Making Your Website Accessible: A Practical Checklist

Why Accessibility Matters

Over 15% of the world's population lives with a disability. An accessible website reaches more users, improves SEO, and in many jurisdictions is legally required.

The Checklist

Visual

• Contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for body text
• Don't rely on color alone to convey meaning
• Provide visible focus indicators for keyboard navigation

Structure

• Use semantic HTML (<nav>, <main>, <header>, <footer>)
• Use proper heading hierarchy (one H1, then logical order)
• Add alt text to all meaningful images

Interaction

• Ensure all functionality works with a keyboard
• Make touch targets at least 44x44px
• Provide skip-to-content links

Forms

• Label every field (use <label>, not just placeholder text)
• Group related fields with <fieldset>
• Provide clear error messages and instructions

Media

• Include captions for video content
• Provide transcripts for audio
• Avoid auto-playing media with sound

Testing Tools

Use automated tools like Lighthouse or axe DevTools to catch common issues, then test manually with a screen reader like NVDA or VoiceOver. Automated tools catch about 30% of issues — manual testing is essential.

Start Small

Pick your highest-traffic pages and fix those first. Accessibility is a journey, not a one-time project.