Semantic markup makes sites faster, cheaper to maintain and legally safer.
Performance is the ability to complete a task
A fast page that excludes keyboard, screen-reader or low-vision users is not performing well. Accessibility and speed share a goal: reduce the effort and delay between intent and outcome.
Clear structure, concise content, predictable navigation and smaller interfaces help users across devices and abilities.
Build strong defaults
Use semantic elements before custom interaction code. Preserve heading order, labels, focus visibility and keyboard behaviour. Ensure status changes are announced and errors explain how to recover.
Support zoom, reflow, sufficient contrast and reduced motion. Test with the browser and operating-system settings that users rely on.
Measure complete journeys
Automated checks catch useful issues but cannot judge whether a workflow makes sense. Combine them with keyboard testing, screen readers, slower devices and representative users.
Treat accessibility defects like other product defects, with ownership and regression coverage. Improvements often reduce code, clarify interfaces and make the product more resilient.