Digital accessibility: How to ensure successful implementation 

Products and digital services that are designed to be accessible reach a wider audience, improve the user experience for everyone and, at the same time, boost visibility in search engines. Organisations that prioritise accessibility reach more people, are more inclusive and, as a result, are more customer-friendly overall – a genuine competitive advantage. 

Legal pressure is mounting – the Act to Strengthen Accessibility 

In addition to user-friendliness and visibility, the legal framework is also a key driver of digital accessibility. Binding requirements have long been in place for public sector bodies. With the Accessibility Enhancement Act (BFSG) coming into force on 28 June 2025, numerous private-sector companies will also be obliged to make their digital products and services accessible. This will finally establish accessibility as a mandatory standard. 

Accessibility as an SEO booster 

Accessibility also pays off in terms of online visibility: search engines ‘see’ websites in much the same way as blind users do – text is readable, whilst other content such as images or videos is only accessible if accompanied by appropriate text alternatives. Furthermore, search engines such as Google reward the semantic structure of accessible pages with a higher ranking. 

How can digital accessibility be implemented? 

The good news is that digital accessibility isn’t rocket science. Accessibility means designing products so that they can be used in different ways – regardless of individual limitations. This starts with a clear, understandable structure and extends to technical details such as text alternatives, colour contrasts or keyboard accessibility. 

A product is accessible if it meets many small requirements – and the earlier these are taken into account in the development process, the simpler and more cost-effective the implementation. A fitting analogy: anyone who wants to add a cellar to a house after it has been built faces a problem. Those who plan for it from the outset save effort and costs. 

Standards that provide guidance 

There are established norms and standards for practical implementation, on which the legal requirements are also based: 

• EN 301 549: Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services
• WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines): International guidelines for accessible web content  

Who is responsible? Everyone. 

Accessibility is not a matter for lone warriors. It is a team effort. It can only be successfully implemented if everyone involved in the development process plays their part – from conception through to design, development and testing. 

Precisely because accessibility encompasses so many aspects, the topic often seems complex or overwhelming at first. This makes a clear roadmap all the more important: 

1. Define the objective: What legal requirements apply to your product?
2. Identify the relevant content: Where is action needed?
3. Make the requirements clear: What does accessibility mean for each individual feature?
4. Promote knowledge-building: Do all those involved have the necessary expertise?
5. Adapt processes: Accessibility is not a one-off project, but an ongoing part of day-to-day work.
6. Start with small steps: Perfection isn’t a must – progress is what counts. 

Expertise right from the start 

At Materna’s Centre of Excellence for Accessibility, we support companies every step of the way towards an accessible digital solution – whether through consultancy during the design phase, training for UX/UI teams, ongoing testing or certification with the Materna Seal of Approval. 

We also offer: 

• E-learning courses for in-house training
• Creation of accessible content (e.g. plain language, videos in German Sign Language)
• Creation of accessible documents (e.g. PDFs compliant with the PDF/UA standard)
• Testing of websites, apps and software 

Accessibility is not a bonus, but a necessity – from a social, legal and economic perspective. Those who implement it consistently create better products for everyone. 

 Further information: 

Digital accessibility 

What is digital accessibility?

Usability and digital accessibility