The short answer
An accessible website is one that people with disabilities can use, including people who rely on screen readers, keyboards, captions or larger text. The common target is WCAG 2.2 level AA: readable contrast, text alternatives for images, full keyboard access, clearly labelled forms and pages that still work when zoomed. Building accessibility in from the start costs far less than fixing it later.
Key takeaways
- WCAG 2.2 level AA is the common target for business websites.
- Contrast, alt text, keyboard access and form labels fix most common problems.
- Automated checkers help, but manual keyboard and screen reader tests are essential.
- Overlay widgets do not make an inaccessible website accessible.
What is web accessibility, and who does it help?
Web accessibility means designing and building websites so that everyone can perceive, understand, navigate and use them, including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive disabilities. It is about removing barriers in the code and design, not creating a separate version of the site.
The people it helps are a wider group than most business owners expect:
- Permanent disabilities: people who are blind and use screen readers, people with low vision who zoom in, Deaf people who rely on captions, and people who cannot use a mouse.
- Temporary situations: a broken wrist, an eye infection, recovering from a procedure.
- Everyday circumstances: reading a phone in bright sunlight, watching a video on a train without sound, using one hand while holding a child.
- Older customers, whose eyesight, hearing and fine motor control often change with age.
There is a practical bonus. Accessible websites use clear headings, descriptive links and real text instead of text inside images, which also makes pages easier for search engines and AI assistants to understand.
What is WCAG 2.2, and which level should you aim for?
WCAG 2.2 is the current version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, the international standard published by the W3C in October 2023. Most businesses should aim for level AA, which is the level most laws, public-sector rules and procurement policies refer to.
WCAG is organised around four principles: content must be perceivable, operable, understandable and robust. Each guideline has testable success criteria at three levels:
| Level | What it means | Who aims for it |
|---|---|---|
| A | The minimum. Without it, some people cannot use the site at all. | Nobody should stop here |
| AA | Removes the most significant and common barriers. | The usual target for business and public websites |
| AAA | The highest level, not achievable for all content. | Specialist services, for specific pages |
Legal requirements differ by country and sector. In the European Union, the European Accessibility Act has applied since 28 June 2025 to many consumer products and services, including e-commerce, with an exemption for the smallest service businesses. In the United States, businesses have faced legal claims over inaccessible websites under the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you sell into these markets, take legal advice; either way, WCAG 2.2 AA is the sensible standard to build to.
What are the most common accessibility problems on small business websites?
The most common accessibility problems are low-contrast text, missing image descriptions, unlabelled form fields and controls that cannot be used with a keyboard. Almost all of them are cheap to fix once spotted.
| Problem | The fix |
|---|---|
| Pale grey text on white, or text over busy photos | Meet a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. |
| Images without alt text | Describe meaningful images in a short sentence; mark purely decorative ones as decorative. |
| Form fields with placeholder text instead of labels | Give every field a visible label, and explain errors in words, not only in red. |
| Icon-only buttons, such as a menu or chat icon | Give each one an accessible name that screen readers can announce. |
| No visible focus outline | Show clearly which element is selected when using the keyboard. |
| Text baked into images and banners | Use real text, styled with CSS, so it can be read, zoomed and translated. |
| Videos without captions, or autoplaying with sound | Add captions, and give people a way to pause anything that moves. |
| Links that say “click here” or “read more” | Write link text that makes sense on its own. |
| Pop-ups that trap the keyboard | Let people close them with the keyboard and return to where they were. |
Several of these overlap with good writing and good forms; see our guides to website copywriting and contact forms that convert.
What did WCAG 2.2 add to earlier versions?
WCAG 2.2 added nine new success criteria to WCAG 2.1, with a focus on people with cognitive and motor disabilities and on mobile use. It also removed one outdated criterion about HTML parsing. The additions most relevant to business websites are:
- Focus not obscured (AA): a sticky header, cookie banner or chat widget must not completely hide the element a keyboard user has selected.
- Target size, minimum (AA): buttons and links should be at least 24 by 24 CSS pixels, or have enough space around them, so they can be tapped accurately.
- Dragging movements (AA): anything that needs dragging, such as a slider, must also work with a simple tap or click.
- Accessible authentication, minimum (AA): logging in must not depend on solving a puzzle or remembering information without help; allowing password managers and copy-and-paste is part of meeting it.
- Consistent help (A): contact details or help options should appear in the same place on every page.
- Redundant entry (A): do not make people type the same information twice in one process, such as a booking form.
A newer, quite different WCAG 3 is being drafted, but it is not yet a finished standard. For now, WCAG 2.2 AA is the target.
How do you test your website for accessibility?
Test accessibility with a mix of automated tools and simple manual checks; automated tools catch only some problems, and the most serious barriers are often found by using the site the way a disabled person would.
- Run an automated checker, such as Lighthouse in Chrome or a browser extension like axe, on your key pages. Fix everything it flags.
- Put the mouse away. Use Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter and the arrow keys to reach every menu, link, form and button. You should always see where you are.
- Zoom to 200% and then further. Text should grow and reflow without overlapping or forcing sideways scrolling.
- Check contrast with a contrast checker, especially for buttons, small text and text on images.
- Try a screen reader: VoiceOver on Mac and iPhone, TalkBack on Android or NVDA on Windows. Listen to whether headings, links and buttons make sense.
- Submit a form with mistakes and check the errors are explained clearly and announced.
- Ask real users, ideally including people who use assistive technology every day.
Repeat these checks before every launch and after significant changes; they belong on any website launch checklist.
Do accessibility overlay widgets make a website compliant?
No. Accessibility overlays, the toolbars and widgets that promise compliance with one line of code, do not fix the underlying problems in a website’s structure and code. Missing labels, poor heading structure and keyboard traps are still there underneath.
Many disabled people already use their own assistive technology and settings, and some overlays can interfere with those tools rather than help. Disability organisations and accessibility specialists have repeatedly criticised overlays that market themselves as a quick route to compliance.
The reliable route is less exciting: accessible design choices, semantic HTML, good contrast, proper labels and real testing. If your website has a widget like this, treat it as a sign that an accessibility review is overdue, not as proof that one has been done.
How much does accessibility add to a website project?
Accessibility adds little to a project when it is part of the design and build from the first day, and considerably more when it is retrofitted onto a finished site. Choosing accessible colours, writing alt text and labelling forms take minutes during the build; redesigning a colour scheme or rebuilding an inaccessible menu after launch takes days.
When you brief a designer, ask them to build to WCAG 2.2 AA and to explain how they test it. Our guide to choosing a web design agency has more questions worth asking. Accessibility also overlaps strongly with mobile-first design: large tap targets, readable text and simple navigation help everyone on a small screen.
At PJW Partners, we have built 50+ websites, and custom websites start from $1,500 USD. If you would like a website that more people can use, or a second opinion on the one you have, tell us about your business.
Questions
Is website accessibility a legal requirement? +
It depends on where you operate and who you sell to. Laws such as the European Accessibility Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act can apply to business websites, so take local legal advice if you are unsure.
Does accessibility help SEO? +
Many accessibility practices, such as descriptive headings, alt text and meaningful link text, also help search engines and AI tools understand your pages. It is good practice for both.
Can an accessibility widget make my website compliant? +
No. Overlays do not fix the underlying code and can interfere with the tools disabled people already use. Real fixes happen in the design and build.
What contrast ratio does WCAG 2.2 AA require? +
At least 4.5:1 for normal-sized text and 3:1 for large text and for important interface elements such as button borders and icons.
How often should I check my website’s accessibility? +
Check before launch, after any significant redesign or new feature, and with a lighter review at least once a year.
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