Website Accessibility: What Agencies Need to Know for SEO & Compliance

In this Helpdesk video, we answer a concern from one of our Agency Partners: will Google start de-ranking websites that aren’t accessible by the end of the year?

We break down what accessibility really means for SEO, how it impacts user behavior (and indirectly, rankings), and why striking a balance is key. Think Core Web Vitals — useful, but not everything. Good accessibility makes for a better user experience. But Google’s top priority is high-quality content that answers user intent.

Video Transcript

0:09 We’ve got a question today from one of our partners on accessibility and its relation to SEO. They said, “Our support dev received a call about website compliance with the new act going into play. The caller claimed that Google will start deranking non-compliant sites by the end of the year. Is this accurate?”

0:28 So, you’re asking about the connection between accessibility and SEO, which is honestly a really important question and point. While good accessibility has always been a smart move for websites, it’s not directly a major SEO ranking factor with one key exception: mobile websites.

0:44 Think of it this way: Google’s algorithms aren’t directly measuring how accessible your sites are, but what does matter is how users interact with your website. And that’s where accessibility comes in.

0:56 A website that is easy to navigate, read, understand, and use by everyone, including people with disabilities, creates a better user experience. And a better user experience leads to lower bounce rates, longer time on site, and more engagement and higher conversion rates—all of which indirectly influence your SEO.

1:16 Google pays close attention to these user signals, so while accessibility isn’t a magic bullet for SEO, it’s a crucial part of creating a positive user experience on your website, which in turn benefits your search performance.

1:31 Now, there’s a balance to strike here. It’s definitely possible to overdo accessibility and spend resources on tiny efforts that aren’t really going to make an impact. It’s kind of like the situation with Core Web Vitals or your site speed. While it’s good to have a solid foundation, obsessing over a perfect 100 score isn’t going to be the thing that moves the needle.

1:51 Google’s primary focus is on high-quality, engaging content that answers users’ queries. So, our recommendation is always to create high-quality content that satisfies the user’s search intent. That’s where you’ll see the biggest return on your SEO investment. Accessibility is important, but it shouldn’t overshadow your content strategy.

2:10 If you want to learn more about prioritizing your SEO efforts where they count, I highly recommend checking out our agency partner club. We dive deep into these kinds of strategic decisions, providing you with the resources and support that you need to make informed choices about your SEO strategy.

2:27 You’ll also get access to free SEO resources like our 24/7 help desk and even free SEO audits for your clients.