How it works
Semantic HTML expresses what content and controls mean: headings organise a document, a navigation landmark contains navigation, and a button performs an action. These elements also provide behaviour browsers and assistive technology already understand. A visually clickable div does not automatically inherit keyboard activation, focus handling or an accessible role.
A realistic example
A glossary card should be an anchor when it opens a term URL. A filter control should be a button or a labelled form field when it changes the current list. They can share the same visual styling while retaining different semantics. This makes their purpose clearer to keyboard users and crawlers.
What to check
Inspect the heading order, main landmark, navigation labels and control types. Navigate using Tab, activate links and buttons, and check that focus is visible. Confirm that labels name each form control and that meaningful images have suitable alternatives. Test the original HTML as well as the enhanced interface.
Limits and next steps
Semantic elements improve the starting point but do not guarantee accessibility. Colour contrast, errors, reading order and custom interactions still need testing. Use native HTML before adding ARIA; an inaccurate role or label can make a working control harder to understand.