set up to be so reliant on vision and the disparity in the amount and quality of information that is available to me.”

These quotes, and many of Google’s products and features, suggest that the most popular search engine in the world champions inclusive accessibility for all.

Aligning accessibility and SEO

Many accessibility improvements naturally align with SEO ranking factors, which Google rewards. Specifically, improving your on-page experience and your site’s structure will help with your SEO and ADA goals.

Core Web Vitals, a set of metrics Google uses to evaluate page experience, is a perfect example of this overlap. Improving the Core Web Vitals improves your page experience while also making your site more accessible. How a website’s content is structured also plays a role in both usability and SEO. Incorporate both improvement strategies for long-term success.

Core Web Vitals that improve SEO and accessibility

Optimizing Core Web Vitals creates a better experience. Core Web Vitals measure how quickly your page first loads (Largest Contentful Paint), how long it takes to be able to interact with your page (Interaction to Next Paint), and how much the content of your page shifts when it’s fully loaded (Cumulative Layout Shift). In brief: faster, more stable sites perform better in search rankings and offer a better page experience. Here are some aspects to focus on:

• Page speed: Faster load times benefit all users, but they’re especially critical for people using screen readers or assistive devices.
• Interactivity: A site that responds quickly improves the experience for all users. Ensure buttons, forms, and menus are keyboard-accessible to make interactions smoother for visitors who don’t use a mouse.
• Visual stability: Page elements that shift unexpectedly can be frustrating for all users, but they’re especially problematic for people with cognitive disabilities or those using screen magnifiers. If your text loads in 1.8 seconds but your hero image loads in 5.3 seconds, all your content will shift down after a few seconds. 

Making these changes will have a real impact on your business. Businesses websites that improved their Web Core Vitals saw results like better 70% click-through-rates, 80 to 100% higher conversion rates, and 28% more organic traffic.

Structured content enhances page navigation

Search engines and assistive technologies both rely on structured content to understand a webpage. Organizing content in a clear, predictable way helps both groups process information efficiently. Key areas where accessibility and SEO align include:

• Semantic HTML: Using properly structured headings (h1, h2, h3) improves readability for screen readers and helps search engines understand content hierarchy.
• Alt text for images: Descriptive alt text helps visually impaired users understand images and allows search engines to index them properly.
• Captions and transcripts: Video captions assist people who are deaf or in noisy environments while also making video content searchable.
• Keyboard navigation: Ensuring all interactive elements can be accessed without a mouse benefits users with motor impairments and improves usability for everyone.

While businesses often prioritize SEO rankings, they frequently overlook accessibility optimizations. However, the two often go hand in hand. A top-notch website is one that anyone can navigate and use comfortably.

Accessibility as a competitive advantage

Making your website accessible is more than a legal requirement—it is a smart business decision. More than 61 million U.S. adults have a disability, and many depend on websites to browse, shop, and access services. A website that is easy to navigate, readable, and functional for everyone can bring in customers who might otherwise be excluded. 

Beyond legal compliance and improving user experience, prioritizing accessibility offers a competitive advantage. Businesses that lead in inclusive design not only stand out and a highly engaged audience. People with disabilities tend to be highly loyal to brands that accommodate them, leading to repeat business and positive word-of-mouth.

How brands are leading in digital inclusive design today

Some businesses have made digital accessibility a core part of their online experience, setting an example for others to follow. Here are two examples of good pages along with accessibility reports with suggestions of improvements. 

Example: Aveda

Aveda, a beauty brand, has designed its website with high-contrast, legible fonts and clear navigation, making it easier for all users to browse and shop. Their video tutorials include captions so that people who are deaf or hard of hearing can engage with their content.

I tested Aveda’s site with the free Google PageSpeed tool. This page has a good accessibility score, but could improve by improving the ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) elements.

Example: PlaySpark

PlaySpark, a lifestyle brand with disability-positive appeal, has built an inclusive online shopping experience. Their website features simple yet playful elements to engage visitors without surprising them. For example, the top menu goes away when you start to scroll. There’s also a carousel that slowly displays the site’s designs, and pauses instantly when your cursor hovers over an image.

When I tested this URL with the PageSpeed Insights tool, I found that PlaySpark has a good accessibility score, but adding alt text to images would improve it further. 

Both brands show that accessibility is not just about compliance. It’s about creating a better experience for everyone. Businesses that simplify their designs make their websites more welcoming and functional. 

Priority checklist for SMBs to improve website accessibility (with estimated time commitments)

You don’t need to tackle everything at once to make your website more accessible. Below is a priority checklist with estimated time commitments, so you can fit small improvements in whenever you have time. 

These tasks are divided into three categories: easy, high-impact fixes that require little to no technical skills, moderate efforts that might need some help, and higher-effort changes that might involve expertise or financial investment. Start with simple steps and gradually move towards more advanced optimizations, all while improving both user experience and SEO.

Easy, high-impact fixes (5–30 minutes per task, no cost, no technical skills required)

• Test your site with free accessibility checkers (WAVE, Google Lighthouse Chrome extension, or PageSpeed Insights) (30 min)
• Add alt text to all images and graphics within your CMS platform manually or Ahref’s Free AI Image Alt Text Generator (5–10 min per page)
• Update generic link text to descriptive anchor text (5–10 min per page)
• Use clear, descriptive headings to improve readability (10–15 min per page)
• Avoid flashing animations that may cause seizures or discomfort (5 min)
• Use high-contrast colors for text and backgrounds; use AudioEye or WebAIM to check (10–20 min)
• Write accessible social media posts (e.g., use camel case for hashtags: #SmallBusinessMarketing; include alt text for images) (5 min per post)
• Provide closed captions for all video content (YouTube auto-generates, but review for accuracy) (10–30 min per video)
• Test keyboard navigation by navigating your site without a mouse (10 min)
• Simplify website forms with clear labels and error messages (15–30 min per form)

Moderate effort, some technical adjustments (30 minutes – 2 hours per task, may require some help)

• Enable text resizing without breaking the page layout (30–60 min)
• Ensure buttons and links are large enough and have enough spacing (30–60 min)
• Optimize site speed using Google PageSpeed Insights or a similar tool (1–2 hours, may need a developer)
• Add text alternatives for charts, infographics, and videos (30 min–1 hour per page)
• Use semantic HTML (correct heading structure, proper use of lists and tables) (1–2 hours, may need a developer)
• Offer an accessibility statement explaining available site features (30–60 min)

Higher effort or cost, requires expertise or financial investment (several hours to ongoing work)

• Train your team on accessible content creation and digital marketing best practices (Ongoing, 2–4 hours for initial training)
• Conduct usability testing with people who rely on assistive technology (2–5 hours, plus setup time)
• Hire an accessibility consultant for a professional audit and long-term strategy (Varies, typically several weeks to complete)

These actionable steps were written for anyone to implement with minimal outside resources. However, if you have the opportunity, get advice from multiple disabled people. Someone with ADHD will have a different perspective from someone who is deaf. Someone with a motor impairment will raise different concerns from someone who is red-green colorblind. Derek Featherstone, a leading voice of inclusive design, offers this advice on his website: “Find ways to engage more people with disabilities, earlier in the process, in a more meaningful way.” 

SEO and accessibility: A better growth strategy

Digital accessibility is a legal requirement, yes, as well as a moral business strategy. Your investment will improve your overall user experience, search engine visibility, and make your site more welcoming. Overlooking it could mean turning away nearly 28% of American adults who might otherwise become customers.

You can start with a checklist, or start with a tool, or start with a conversation. However you start, your investment will help your website to reach new people. Even small changes, like adding descriptive alt text and heading tags, create a better experience for everyone. That’s exactly what Google prioritizes in search rankings: an experience better than the competing pages.

It doesn’t matter how you start. What matters is taking action. Every step toward accessibility is a step toward a stronger, better business. 

FAQs about accessibility and SEO

Is making my website accessible expensive?

No. Many basic fixes are free (e.g., adding alt text, adjusting contrast). Even more advanced upgrades, such as improving site navigation, typically cost less than potential legal fees from non-compliance lawsuits. Plus, accessibility improvements often enhance user experience and SEO, making them a smart long-term investment.

Does accessibility only help people with disabilities?

No. Accessibility improves UX for everyone. Seniors, mobile users, and people in noisy environments who rely on captions all appreciate accessible accommodations. Good accessibility practices create a smoother, more user-friendly experience for everyone.

Will improving accessibility slow down my website?

Not at all! In fact, many inclusive changes actually improve page speed. Optimizing images, simplifying code, and removing unnecessary animations makes your site faster, more efficient, and possibly more visible.

How can I check if my site is accessible?

Start with free tools. Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool audits accessibility alongside performance and SEO. WAVE and WebAIM’s Contrast Checker identify issues like poor color contrast and missing alt text. WAGC has more in-depth guidelines that are free to all.