A practical guide to website accessibility

Accessibility is not just about accommodating disabilities or ticking boxes on a compliance checklist. It’s about removing obstacles for all users, regardless of their abilities or the devices they use, and designing digital experiences that give them equal opportunity to engage. 

Now, making your site accessible goes beyond meeting standards like the EU Web Accessibility Directive.  

It’s about reaching more people, creating smoother experiences for every visitor, and ensuring your online presence keeps pace with the future. In doing so, you’ll naturally create new revenue streams for your business. 

In fact, if you're located in the EU, you may no choice but to comply. 

The European Accessibility Act (EAA), a directive aimed at improving the internal market for accessible products and services began rolling out across EU countries in 2022. Companies covered (more information here) by the EAA are required to meet the requirements since June 2025 and failure to comply will lead to penalties, such as fines. 

The good news is that accessibility doesn’t have to be overwhelming and it doesn't have to take your budget hostage either. With the right approach, developers, designers, and content creators, you could build a website that truly works for all. 

In this practical guide, you’ll learn: 

• The core principles of web accessibility and why they matter 
• Tools and techniques to test and maintain accessibility over time 
• Common pitfalls and how to avoid them 

By the end of this read, you’ll have a clearer understanding of what it takes to create a website that is not only compliant but also more usable, searchable, and welcoming to all users.  

Who benefits from accessibility? 

Everyone. 

Features like captions, clear navigation, and readable fonts improve the experience for all users. 

I understand that the concept of accessibility is quite wide. And so, let me illustrate how it can truly benefit everyone with a couple of examples: 

• Better readability: clear text, good contrast, and sufficient font size make reading easier in any situation, for all. 
• Smoother use in different contexts: things like captions in videos, easy navigation, and clear buttons are accessibility features that save time and reduce frustration. 
• Extended device compatibility: not everyone uses 4k screens and iPhone Pro Max-like sized devices. Accessible websites scale well to mobile and tablets, ensuring usability even on small screens. 
• Speed and findability: a technically well-built accessible website should load faster and should be easier to find through search engines (if combined with search engine optimized content, of course). 

Naturally, more targeted features can greatly support people with disabilities such as vision or hearing loss, limited mobility, speech impairments, or cognitive challenges, as well as older adults and those facing temporary or situational limitations (like a broken arm, a noisy environment, or a slow internet connection). 

On a website, dealing with accessibility means ensuring that content is Perceivable (POUR), interfaces are (POUR) Operable, information is (POUR) Understandable, and the technology is (POUR) Robust enough to work with assistive tools like screen readers, voice recognition software, or keyboard navigation. 

Key Standards: WCAG and the POUR Principles 

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), are the global standard for making web content accessible. If you have a lot of time on your hands, do explore that link I shared right above, for others, here’s a summary of the four core principles of WCAG. 

• Perceivable: Information should be available to all users. Provide text alternatives for images and videos, make sure content works with assistive tools like screen readers, and use features like captions and proper color contrast so text and audio are easy to see and hear. 
• Operable: Users must be able to navigate and use the site. All functions should work with a keyboard; users should have enough time to read or act and avoid flashing elements that could trigger seizures. 
• Understandable: Content and navigation should be clear. Use simple language, organize information logically, and give helpful error messages or instructions when users make mistakes. 
• Robust: Code should work reliably across different devices and assistive technologies. Use clean, semantic HTML and follow web standards to ensure long-term compatibility. 

FYI: WCAG is divided into three levels of compliance: A (minimum), AA (recommended), and AAA (enhanced). For most websites, WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 Level AA is the target. 

Common barriers to accessibility 

Even well-intentioned websites often have accessibility issues. Here are a few common examples: 

• Images without alt text: Screen readers can’t describe images to visually impaired users if there’s no alternative text. 
• Poor color contrast: Low contrast makes text hard to read for users with low vision or color blindness. 

“Poor color contrast is one of the biggest sins I observe in web design, especially with text on images, backgrounds, or buttons. It’s always something worth fixing. Not only is it easy to fix, but it can have a drastic impact on how users engage with affected content and pages.” 

Jani Leino, Art Director at Valve  

• Keyboard traps: Some websites can’t be navigated using only a keyboard, locking out users who can’t use a mouse. 
• Missing form labels: Without labels, screen reader users won’t know what information to enter. 
• Auto-playing media: Videos or audio that play automatically can be disorienting or distracting, especially for users with cognitive disabilities. 

Tools and testing: ensuring your site is (and stays) accessible 

An ‘accessible’ website requires regular testing to make sure your content stays usable for everyone.  

The best approach is to combine automated tools with manual checks and real-user feedback. 

Automated tools 

Automated tools are a fast way to uncover common accessibility issues. 

They won’t catch everything, but they provide a solid foundation for improving your site. WAVE by WebAIM, for example, highlights problems like missing alt text, low color contrast, or ARIA issues directly on the page. Developers often use axe DevTools, which integrates into browsers and CI/CD pipelines and can automatically detect more than half of WCAG-related issues. Lighthouse, built into Chrome DevTools, gives a broader audit that includes accessibility, performance, and SEO. For teams working with command-line tools, Pa11y makes it easy to run automated accessibility checks as part of your workflow. 

Manual testing 

While automation saves time, it can’t replace manual testing. 

A simple but powerful step is to try keyboard-only navigation. By disconnecting your mouse and using only Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter, and Arrow keys, you can quickly see if users can access every link, menu, submenu, button, or form, and complete key tasks like submitting forms or making purchases. 

Testing with a screen reader is equally important. Tools like NVDA (Windows) or VoiceOver (Mac/iOS) reveal how well your site works when read aloud, helping you identify unclear labels, missing content, or confusing navigation flows. 

You should also check color contrast and zoom. At 200% zoom, text and layouts should remain legible and functional. Using grayscale mode can help you see whether your design is still readable without relying on color cues.  

Additionally, I’d recommend running manual contrast tests between colors you’re planning on using (WebAIM’s Contrast Checker is a quick and easy way to do this) to ensure WCAG compliance.

Finally, the most valuable feedback comes from real users with disabilities. 

Involving them in your testing process gives you insights no automated tool can provide. Observing how they interact with your site uncovers barriers you might not anticipate and ensures that your fixes address real-world needs. 

By combining automated tools, manual checks, and user feedback, you create a reliable process for keeping your site inclusive, usable, and future-proof. 

Run regular audits 

Accessibility is an ongoing process. 

Regular audits help ensure your site stays both compliant and inclusive as content and technology evolve. 

On a monthly basis, it’s useful to run automated tools to catch new issues as they arise. You should also manually test high-traffic pages and any newly added features to confirm they work smoothly for all users. 

At least once a year, conduct a comprehensive accessibility review. This can be done in-house if you have the expertise, or with the help of an external professional. Annual reviews are also a good time to update your accessibility statement so it reflects your current compliance level and any known limitations. 

Finally, think of accessibility as a practice of continuous improvement. Stay informed about the latest WCAG guidelines and emerging best practices, and make sure your team is regularly trained on accessibility standards, testing methods, and inclusive design principles.  

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Of course, I’m very aware that not every piece of content you put out there can be 100% accessible. Some technical limitations or a third-party plugin may prevent you from doing so. However, what matters is that your organisation aligns with the EAA (European Accessibility Act) and offers accessible alternatives, whenever possible, to ensure that as many users receive an equal opportunity to engage with your content. 

Outsourcing accessibility: when to work with experts 

Accessibility certainly isn’t easy, and the process can quickly become complex and time-consuming.  

If your team lacks the expertise, resources, or time to handle it internally, working with experts may be the way forward. In fact, agencies like ours specialize in accessibility and stay current with the latest standards, tools, and best practices.  

We bring efficiency: An experienced team can audit, remediate, and test your site much faster than an internal team starting from scratch.  

We bring compliance: we can ensure compliance with legal requirements like WCAG 2.1 AA and provide a holistic approach, offering not only audits and remediation but also user testing, training, and ongoing support. 

Of course, we’re not the only fish in the pond, and choosing the right agency for the job requires careful consideration. 

Prioritize:  

• Customer stories: Experience matters, so it’s wise to look for agencies with a proven track record and request case studies or client references.  
• Certifications: Certifications are a safe indicator of expertise. Teams with IAAP credentials are trained to recognized standards. The International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) offers globally recognized certifications for accessibility professionals. These credentials demonstrate expertise and commitment to accessibility best practices. Valve’s organization is a member of IAAP, and our employees actively pursue training. In fact, we have an IAAP (CPACC) certified accessibility professional on our team! 
• Processes and transparency: your partner of choice should be clear and structured, covering audits, remediation, and user testing. Transparency is equally important; request sample reports to see how they document findings and communicate solutions. 

Have questions or need further guidance? Reach out!  Let’s work together to ensure the web is a place where everyone belongs.