How to Audit for Accessibility and SEO Best Practices Together

Discover how to streamline your website audit by combining accessibility and SEO best practices into a single, effective process. This blog post breaks down actionable steps to ensure your WordPress site not only ranks higher on search engines but also remains inclusive and user-friendly for all visitors. From WCAG compliance to on-page SEO, learn how to optimize every element the smart way.

Introduction

Why Combine Accessibility and SEO in One Audit?

Ever feel like you’re running two separate races—one for SEO and another for accessibility? Good news: you don’t have to. Many of the best practices in both areas actually align. By combining your efforts into one audit, you can save time, increase efficiency, and improve your site for both users and search engines.

The Value of a Unified Approach

Rather than running parallel audits, why not merge them? It’s more efficient, reveals shared opportunities for improvement, and provides a smoother workflow for your team. It’s like upgrading your car’s engine and fuel system at the same time—better performance all around.

Understanding the Basics

What Is Website Accessibility?

Everyone can use and comprehend your website, regardless of their impairment, thanks to website accessibility. It includes features like alt text, keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, and readable fonts.

What Are SEO Best Practices?

The main goal of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is to make your website more visible to search engines. This includes improving content, speed, meta tags, mobile usability, and structured data.

Key Overlaps Between the Two

Clear navigation benefits both users and crawlers
Descriptive alt text helps visually impaired users and boosts image SEO
Fast-loading pages support UX and Google rankings
Semantic HTML supports accessibility and indexing

Pre-Audit Preparation

Define Your Audit Goals
Are you launching a new site? Trying to boost rankings? Or meeting legal accessibility requirements? To determine the audit’s scope, explicitly define your goals.

Assemble the Right Tools
You will need to have both accessibility and SEO technologies in your toolbox.

Accessibility & SEO Audit Tools

Accessibility: WAVE, Axe, Lighthouse, NVDA
SEO: Ahrefs, SEMrush, Screaming Frog, Google Search Console
Multi-purpose: Chrome DevTools, Sitebulb, SEOptimer

Accessibility & SEO Plugin Recommendations

Top WordPress Tools That Handle Both

Yoast SEO: Enhances readability, schema, and meta tags
WP Accessibility – Adds skip links, highlights focus, and more
One Click Accessibility – Simple enhancements for accessibility
Rank Math: SEO tools with excellent user interface and schema support

Step-by-Step Audit Framework

1. Test for Mobile-Friendliness
Nearly 60% of web traffic is mobile. A responsive design isn’t optional—it’s essential.

Why It Matters for Accessibility and SEO
Google uses mobile-first indexing, and many accessibility challenges (like small tap targets) are worse on mobile. Test using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.

2. Analyze Site Structure and Navigation
Menus, internal links, and breadcrumb trails all contribute to findability and usability.

Menus, Breadcrumbs, and Internal Links

Ensure they are:

Consistent
Easily navigable by screen readers
Logical and keyword-friendly

3. Review Page Load Speed
Speed is a big deal. Visitors bounce from slow sites—and so does Google.

Accessibility and Core Web Vitals
LCP, FID, and CLS are Core Web Vitals that affect experience and performance. Reduce server response time, employ caching, and compress images.

4. Examine Headings and Semantic HTML
Headings aren’t just for style—they guide screen readers and crawlers.

Heading Hierarchies and Screen Readers
There should be one H1 on each page, followed by structured H2–H4s. Avoid skipping levels or using them for styling only.

5. Evaluate Alt Text and Media Content
Every image should tell a story—even if the user can’t see it.

Optimizing Images for All Users and Bots

Alt text should:

Describe the image
Be concise
Include keywords (only when natural)

Include captions and transcripts for video/audio content too.

6. Check Keyboard Navigation and Focus States
Users who can’t use a mouse still need to move around your site.

Usability Without a Mouse

Use visible focus indicators
Logical tab order
Include skip links at the top of the page

7. Inspect Content Readability
Readable content = better engagement + better SEO.

Plain Language, CTA Clarity, and Font Size
Use:

Short paragraphs
Bullet points
Clear CTAs
16px+ font size
High contrast text/background

8. Audit Meta Tags and Structured Data
Search engines use metadata to understand your site. Make it count.

Schema Markup That Enhances Accessibility
Use structured data for:

Products
FAQs
Articles

This improves visibility in SERPs and clarifies information for screen readers.

Testing Forms and Interactive Elements

Proper Labeling and Error Messaging
All form fields must have <label> tags and clear error messages. Use placeholder text sparingly.

ARIA Roles and Validation Feedback
ARIA attributes improve accessibility but must be implemented correctly. Avoid overuse, and test with screen readers.

Common Issues Found During Audits

Overlooked Accessibility Flaws

Missing alt text
Inaccessible forms
Low contrast colors
Lack of ARIA labeling

SEO Red Flags That Impact UX

Duplicate meta tags
Broken internal links
Thin content
Keyword stuffing

Also Read
How to Segment Your SEO Strategy by Targeting Markets
Training for WordPress SEO That Works for Any Niche Website
How Training for WordPress SEO Boosts Your Blogging Revenue

Fixing What You Find

Prioritizing Based on Impact
Focus on:

Legal requirements first
Ranking factors next
Minor issues last

Collaborating with Devs, Designers, and Writers
Accessibility and SEO are team sports. Include everyone in the audit feedback process.

Ongoing Maintenance After the Audit

Set a Schedule for Regular Audits
Quarterly audits help catch issues before they become big problems.

Keep Up with SEO and Accessibility Trends
Follow Google Search Central, WebAIM, and industry blogs to stay updated.

Conclusion

Auditing your website for both accessibility and SEO is more than just a checkbox exercise — it’s a smart, future-focused strategy. By combining these two powerful disciplines, you create a site that’s discoverable, usable, inclusive, and competitive. Everyone wins — your visitors, your rankings, and your reputation.