The accessibility basics a small business can handle itself are readable contrast, a logical heading structure, alt text for meaningful images, labeled form fields, full keyboard use with a visible focus indicator, and regular testing. An accessible website is one that people can use whether they see, hear, move or process information differently: someone using a screen reader, someone who navigates with a keyboard instead of a mouse, someone zoomed in to 200 percent, someone with a tremor tapping small buttons on a phone. Many of the same fixes also help everyone else, including visitors on small screens in bright sunlight.
This guide covers the basics a small business can check and improve on a WordPress or page builder site without specialist tools: contrast, headings, images, links, forms, keyboard use, media and testing. It is a practical starting point, not a full audit or legal advice.
Key takeaways
- Use real structure: one H1, logical heading levels, real lists and real buttons.
- Make text readable: enough contrast, sensible sizes and no meaning carried by color alone.
- Describe images that carry meaning, and let screen readers skip decorative ones.
- Label every form field and make errors clear in text.
- Everything should work with a keyboard, with a visible focus indicator.
- Test regularly, especially after adding plugins, widgets or new page templates.
WCAG and the law, in general terms
WCAG is published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Its current version is WCAG 2.2. Success criteria are grouped into three levels:
| Level | Meaning in practice |
|---|---|
| A | The most basic requirements; without them some people cannot use the content at all |
| AA | The level most often referenced by policies and regulations |
| AAA | The highest level; not expected for whole sites in most guidance |
Several countries and regions have laws or regulations that deal with digital accessibility. Examples include the Americans with Disabilities Act in the United States, which courts have applied to websites in various ways, the European Accessibility Act in the EU, which covers certain products and services, and equality laws in the UK and elsewhere. Which rules apply, if any, depends on where a business operates, who it serves, its size and its sector, and rules change over time. This guide does not tell you what your business is legally required to do. If that question matters to you, get advice from a qualified professional familiar with your jurisdiction.
What any business can do is work toward WCAG level AA as a practical benchmark, because it describes concrete, testable improvements.
Text and color
- Contrast: WCAG AA asks for a contrast ratio of at least 4.5 to 1 for normal text and 3 to 1 for large text against its background. Interface parts such as input borders and icons needed to use the page generally need 3 to 1.
- Color alone: do not rely only on color to convey meaning. Underline links in body text, add text to error messages and label chart lines.
- Text size and zoom: the page should remain usable when zoomed to 200 percent, and content should reflow on narrow screens without sideways scrolling.
- Text spacing: content should not break if a visitor increases line height or letter spacing with their own settings.
- Text in images: avoid it. Real text can be resized, translated and read aloud.
Our guides to choosing a color palette and font pairing for websites cover these choices in more depth.
Structure and headings
Screen reader users often move through a page by headings, and everyone scans headings to find what they need.
- One H1 per page, usually the page title.
- Headings in order: H2 for main sections, H3 for subsections within them. Do not skip levels to get a smaller font; change the style instead.
- Do not use headings for styling text that is not a heading, such as a large quote.
- Use real lists for lists, not lines that start with a dash typed by hand.
- Landmarks: themes should mark up the header, navigation, main content and footer. Most current WordPress themes do. A “skip to content” link at the top helps keyboard users bypass the menu.
- Page language: the HTML language attribute should match the site’s language so screen readers pronounce text correctly. WordPress sets it from the site language setting.
Page builders make it easy to choose heading tags by looks. Check that each heading widget uses the right level for its place in the page, not the size you wanted.
Images and media
- Alt text for meaningful images: describe what the image shows that matters on that page.
- Empty alt text for decorative images so screen readers skip them.
- Linked images and icon buttons need text that describes the action or destination, such as “Instagram” for a social icon or “Open menu” for a menu button.
- Video: provide captions for speech. Pre-recorded video with important visual content may also need audio description or a text alternative.
- Audio and podcasts: a transcript helps.
- Autoplay: avoid video or audio that plays automatically with sound. Moving content that lasts more than a few seconds, such as sliders, should have a pause control.
- Flashing: avoid content that flashes rapidly.
The guide to choosing and preparing website images covers alt text with examples.
Links and buttons
- Link text should make sense on its own, or at least in its sentence. “Read our pricing guide” is clearer than “click here”.
- Buttons do things, links go places. Use real button elements for actions such as opening a menu or submitting a form.
- Touch targets: make buttons and links large enough to tap and spaced so visitors do not hit the wrong one. WCAG 2.2 includes a minimum target size criterion.
- New tabs: if a link opens a new tab or downloads a file, say so in the link text or with a clear icon and label.
Forms
Forms are where many sites lose visitors. For contact, booking and quote forms:
| Check | What good looks like |
|---|---|
| Labels | Every field has a visible label that stays visible while typing, not only placeholder text |
| Required fields | Marked in text or with a symbol explained at the top of the form |
| Instructions | Formats such as dates or phone numbers explained before the field |
| Errors | Described in text near the field and summarized, with the field identified |
| Focus | Moving through the form with the Tab key follows the visual order |
| CAPTCHA | Has an accessible alternative, or use less intrusive spam protection |
| Confirmation | A clear message after sending that screen readers announce |
Our contact page design guide covers form layout and spam protection in more detail.
Keyboard access and focus
Some visitors use only a keyboard or a device that acts like one.
- Every link, button, menu and form control should be reachable with the Tab key and usable with Enter or Space.
- Focus must be visible. Many themes remove the outline around focused elements for looks. Keep it, or replace it with a clear style of your own.
- Menus: dropdown and mobile menus should open and close with the keyboard. Our guide to header, navigation and footer design covers menu structure.
- Pop-ups and modals: focus should move into the pop-up when it opens, stay there until it closes, and return to where the visitor was. Escape should close it.
- No keyboard traps: a visitor should never get stuck in a widget, map or embedded video.
Overlays and quick fixes
Some products promise accessibility through a single script that adds a toolbar or automatic fixes. These tools do not change the underlying structure of your pages, and many accessibility practitioners and disability advocates have criticized them. Fixing the site itself, as described above, is the dependable approach.
How to test your own site
You do not need special training to find many common problems.
Simple manual checks
- Keyboard test: put the mouse aside, press Tab from the top of the page and work through it. Can you reach everything, see where you are and use the menu and forms?
- Zoom test: zoom the browser to 200 percent. Does content reflow without overlapping or sideways scrolling?
- Heading outline: use a browser extension that lists headings, and check the order makes sense.
- Images off: some extensions show alt text in place of images. Does the page still make sense?
- Screen reader basics: try VoiceOver on Mac or iPhone, TalkBack on Android, or the free NVDA screen reader on Windows. Listen to your home page and contact form.
Automated tools
Browser tools such as Lighthouse in Chrome’s developer tools and free checkers such as WAVE flag issues like missing alt text, low contrast and empty links. They are useful for catching patterns quickly, but they cannot judge whether alt text is accurate or whether a page is easy to use. Treat a clean automated report as a starting point.
A basic accessibility checklist
- Text contrast meets WCAG AA targets across all backgrounds.
- Links in body text are identifiable without color.
- One H1 per page, headings in logical order.
- Meaningful images have alt text; decorative images have empty alt text.
- Icon buttons and social links have text labels.
- Every form field has a visible label; errors are explained in text.
- The whole site works with a keyboard, with a visible focus indicator.
- Menus and pop-ups open, close and trap focus correctly.
- Videos have captions; nothing autoplays with sound.
- Sliders and moving content can be paused.
- Pages work at 200 percent zoom and on narrow screens.
- Checks repeated after adding plugins, widgets or templates.
FAQ
Do page builders produce accessible sites?
They can, but the result depends on how pages are built. The same widget can be used well or badly. Pay attention to heading levels, button text, alt text, contrast and how custom menus and pop-ups behave with a keyboard.
Is my business legally required to meet WCAG?
That depends on your location, sector and customers, and on how laws are applied where you operate. This guide cannot answer it for you. A qualified adviser familiar with your jurisdiction can.
Where should I start if my site has many problems?
Start with the pages and tasks that matter most: the home page, the main service or product pages, and the contact or booking form. Fix contrast, headings, labels and keyboard access there first, then work outward.
Should I publish an accessibility statement?
Many organizations do. A short statement explains what you aim for, known limitations and how visitors can report problems or ask for content in another format. Make sure what it says is accurate.
Bottom line
Accessibility for a small business site starts with solid basics: readable contrast, real headings, useful alt text, labeled forms and full keyboard access. Use WCAG level AA as a practical benchmark, test with a keyboard, zoom and a screen reader as well as automated tools, and get qualified advice if you need to know what the law in your area requires.