Why it matters for a small business site
An accessible site works for more people, including those with low vision, colour blindness or a tremor, and those who use a keyboard or a screen reader, and it tends to be easier for everyone else too. Many accessibility laws and purchasing rules refer to WCAG, most often at level AA, so check what applies where you operate.
How to check yours
- Start with an automated checker (WAVE, axe or the Lighthouse panel in Chrome). It catches some problems, like missing alt text and low contrast, but not all of them.
- Use the site with only a keyboard: press Tab through it and check you can always see where you are and reach everything.
- Zoom the browser to 200% and check nothing is cut off or overlapping.
What good looks like
Pages that meet WCAG 2.2 level AA: readable contrast, described images, labelled form fields, headings in a logical order, everything usable by keyboard with a visible focus outline, and tap targets that aren’t tiny (at least 24 by 24 pixels at AA).
Common mistakes
- Adding an “accessibility overlay” widget and assuming it fixes the site. It doesn’t change the site’s own code.
- Removing focus outlines because they look untidy.
- Form fields with placeholder text but no label.
- Treating one automated scan as proof the site is accessible.