PDF accessibility and SEO: alt text, tagged structure and compliance

PDF accessibility and SEO are deeply interconnected. The same structural elements that make a PDF accessible to screen readers also make it readable by search engines: heading tags, alt text on images, tagged content structure, reading order, and language specification. Google has increasingly favoured accessible content in rankings. This lesson covers how to create PDFs that are both accessible and SEO-optimised for hosting on your Wix site.

How Accessibility Improves PDF SEO

• Tagged headings give Google structural understanding of the document hierarchy
• Image alt text provides Google with context about visual content within the PDF
• Reading order ensures Google processes content in the intended sequence
• Language tags help Google understand and correctly index multilingual content
• Table headers help Google extract and understand tabular data
• Bookmark structure creates a navigable outline that Google can use

Creating Accessible PDFs from Word Documents

Make an accessible, SEO-friendly PDF from Microsoft Word

• Step 1: Use heading styles (Heading 1, 2, 3) consistently throughout the document. Never use bold text as a visual heading without the heading style applied.
• Step 2: Add alt text to every image. Right-click the image > Edit Alt Text. Describe what the image shows in 1-2 sentences.
• Step 3: Use Word built-in table formatting for tables. Ensure the first row is marked as a Header Row.
• Step 4: Use Word built-in list styles for bulleted and numbered lists instead of manual dashes or numbers.
• Step 5: Set the document language: File > Options > Language. This ensures the PDF carries the correct language tag.
• Step 6: Run the Word Accessibility Checker: Review > Check Accessibility. Fix all errors and warnings.
• Step 7: Add descriptive hyperlink text. Use "Download our pricing guide" not "click here" for links.
• Step 8: Export to PDF: File > Save As > PDF. Check "Create bookmarks using Headings" and "Document structure tags for accessibility".
• Step 9: Verify the PDF accessibility using the free PAC tool (PDF Accessibility Checker).
• Step 10: Upload the accessible PDF to your Wix Media Manager.

Fixing Existing PDFs for Accessibility

If you have existing PDFs without accessibility tags, you have two options: recreate them from the source document with proper formatting, or retroactively add tags using Adobe Acrobat Pro. Recreating is almost always faster and produces better results. However, for complex documents where the source file is unavailable, Acrobat Pro auto-tagging feature can add basic structural tags.

Complete How-To Guide: Auditing and Fixing PDF Accessibility Across Your Wix Site

Full accessibility audit for all PDFs on your site

• Step 1: List every PDF on your Wix site from your earlier audit spreadsheet.
• Step 2: For each PDF, check: is text selectable? Are headings properly tagged? Do images have alt text? Is the reading order logical?
• Step 3: Use the free PAC (PDF Accessibility Checker) tool on each PDF. Record the number of errors and warnings.
• Step 4: Prioritise fixes: PDFs with the most organic traffic should be fixed first.
• Step 5: For each priority PDF, locate the source document (Word, Google Docs, InDesign). Apply proper heading styles, alt text, table headers, and list formatting.
• Step 6: Re-export to PDF with accessibility tags enabled.
• Step 7: Verify the new PDF passes the PAC accessibility checker with zero errors.
• Step 8: Replace the old PDF on Wix with the accessible version. Ensure the URL remains the same to preserve any existing search rankings.
• Step 9: For PDFs where the source document is lost, consider recreating the document from scratch if it receives significant organic traffic.
• Step 10: Establish a PDF creation standard: all new PDFs must pass the PAC accessibility checker before uploading to Wix.