Have you ever had trouble reading small writing on a webpage? Or tried clicking a button on your phone that was too small? That’s an accessibility problem. And guess what? These same issues that frustrate users also hurt your Google rankings!
As a web development company in India, we help businesses fix these problems every day. Let me explain how accessibility and SEO work together, in plain English.
What Does “Accessibility” Really Mean?
Imagine you own a shop. You wouldn’t build stairs as the only entrance, right? You’d add a ramp so everyone can enter easily – including people with wheelchairs, parents with strollers, or delivery workers with heavy boxes.
Your website is the same. Accessibility means building your site so everyone can use it:
- People who can’t see well or are blind
- People who can’t hear
- People who struggle to use a mouse
- Older people who aren’t tech-savvy
- Anyone using a phone on a bumpy bus ride!
When your site works for everyone, it works better for Google, too.
Why Does Poor Accessibility Kill Your Google Rankings?
Let me break this down in simple terms:
1. Google Can’t Understand Your Website
Think of Google as a blind person using your website. Google reads your site the same way blind people do – through text descriptions and structure.
If you have images without descriptions, confusing navigation, or videos without text, Google gets lost. When Google is confused, it won’t show your website to people searching online.
Bottom line: No accessibility = Google can’t read your site = You don’t show up in searches.
2. People Leave Your Website Immediately
Here’s a scary fact: 71 out of 100 people with disabilities will leave a difficult website within seconds.
When people bounce off your site quickly, Google thinks, “This site must be useless” and drops your rankings. It’s like having customers walk into your shop and immediately walk out – bad for business!
3. Your Mobile Site Becomes Unusable
More people browse websites on phones than computers now. Google knows this and ranks mobile-friendly sites higher.
Many accessibility fixes (like bigger buttons and readable text) automatically make your mobile site better. Skip accessibility, and your mobile site suffers. Bad mobile site = lower Google rankings.
4. People Don’t Engage With Your Content
When your site is hard to use, people:
- Don’t read multiple pages
- Don’t stay long
- Don’t buy anything
- Don’t fill out contact forms
Google tracks all of this. Low engagement tells Google your site isn’t valuable, so down go your rankings.
5. You Risk Legal Problems
Many countries now require accessible websites by law. Companies have been sued and fined for inaccessible websites. Beyond the legal risk, bad accessibility damages your reputation.
Simple Steps Anyone Can Follow
To make your website better, you don’t have to be a tech expert. Here are practical steps explained in everyday language:
Step 1: Describe Your Pictures
Every image on your website needs a short description. Not “image123.jpg” but something helpful like “Happy customer using our product.”
Why this matters: Blind people hear these descriptions. Google reads them too. No descriptions = missed opportunities in Google Image search.
Step 2: Organize Your Content Properly
Think of your webpage like a book. You have:
- One main title (like a book title)
- Chapter headings (main sections)
- Subheadings (smaller sections)
Use this structure on every page. Don’t randomly make text big or bold – use proper headings.
Why this matters: Google understands your content structure and can show your site in special “featured snippet” boxes at the top of search results.
Step 3: Make Your Site Work Without a Mouse
Some people can’t use a mouse. They navigate using keyboard keys like Tab and Enter.
Try this right now: Unplug your mouse and try using your website with just your keyboard. Can you do everything? If not, it needs fixing.
Why this matters: Good keyboard navigation means better site organization, which Google loves.
Step 4: Add Text Versions of Videos
If you have videos on your site, add captions (text that appears while the video plays) and a written transcript (all the words typed out).
Why this matters: Google can’t watch videos. But Google can read text. More readable text = better SEO. Plus, deaf people can now understand your videos!
Step 5: Make Text Easy to Read
Your text should be distinct from the background. Light gray text on white background? Terrible. Black text on white? Perfect.
Why this matters: When people can’t read your text, they leave. High bounce rate = lower rankings.
Step 6: Write Clear Links
Don’t write links that say “click here” or “read more.” Instead, write what the link actually goes to, like “Read our pricing guide” or “Contact our team.”
Why this matters: Google reads your links to understand what pages are about. Clear links = better rankings.
Step 7: Make Your Site Work on All Devices
Your website should look great and work perfectly whether someone visits on:
- A large desktop computer
- A laptop
- A tablet
- A phone
Text should be readable without zooming. Buttons must to be simple to press with the thumb.
Why this matters: Google ranks mobile-friendly sites higher. Period.
Step 8: Label Your Interactive Elements
Every button, form field, and dropdown menu needs a clear label. When someone fills out a contact form, they should know exactly what information goes where.
Why this matters: Clear labels help both users and Google understand what everything does.
Step 9: Speed Up Your Website
Nobody waits for slow websites.People leave your website if it takes longer than three seconds to load.
Make your site faster by:
- Using smaller image files
- Choosing good hosting
- Cleaning up unnecessary code
Why this matters: Page speed directly affects your Google rankings. Faster site = higher rankings.
Step 10: Test Everything
Don’t guess – actually test your website using:
- Free tools like Google Lighthouse
- Your own hands (try using your site with just a keyboard)
- Real people with disabilities (ask for honest feedback)
Why this matters: You can’t fix problems you don’t know about.
A Real Story From Our Clients
We worked with a company whose website had:
- No image descriptions
- Messy headings
- Videos without captions
- Text that was hard to read
After we fixed these issues:
- Their website traffic increased by 43%
- People stayed 35% longer on their site
- Google rankings improved for 67% of their important keywords
- Sales increased significantly
The owner told us, “I never realized accessibility and SEO were connected!”
Your Simple Action Plan
Don’t try to fix everything at once. Here’s a realistic plan:
Week 1: Add descriptions to all your images
Week 2: Fix your headings on your main pages
Week 3: Test keyboard navigation
Month 2: Add captions to videos
Ongoing: Keep testing and improving
Why This Matters for Your Business
Better accessibility means:
- More customers: 15% of people worldwide have some disability. That’s billions of potential customers!
- Better Google rankings: Everything that helps accessibility also helps SEO
- Increased sales: When your site is easy to use, more people buy
- Future-proof business: Voice search and AI rely on accessible website structures
- Competitive edge: Most websites still have these problems. Fix yours first!
When to Get Professional Help
You can fix basic issues yourself. But for the best results, work with experts.
A professional web development company in India like Web India Solutions will:
- Find all accessibility problems (not just the obvious ones)
- Fix issues correctly the first time
- Make sure changes help both accessibility and SEO
- Keep your site compliant with legal requirements
- Monitor and maintain your site over time
We’ve spent 17+ years helping businesses build websites that work for everyone and rank high on Google.
The Simple Truth
Here’s what it all comes down to:
If people can use your website easily, Google will rank it higher.
Accessibility and SEO aren’t separate things. They’re two sides of the same coin. When you make your site accessible:
- Blind people can use it
- Google can understand it
- Phone users have a better experience
- Your rankings improve
- More people find and use your site
- Your business grows
It’s not about following complicated rules. It’s about being considerate to all your users – and Google rewards you for it.
Ready to Make Your Website Work for Everyone?
Don’t let poor accessibility hold your business back. Whether you fix issues yourself or hire the best SEO company in India, the important thing is to start now.
At Web India Solutions, we make websites that everyone can use and Google loves to rank. We’ll check your website, show you what needs fixing, and help you climb those search rankings while serving all your customers better.
Because at the end of the day, a website that works for everyone is a website that works for your business.
