Is your website accessible to both people and artificial intelligence? 10 questions for future-proof companies

An accessible website means its content, structure and user journey are understandable and usable by people and by assistive technologies such as screen readers. Clear structure also helps AI agents navigate your site and complete actions, and it makes your page easier to find in Google (SEO) and in AI-based search (GEO). Since 28 June 2025, accessibility requirements have also applied to many private companies in Estonia.

Improving accessibility increases findability, trust, and the number of visitors who complete a purchase or an inquiry.

Mari-Ell Mets, Head of Accessibility at Trinidad Wiseman, an IAAP WAS-certified specialist with ten years of experience, answers the 10 questions companies ask her most often.

1. What accessibility requirements apply to my company?

In Estonia, the requirements apply, for example, to e-commerce, financial services, electronic communications services, certain transport services and services providing access to audiovisual media services. A service provider's website, mobile application, self-service environment, digital documents and similar digital channels must comply with the European accessibility standard EN 301 549. The requirements do not apply to service-providing microenterprises with fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover or annual balance sheet total not exceeding 2 million euros.

2. Who is responsible for the accessibility of third-party components?

The service provider, for example, the operator of an online store, is responsible for the accessibility of the entire service. If you use a hosted platform to run your store, you're responsible for choosing an accessible one. The same applies to authentication, payments, delivery options and other parts of the user journey. The requirements do not apply to third-party content you don't fund, develop or have the ability to influence, such as feedback or comments entered by customers.

3. How does accessibility help my digital environment become more visible in search engines and AI-based searches?

Accessibility helps search engines and AI tools understand your service better. This is supported by well-structured headings, meaningful link texts, clear form field labels, alternative text for images, mobile-first mindset, and semantic HTML. All of this also helps people use your service. Correct form labels and semantic HTML, in particular, help AI agents navigate your site and complete actions.

4. Where should I start if I don't know how accessible my digital environment is? Is a free quick test or AI enough?

No, that's not enough. Automated tests and AI can detect some obvious, technically identifiable errors, but they can't confirm whether a website or app meets accessibility requirements. Most requirements need a person's informed, manual review. For the same reason, AI can't yet fix a digital environment's accessibility on its own.

5. What are the most common accessibility issues in websites and applications?

The most common issues are:

• insufficient colour contrast
• menus and modal windows that don't work with a keyboard
• invisible focus, so keyboard users can't tell where they are on the page
• headings, lists and field relationships that exist only visually, not in the code
• error messages that don't say which field is wrong or why
• missing or uninformative alternative text for images
• inaccessible PDFs.

6. What is an accessibility audit, and what does it produce?

An accessibility audit is an expert assessment of your website, application or document, based on an agreed standard and real user journeys. It produces a report outlining the issues found, their impact, priorities and specific recommendations for fixing them. A good audit doesn't stop at the report. It also gives you a practical action plan: what to fix immediately, what to schedule for the next development cycle, and what skills your team needs going forward.

7. Can our development team fix accessibility issues themselves?

Yes, especially when the issues are clearly described, prioritised and paired with recommendations. The harder part is interpreting the requirements correctly and fixing errors without introducing new accessibility issues. To strengthen your team's skills, it's worth ordering training tailored to their needs, or setting up regular consultations.

8. Can I just add an accessibility plugin or overlay to make my site compliant automatically?

No. A plugin or overlay can offer users some extra options, such as changing contrast or text size, but it doesn't fix the real problems in your site's code — and it can sometimes make the experience worse.

9. Which accessibility issues should I fix first?

Start with the issues that cost you a customer — where someone can't complete the service on their own: logging in, search, filling in forms, reaching key documents, or finding customer support contact details. In e-commerce, that means the entire purchase journey: choosing products or services, the shopping cart, login, payment and order confirmation.

10. How can I demonstrate compliance with accessibility requirements?

You must publish a document in your digital environment explaining how accessibility requirements are met. It can follow a format similar to the accessibility statement required from the public sector, honestly describing the current situation, known shortcomings and contact options. A statement doesn't replace the actual fixes — the requirements still need to be met.

As of the end of March 2026, Estonia had around 99 000 people with disabilities, plus older people and users with low vision or temporary impairments. If they can't buy from you, they'll choose another provider. The same issues that block them also make it harder for Google to understand your page, and for AI agents to navigate it and find the information they need.

If improving accessibility feels like too big a task, a clear plan of priorities can make it manageable. Read more on Trinidad Wiseman’s accessibility page about how we have helped organisations make their digital services more accessible. You will also find my contact details there if you would like initial advice or a conversation about where to start.