DMAP, Avyan put accessibility and AI visibility on marketers' agenda

The same digital fixes that make websites easier for people with disabilities to navigate could also make them easier for AI systems to read, according to the Digital Marketing Association of the Philippines (DMAP).

DMAP is partnering with Avyan Global for a hands-on workshop on 9 October that will ask marketers to audit their own websites, social channels and campaigns for both digital accessibility and search visibility in an increasingly AI-driven landscape.

Titled “Accessibility and GEO: A digital self-audit workshop,” the session will form part of DigiconX, the lead-up programme to DigiCon 2026, which this year centres on interoperability.

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Rather than treating accessibility and AI visibility as separate marketing considerations, the workshop will explore where the two overlap. Features such as properly structured headings, descriptive alt text, video captions and clear language can help screen readers interpret digital content, while also making content easier for AI systems to process.

As consumers increasingly turn to AI assistants for recommendations and information rather than relying solely on traditional search, marketers are also having to consider whether their content can be understood and surfaced by these systems.

Ferry Bol, head of martech at Avyan Global, will lead participants through the overlap between accessibility and AI visibility, while Karla Henson, executive director of Life Haven Centre for Independent Living, will bring the perspective of people who encounter inaccessible digital experiences.

Participants will use DMAP's 40-item self-audit framework to assess their organisation's website, social content, campaign processes and representation of people in its marketing. The exercise will produce a maturity rating and a shortlist of priority areas for improvement.

For Cynthia Dayco and co-chair Kankan Ramos, who lead DMAP's Digital for All initiative, accessibility is also a commercial consideration for marketers.

"Digital accessibility is not corporate social responsibility. Hindi siya CSR. Hindi siya charity. It's an area for growth. You always look for the underserved customer segments, and when you consider that 16%, that's a huge segment," Dayco said.

Dayco was referring to the World Health Organisation's estimate that people with disabilities account for roughly one in six people globally.

Alongside Henson and Bol, the 9 October event will feature Roland Benzon, founder of A11y Media. The workshop follows DMAP's general membership meeting on digital accessibility and inclusion in June, which brought marketers together with disability advocates and people with disabilities.

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