Websites in 2026: what visitors, Google and the law expect now
Speed on the phone, accessibility, honest use of AI and local visibility – an overview with a quick check.
A website is rarely “finished” these days. Visitors expect speed on their phones, Google measures more precisely than ever, and since 2025 and 2026 legal duties have been added that many businesses have not yet noticed.
This overview shows what really matters at the end of 2026 – without jargon and with a short checklist at the end.
1. Fast on the phone – measured, not felt
Google assesses pages using the Core Web Vitals. Three values count: how quickly the main content appears (LCP, good up to 2.5 seconds), how quickly the page responds to a tap or click (INP, good up to 200 milliseconds), and how stable the layout stays while loading (CLS, good up to 0.1).
INP has been part of these metrics since March 2024. It makes visible what visitors have long felt: a page that loads but reacts sluggishly to input feels broken. The mobile view is what is measured above all – it is Google’s yardstick.
2. Accessible – mandatory for many, a gain for everyone
Germany’s Accessibility Strengthening Act (BFSG), based on the European Accessibility Act, has applied since 28 June 2025. It mainly covers services through which consumers buy or book something online – such as online shops and booking flows. Micro-enterprises with fewer than ten employees and an annual turnover of no more than two million euros are exempt for services.
Regardless of the obligation, accessibility always pays off: sufficient contrast, legible text, keyboard operation and large tap targets make a page more pleasant for everyone – including the customer opening it on a phone in bright sunlight.
3. Honest about the use of AI
Since 2 August 2026, the transparency obligations of Article 50 of the EU AI Act apply. Anyone using a chatbot, for example, must make it clear that visitors are talking to an AI – unless that is obvious anyway.
For most websites this means: disclose briefly and honestly where AI is involved. That builds trust instead of costing it.
4. Being found – by AI search too
More and more questions are answered directly in search engines and AI assistants. For your offer to appear there, it needs clear content: who you are, what you offer, for which region and on what terms. Structured data helps machines assign these facts reliably.
For local businesses in particular: location and catchment area belong visibly on the page – in titles, text and contact details.
5. Maintainable instead of outdated
A website that constantly needs security and extension updates costs time and money permanently – and quickly becomes a risk when it is neglected. Modern, lean technology reduces this effort considerably and stays fast even after years.
Just as important is a fixed contact person who knows the site. Then changes take hours, not weeks.
Quick check for your website
- Does the main content load in under 2.5 seconds on a phone?
- Does every button react instantly to a tap?
- Is text high in contrast and are tap targets large enough?
- Is it clear where AI is used?
- Are location, services and contact details clearly on the page?
- Is there someone who reliably takes care of updates and changes?
Would you like to know where your website stands? A look at the services shows how I can help – and if recurring workflows can be automated, you will find the options under automations.
Note: This article provides a general overview (as of October 2026) and is not legal advice.
