Web design in 2025 isn’t just about colors, animations, or fancy layouts—it’s about making websites easy for everyone to use. One simple feature that’s getting more attention now is landmarks. They might sound technical, but in reality, they’re just like signboards on a road, guiding people where to go.
What Are Accessibility Landmarks and How They Work ?
Imagine opening a long webpage without headings, menus, or sections—you’d feel lost, right? That’s exactly how a person using a screen reader feels if there are no landmarks.
Landmarks are invisible markers added to different parts of a webpage. The most common ones are:
- Header – top section of the page.
- Navigation – menus to move around.
- Main – the central content area.
- Footer – the bottom part with extra links or info.
That’s it. You don’t need dozens of landmarks—just the essentials to keep things clean and useful.
Why Accessibility Landmarks Matter for Modern Websites (2025)
People want things fast and simple. Nobody has time to scroll forever or listen through a whole page line by line. Landmarks fix that problem:
- Screen reader users can jump straight to the main content or navigation.
- Visitors can understand the layout instantly.
- Your website feels more organized and professional.
In 2025, users expect websites to be quick, smart, and inclusive—landmarks are a key part of that.
Top Benefits of Using Landmarks in Accessible Web Design
Here’s what you get when you use landmarks wisely:
- Better navigation – easy for all, not just people with disabilities.
- Time-saving – users reach what they want faster.
- SEO-friendly – search engines like clear structure.
- Future-ready design – helps meet modern accessibility standards.
And the best part? Adding them is simple—you don’t need to be a coding expert.
How to Add Accessibility Landmarks Correctly in Web Design
The trick in 2025 is not to overdo it. Just keep things clean and clear:
- Use <header> for the top section.
- Use <nav> for menus.
- Use <main> for main content.
- Use <footer> for the bottom section.
That’s enough for most sites. No need to add ten different roles or confuse things. The goal is to guide users—not overload them.
Final Thoughts on Landmarks and Accessible Design
Web design trends may come and go, but making sites easy to use will always stay. Landmarks are one of those small but powerful tools that improve accessibility, boost SEO, and keep your website ready for the future.
And here’s my personal view as a screen reader user: I can tell in just a few seconds if the landmarks on a site are actually helpful or completely useless. Some websites go overboard and add so many landmarks that it becomes mind-boggling. Instead of guiding you, they mislead and confuse.
So the key is simple—use landmarks wisely. A few clear ones are enough to make navigation smooth. Too many, and they do the opposite of what they’re meant to.