Tools to Improve Both Accessibility and SEO (And How to Use Them)

Search engine optimization and web accessibility are often treated as two separate checkboxes, but in reality, they overlap more than most think.

A well-optimized site doesn’t just load fast and rank well, it’s usable by everyone, including people with disabilities. And when your site is accessible, it sends strong signals to Google that your content is high quality and user-focused.

So, if you’re looking to improve both accessibility and SEO, here are the tools that can help, and exactly how to use them. You can also read about How to Run an Accessibility Audit for SEO

1. Lighthouse (Built into Chrome DevTools)

Why it matters:
Lighthouse audits your site for performance, accessibility, SEO, and more—right in your browser.

How to use it:

• Open your website in Chrome.

• Right-click → Inspect → Go to the “Lighthouse” tab.

• Run an audit and review the accessibility and SEO sections.

Pro tip: Pay close attention to color contrast, alt text, and heading structure—it affects both accessibility and how search engines understand your content.

2. axe DevTools

Why it matters:
Developed by Deque, this Chrome extension digs deep into accessibility issues with clear suggestions.

How to use it:

• Install the extension.

• Open your page in Chrome, click “axe DevTools,” and scan.

• Fix issues like missing labels, improper landmark usage, and contrast violations.

Remember: what’s good for screen readers is often good for SEO bots too.

3. Ahrefs / SEMrush / Ubersuggest

Why they matter:
These are your go-to tools for uncovering SEO opportunities—but they also highlight technical issues like broken links, slow load times, and poor structure that hurt accessibility.

How to use them:

• Run a site audit.

• Check for crawlability issues, duplicate content, and broken links.

• Use the data to streamline site structure for screen readers and search engines.

4. WAVE Web Accessibility Tool

Why it matters:
It gives you a visual overlay of accessibility issues, helping you catch what you might overlook—like missing alt tags or unlabelled buttons.

How to use it:

• Visit wave.webaim.org

• Enter your site URL.

• Review flagged issues and adjust your code or content accordingly.

Great for content creators and developers alike.

5. Screaming Frog SEO Spider

Why it matters:
This tool crawls your entire site like a search engine, identifying issues that hurt SEO and accessibility—like missing meta descriptions, duplicate H1s, and improper heading hierarchy.

How to use it:

• Download and install the free version.

• Crawl your site and analyze headings, image alt text, and internal links.

• Export reports to plan improvements.

Improving heading hierarchy improves content structure for both bots and screen readers.

6. Google Search Console + PageSpeed Insights

Why they matter:
These tools highlight how Google sees your site and how it performs for users—including metrics tied to accessibility, like mobile usability and core web vitals.

How to use them:

• Use GSC to monitor crawl errors and usability issues.

• Use PageSpeed Insights to boost load time (which impacts both SEO ranking and user accessibility).

• Fix slow-loading scripts and ensure responsive layouts.

Speed and mobile-friendliness = win for everyone.

Final Thoughts

Don’t think of accessibility and SEO as separate goals, they’re both about making your website better for humans. When you align them, your content becomes clearer, your reach gets wider, and your brand becomes more inclusive.

FAQ: Accessibility + SEO

Q1: Is accessibility a ranking factor in Google?
Not directly—but accessible sites tend to perform better in key areas like usability, bounce rate, and mobile-friendliness, which do affect rankings.

Q2: How does alt text help SEO?
Alt text improves accessibility for screen readers and gives Google context about images, boosting image search visibility.

Q3: Can accessibility improvements reduce bounce rate?
Yes. A smoother, more inclusive experience helps users stay longer and navigate more pages, which improves engagement metrics.

Q4: What’s the fastest way to audit both SEO and accessibility?
Run a Lighthouse audit in Chrome—it gives you side-by-side scores and quick wins for both areas.