Accessibility means people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate and interact with your website. It also benefits everyone: clear structure, readable text and usable forms improve experience for all visitors. This website accessibility checklist focuses on practical steps for business websites.
WCAG 2.2 in brief
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), published by the W3C, are the most widely used accessibility standard. WCAG 2.2 organises requirements under four principles: perceivable, operable, understandable and robust, with conformance levels A, AA and AAA. Most organisations aim for level AA. The W3C provides an overview of WCAG standards and a quick reference.
ADA website compliance
In the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act applies to many businesses, and the Department of Justice has published guidance on web accessibility. Many organisations use WCAG as the practical benchmark. Requirements vary by jurisdiction and organisation type, so get legal advice for your situation.
The website accessibility checklist
Images and media
- ☐ Every meaningful image has descriptive alt text.
- ☐ Decorative images have empty alt attributes so screen readers skip them.
- ☐ Videos have captions; audio content has transcripts.
- ☐ No information is conveyed only through images of text.
Color contrast and visual design
- ☐ Normal text meets a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 against its background (AA).
- ☐ Large text and essential graphics meet at least 3:1.
- ☐ Information is not conveyed by color alone (for example, errors also use text or icons).
- ☐ Text can be resized to 200% without loss of content.
Keyboard and focus
- ☐ All interactive elements can be reached and used with a keyboard.
- ☐ Focus order is logical.
- ☐ Focus indicators are clearly visible.
- ☐ No keyboard traps (users can tab out of every component).
- ☐ Focused elements are not hidden behind sticky headers or banners (a WCAG 2.2 addition).
Structure and navigation
- ☐ One H1 per page and a logical heading hierarchy.
- ☐ Landmarks (header, nav, main, footer) are used correctly.
- ☐ A "skip to content" link is available.
- ☐ Link text describes the destination ("Read the pricing guide", not "Click here").
- ☐ Page titles are unique and descriptive.
Accessible forms
- ☐ Every input has a visible, programmatically associated label.
- ☐ Required fields are indicated in text, not only by color or asterisk.
- ☐ Error messages are specific, linked to fields and announced to screen readers.
- ☐ Users are not required to re-enter information already provided in the same process (WCAG 2.2).
- ☐ Authentication does not rely solely on cognitive tests such as remembering or transcribing (WCAG 2.2).
Interaction
- ☐ Touch targets are large enough and spaced adequately (WCAG 2.2 target size).
- ☐ Animations can be paused and respect reduced-motion preferences.
- ☐ Time limits can be extended or turned off.
- ☐ Dragging actions have simple alternatives (WCAG 2.2).
How to test accessibility
| Method | What it finds |
|---|---|
| Automated tools | Missing alt text, contrast issues, missing labels, ARIA errors |
| Keyboard-only testing | Navigation problems, invisible focus, traps |
| Screen reader testing | Reading order, labels, announcements |
| Zoom and mobile testing | Layout and reflow problems |
| User testing with disabled users | Real-world barriers tools cannot detect |
Automated tools catch only part of the issues. Combine them with manual testing. Our quality assurance and testing service includes accessibility checks.
Alt text accessibility tips
Describe the purpose of the image in context. A chart needs its key insight in text; a team photo might say "Projectify Lab team members in a planning workshop". Avoid "image of" and keyword stuffing. Alt text also helps image search, as noted in our on-page SEO checklist.
Accessibility and conversion
Accessible forms, clear buttons and readable content reduce friction for everyone. Many accessibility fixes, such as better labels and error messages, also improve form conversion rates.
Maintaining accessibility
Accessibility is ongoing. Include checks in content publishing (alt text, headings, link text), design reviews and development testing. Re-test after major changes, and publish an accessibility statement explaining your commitment and how users can report issues.
If you want an accessibility review and a prioritised fix plan, contact our QA team.
Accessibility is especially important for patient-facing sites; see our healthcare digital marketing guide.
