Why Accessibility Is No Longer Optional in 2026
Digital accessibility (web accessibility) ensures that websites can be used by everyone — regardless of physical, sensory or cognitive limitations. In Switzerland, over 1.7 million people live with a disability. In the EU, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) makes WCAG AA legally mandatory for many digital products from June 2025.
But accessibility is not just a legal obligation — it is good design. An accessible website is better for everyone: clear structure, good contrasts, fast loading times and intuitive navigation. And: Google rates many accessibility factors positively for SEO.
Understanding the WCAG Standards
WCAG 2.2 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) defines four principles: Perceivable (content accessible to all senses — alt texts, subtitles, contrasts), Operable (keyboard navigation, enough time, no seizure triggers), Understandable (clear language, predictable navigation, error prevention) and Robust (compatible with different browsers, screen readers and technologies). WCAG AA is the recommended standard — a pragmatic compromise between effort and impact.
The 10 Most Important Accessibility Measures
1) Alt texts for all images — descriptive and contextually relevant. 2) Sufficient colour contrasts — at least 4.5:1 for text (WCAG AA). 3) Keyboard navigation — all elements reachable via Tab. 4) Semantic HTML — correct heading hierarchy (H1→H2→H3). 5) Focus indicators — visible marking of the active element. 6) Form labels — every input field has an associated label. 7) Skip links — 'Skip to content' for screen readers. 8) ARIA labels — for interactive elements without visible text. 9) Responsive design — zoom up to 200% without information loss. 10) Clear language — short sentences, simple words, good structure.
Accessibility and SEO: The Synergy
Many accessibility measures simultaneously improve your SEO: Alt texts help Google understand images (image SEO). Semantic HTML improves content structure for crawlers. Good contrasts and readability reduce the bounce rate. Fast loading time (part of accessibility) is a direct Core Web Vitals ranking factor. Accessible websites rank better on average — because they are better built.
Testing and Tools
Automated tools find approximately 30–40% of issues: Google Lighthouse (accessibility score), axe DevTools (browser extension), WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool). Manual testing is essential: test navigation using only the keyboard, try screen readers (VoiceOver on Mac, NVDA on Windows), check colour contrasts with Contrast Checker. At DLM Digital, we integrate WCAG AA compliance as standard in all web projects — at no extra charge.
