[Practical Edition] 8 Web Accessibility Measures That “Definitely” Improve SEO and a Complete Guide to Legal Risks of Neglect (2025 Edition)

Key Points First (Inverted Pyramid)

• Moz’s latest mid-tier article presents 8 specific measures directly tied to search rankings: ①Alternative text, ②Color contrast, ③Descriptive anchors, ④Minimal ARIA, ⑤Headings & landmarks, ⑥Keyboard & focus, ⑦Captions & transcripts, ⑧Forms & error messages. All of these enhance the structure that benefits both users and search engines.
• Legal risks can’t be ignored. The European Accessibility Act (EAA) takes effect from June 28, 2025, with member states implementing enforceable measures. In Japan, as of April 2024, private businesses are also obligated to provide reasonable accommodations. Public websites commonly declare JIS X 8341-3 compliance and publish test results.
• For results in just 90 minutes, focus on these five: fix contrast in main templates → audit all alt text → replace vague link texts → add video captions → structure heading hierarchy. This improves bounce rates, indexability, and image search traffic all at once.
• Target audience: B2B lead-gen sites, EC product detail pages, recruitment/education/medical/municipal sites, and those targeting the EU market. Includes ready-to-use examples for those seeking to enhance SEO, legal compliance, and UX holistically.

1｜Why “Accessible = SEO Friendly”? — Because It Adds Structured Text

Most accessibility practices revolve around converting content into shareable, structured text—making meaning clear for both humans and machines. Clearly describing the intent of images, videos, and UI elements via alt text, contextual links, and semantic heading levels enables screen readers and search engines to grasp context more effectively.

Structuring is key. Use heading levels (h1–h6) to organize arguments, define page regions with <main>, <nav>, and context-rich anchor text. These directly improve SEO index quality, which in turn enhances user flow and time-on-site.

2｜8 Measures (1–4): Moz’s Top Priority Fixes

Measure 1: Write Alt Text Based on Purpose

• Keep it short, specific, and goal-oriented. Use empty alt (alt="") for decorative images.
• Moz recommends natural, descriptive language and periods for pause cues in screen readers.

Good Example

<img src="golden-retriever-fetch.jpg" 
     alt="A golden retriever chasing a ball in the park.">

Bad Example: alt="dog image cute" (unclear and keyword-stuffed)

Measure 2: Color Contrast to Ensure Legibility

• Maintain at least 4.5:1 contrast between text and background (3:1 for large text). Clear readability reduces bounce, indirectly boosting SEO.
• CSS Tip: Use brand colors for decorative elements. Fix headings, body, and links with accessible base colors.

Measure 3: Use Descriptive Anchor Text

• Avoid vague phrases like “click here.” Instead, include destination, action, or result in the anchor text. This helps both assistive technology and search crawlers understand the context.

Examples

• NG: Click here → OK: Read our SEO Strategy Guide (Intro)
• NG: PDF → OK: 2025 Pricing Sheet (PDF, 1.2MB)

Measure 4: Use ARIA Sparingly and Precisely

• Use aria-label or aria-live to communicate UI purpose or updates, but avoid overuse. Rely on native HTML semantics first, and only supplement with minimal ARIA.

Example

<button aria-label="Close menu" onclick="closeMenu()">×</button>

3｜8 Measures (5–8): Finishing Touches on Structure, Media & Input

Measure 5: Headings & Landmarks to Communicate Structure

• Use h1→h2→h3… in logical order. Headings should summarize the section.
• Page structure should use landmarks like <header><nav><main><aside><footer> for clarity. This improves screen reader navigation and SEO’s understanding of content flow.

Example

<nav aria-label="Primary navigation">…</nav>
<main id="content">
  <h1>Product Support</h1>
  <section aria-labelledby="faq">
    <h2 id="faq">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>
    …
  </section>
</main>

Measure 6: Keyboard Navigation and Visible Focus

• Ensure all key paths are reachable via Tab/Shift+Tab.
• Provide high-contrast outlines and prevent focus from being obscured. WCAG 2.2 includes new guidelines like “Focus Not Obscured” and “Focus Appearance”.

CSS Example

:focus-visible {
  outline: 3px solid #005fcc;
  outline-offset: 3px;
}

Measure 7: Captions/Transcripts & Autoplay Controls

• Use <track kind="captions"> for videos. Add headings to transcripts to make them search-friendly.
• Provide ways to pause/stop/hide autoplay or flashing content, helping with focus and UX metrics.

Example

<video controls>
  <source src="intro.mp4" type="video/mp4">
  <track kind="captions" src="intro_ja.vtt" srclang="ja" label="Japanese captions" default>
</video>

Measure 8: Clear Forms & Error Messages

• Add explicit labels and indicate required fields (e.g., aria-required="true").
• Show location, reason, and fix for errors in text, and enable keyboard navigation to errors. This improves conversion and reduces bounce, impacting SEO indirectly.

4｜90-Minute Improvement Checklist

1. Fix contrast (AA level 4.5:1) for body text, headings, and links. Use tools like WebAIM and reserve brand colors for decorative use.
2. Alt text audit: Rewrite all alt tags for purpose-based clarity (e.g., products, banners, thumbnails).
3. Link copy rewrite: Replace all “click here” with action-driven link texts.
4. Add video captions and controls.
5. Ensure proper heading levels and landmarks (<main> should appear only once per page).

This “Power 5” already improves bounce rate, session duration, CVR, and indexing clarity.

5｜Legal Risks & Compliance: Current Status in the EU & Japan

• EU: European Accessibility Act (EAA)
  Adopted in 2019, enforceable from June 28, 2025. Applies to many products/services, with member states establishing penalties. E-commerce and cross-border platforms must be designed with compliance in mind.

• Japan: Amended Act on Elimination of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities
  From April 1, 2024, private businesses must offer reasonable accommodation. Includes accessible alternatives for information and operation.

• JIS X 8341-3:2016 (Domestic Standard)
  Common among central and local governments to declare compliance and publish test results. Refer to examples from Japan’s Digital Agency or Ministry of Health. Clearly define scope, target level (AA recommended), test pages, and results.

Summary: EAA for EU-focused sites/apps, JIS compliance for public entities, and reasonable accommodation for all private entities. Accessibility must now be included in guidelines and auditing systems.

6｜Who Benefits & Which KPIs Improve?

• B2B Download Sites:
  Purposeful alt and descriptive anchors clarify resource value → higher download rates. Video intros with captions → longer visits from decision-makers. KPIs: DL completions / page flow / non-branded search traffic.

• E-commerce Product Pages:
  Use alt text for color, texture, usage, and captions for product videos. Clarify form errors to increase purchase completions. KPIs: image search traffic / cart abandonment / return reasons.

• Recruiting, Education, Healthcare, Municipalities:
  Use structured headings/landmarks to reduce navigation friction. Keyboard and focus visibility makes forms/booking accessible to all. Declaring JIS compliance boosts auditability and trust.

7｜Copy-and-Paste Code Samples

7-1. Images and Links

<!-- Decorative image with empty alt -->
<img src="divider.svg" alt="">
<!-- Descriptive image -->
<img src="report-2025.png" alt="Sales trend graph for 2025 comparing three key markets.">
<!-- Contextual anchor (image link) -->
<a href="/case/voicebot">
  <img src="case-voicebot.jpg" alt="Voice bot case study: Automated first responses.">
</a>

7-2. Focus & Skip Links

<a class="skip-link" href="#content">Skip to main content</a>
<style>
.skip-link {
  position:absolute; left:-9999px;
}
.skip-link:focus {
  left:16px; top:16px; background:#fff; color:#000; padding:.5rem 1rem;
  outline:3px solid #005fcc; outline-offset:2px;
}
:focus-visible {
  outline:3px solid #005fcc; outline-offset:3px;
}
</style>

7-3. Forms and Error Messages

<label for="email">Email Address <span aria-hidden="true">*</span></label>
<input id="email" name="email" type="email" aria-required="true" aria-describedby="err-email">
<p id="err-email" class="error" role="alert" hidden>Please enter a valid email address.</p>
<script>
  const input = document.getElementById('email');
  const err = document.getElementById('err-email');
  input.addEventListener('invalid', () => { err.hidden = false; });
</script>

8｜Operational Documents: 3 One-Pagers That Prevent Backtracking

1. Accessibility Policy: Scope / compliance level / update frequency / contact info. Include a summary of testing methods.
2. Style & Component Guide: Visual spec for color, spacing, headings, buttons, forms—including contrast and focus visuals.
3. Editorial Guide: Rules for alt writing / anchor texts / heading levels / caption standards. Promote the “purpose-first writing” mindset from Moz’s article.

9｜Evaluation: Accessibility, SEO, and Legal Compliance

• Difficulty: Intermediate. Designed for practitioners aiming for WCAG 2.2 AA with integrated SEO and legal knowledge.
• Compliance Target: WCAG 2.2 AA (contrast, focus, operability, alt text, heading structure, media alternatives, forms). AAA is ideal for gradual adoption.
• Inclusive Design: Standardize captions, descriptive links, large visible focus, supporting users with cognitive, visual, or motor differences.

10｜3 Common Misconceptions to Correct

1. “Is alt text for keyword stuffing?”
   No. It’s to naturally describe the image’s purpose. Stuffing backfires.
2. “More ARIA = better accessibility?”
   No. Native HTML comes first. ARIA is for filling gaps only.
3. “Can I hide focus outlines for design?”
   Generally not. Invisible focus = inaccessible UI. Design clear, attractive outlines.

11｜30-Day Implementation Roadmap

• Week 1: Audit
  Check main templates for contrast / alt / anchor text / headings / focus visibility. Assess applicability of EAA/JIS/reasonable accommodation.
• Week 2: Design
  Draft style spec (colors, focus) and editorial guide (alt/link/captions).
• Week 3: Fixes
  Apply the “90-minute 5” and complete form error handling.
• Week 4: Declaration & Monitoring
  Publish JIS compliance statement and test results page. Start monthly KPI tracking: bounce, time, completions, image traffic.

12｜Editorial Summary: Accessibility is the Shortcut to SEO—and Legal Peace

• Moz’s 8 measures translate usability into search ranking factors. Start with the 4 pillars: alt text, contrast, descriptive links, minimal ARIA. Then layer structure, operability, media, input clarity.
• EAA begins in the EU, reasonable accommodation is law in Japan. Public JIS declarations and audits earn trust. Build accessibility into your system for compliance and growth in one stroke.

References (Primary & Trusted)

• Moz Mid-Tier Article: 8 Web Accessibility Measures That Improve SEO + Legal Risks of Neglect (Part 2)
• WCAG 2.2: Focus and contrast success criteria (AA/AAA)
• EAA (European Accessibility Act): Starts June 28, 2025
• Japanese Law: Reasonable Accommodation Obligation (Effective April 1, 2024)
• JIS Declarations: Reference pages from Japan’s Ministry of Health & Digital Agency

Note (On Request)

greeden offers end-to-end support for Web Accessibility (WCAG 2.2 / JIS X 8341-3) including design, implementation, and audits. With 20 years of experience in SEO, we help organizations achieve both legal compliance and search performance from requirements to operations. You’re in safe hands.