What is website accessibility and why does it matter?

Website accessibility means designing and building your site so that everyone can use it, regardless of disability or impairment. That includes people who are blind or have low vision, those who are deaf or hard of hearing, people with motor difficulties who cannot use a mouse, and users with cognitive conditions such as dyslexia or ADHD. In the UK, it is also a legal requirement under the Equality Act 2010.

This guide explains what website accessibility covers, why it matters for your business, and the practical changes you can make today.

What counts as a web accessibility barrier

An accessibility barrier is anything that stops someone from using your site. Common examples include:

• Images without alt text, so a screen reader cannot describe them to a blind user
• Low colour contrast, making text hard to read for someone with low vision
• Links that say nothing on their own (like "click here"), which make no sense when read out of context by assistive technology
• Forms without proper labels, so a screen reader user cannot tell which field is which
• Video without captions, which excludes deaf visitors
• Content that cannot be navigated by keyboard alone, which affects users with motor impairments who cannot use a mouse

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the international standard. The current version is WCAG 2.2, published in October 2023, and the target level for most businesses is AA. WCAG 2.2 introduced nine new success criteria covering mobile users, people with cognitive disabilities and those with low vision.

Why accessibility matters for your business

The legal case comes first. Under the Equality Act 2010, UK businesses have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people. That includes your website. The Equality and Human Rights Commission can investigate and enforce against inaccessible sites, and businesses have faced legal action over inaccessible booking systems and online services.

The business case is just as strong. Around 24% of the UK working age population has some form of disability, according to the Office for National Statistics. That is millions of potential customers who cannot use a site that ignores accessibility. When you fix barriers, you open your business to a much larger audience.

Accessibility also improves your SEOSEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation — the practice of improving a website's visibility in search engine results pages.. The changes that help disabled users also help Google. Alt text helps image search rankings. Proper heading structure makes it easier for Google to understand your content. Good colour contrast and readable font sizes reduce bounce rates. Descriptive link text helps both users and search engines understand where a link goes. The overlap between accessibility and SEOSEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation — the practice of improving a website's visibility in search engine results pages. is substantial.

And accessibility makes your site better for everyone. Curb cuts in pavements were designed for wheelchair users but are used by parents with pushchairs and delivery drivers. The same principle applies online. Captions help people watching video in a noisy office. Keyboard navigation helps power users who prefer shortcuts. High contrast text helps anyone reading on a phone in bright sunlight.

Practical quick wins for your site

You do not need a full rebuild to start improving accessibility. These changes are free and most can be done in a day:

• Add descriptive alt text to every image
• Check your colour contrast with a free tool like the WebAIM Contrast Checker
• Rewrite vague link text so it makes sense on its own ("Read our SEOSEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation — the practice of improving a website's visibility in search engine results pages. pricing guide" instead of "click here")
• Run your homepage through the WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool
• Check you can navigate every page using only the Tab and Enter keys
• Add captions to any video content, or upload a transcript alongside it

The free SEOSEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation — the practice of improving a website's visibility in search engine results pages. report at https://victory.digital/run-a-seo-report checks some of these on-page factors automatically, including heading structure and metadata. If you need a full accessibility audit or redesign support, speak to the team at https://victory.digital/graphic-design.