A website accessibility checklist is not just another technical exercise to hand to your developer. It is a practical way to spot the barriers that stop real people from reading your pages, requesting a quote, booking an appointment or buying from you. If someone cannot use your site with a keyboard, cannot understand a form error, or cannot read the text comfortably, that is a lost opportunity as well as a poor experience.
For small and mid-sized businesses, accessibility can feel like one more item on an already full list. The good news is that many of the highest-impact improvements are straightforward. Start with the basics, test them properly, and make accessibility part of how you update your website rather than a last-minute fix.
Why accessibility affects commercial results
Accessibility means designing and building a website so people with different needs and ways of using the web can access it. This includes people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive impairments, as well as people dealing with temporary limitations, a noisy environment, a cracked screen or a slow connection.
A clear, accessible site tends to be easier for everyone to use. Better headings help visitors scan a page. Clear form labels reduce abandoned enquiries. Sufficient colour contrast helps users read your content outdoors or on a low-quality display. These are not niche details when your website is meant to generate leads.
There is also a legal and reputational dimension. UK accessibility obligations vary depending on your organisation and sector, and public sector websites have specific requirements. Private businesses should not assume the issue does not apply to them. More importantly, treating customers fairly is good business. If you are unsure about your legal position, get advice from an appropriately qualified professional rather than relying on a checklist alone.
Website accessibility checklist: the essentials
The points below are a sensible starting point for most business websites. They do not replace a full professional audit, particularly for large sites, ecommerce platforms or organisations with strict compliance duties. But they will reveal many common problems.
Make content readable without relying on colour
Text needs enough contrast against its background. Pale grey text may look clean in a design mock-up, but it is often difficult to read in practice. The same applies to coloured buttons, links and messages. A red outline around a required field is not enough if there is no written explanation of what needs fixing.
Use colour to support meaning, not carry it on its own. For example, if a chart uses different colours, label the values clearly. If a form has an error, add a direct message such as, “Enter a valid phone number”.
Choose a readable font size, sensible line spacing and short paragraphs. Visitors should be able to enlarge text in their browser without content disappearing, overlapping or becoming impossible to use. Avoid placing important wording inside an image, where it may not resize or be read by assistive technology.
Give pages a clear structure
Headings are not just larger, bold-looking text. They tell screen reader users how a page is organised and let them move quickly to the section they need. Each page should have one clear main heading, followed by headings in a logical order.
Do not jump from a main heading straight to a tiny subheading because it looks right visually. Style can be adjusted in your design. The underlying page structure still needs to make sense.
Use descriptive page titles too. “Services | MAWEBDESIGN” is more useful than “Home” or “Untitled document”. Navigation labels should tell people where they are going. “Our web design services” is clearer than “Learn more”.
Add useful text alternatives to images
Images that communicate information need alternative text. This is a short description read by screen readers when the image cannot be seen. A photograph of a completed shop fit-out might be described as “Modern retail shop interior designed for independent clothing brand”.
The right description depends on the image’s purpose. A decorative flourish does not need a long explanation, while a chart, diagram or product image may need more detail. Avoid writing “image of” before every description. Also avoid stuffing image alt text with keywords. It should help a person understand the content, not try to impress a search engine.
Videos need attention as well. Captions make spoken content available to deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors, and they help anyone watching without sound. If a video shows important action that is not explained aloud, provide a written description or make sure the key information appears in the surrounding page content.
Check that the whole site works with a keyboard
Some people do not use a mouse. They may navigate with a keyboard, a switch device or voice controls. Press the Tab key from the top of your page and see what happens.
You should be able to reach every menu item, link, form field, button and pop-up control. The selected item needs a visible focus indicator, such as an outline, so users can see where they are. This is often removed for visual reasons, then forgotten. Put it back.
Watch for keyboard traps. These happen when someone can enter a menu, pop-up or booking widget but cannot move out of it using the keyboard. Cookie banners, chat tools and third-party forms are frequent culprits, so do not assume a supplier has handled accessibility properly.
Make forms easy to complete
Your enquiry form is one of the most valuable pages on the site. Every field should have a visible label, not just placeholder text that disappears once somebody starts typing. Explain what information is required before a visitor submits the form.
When something goes wrong, place a clear message near the relevant field and explain how to fix it. “There was an error” is not useful. “Your email address is missing the @ symbol” is.
Ask only for the information you genuinely need. Long forms create friction for everyone, and they are particularly tiring for users navigating with a keyboard or screen reader. If your sales process needs more detail, collect the essentials first and follow up.
Use links and buttons that say what they do
“Click here” and “Read more” become confusing when a screen reader presents a list of links without the surrounding paragraph. Write links that make sense on their own, such as “Read our SEO management process” or “View web design projects”.
Buttons should describe the action too. “Send enquiry”, “Add to basket” and “Book a consultation” are clear. Icons can work, but only when their purpose is obvious and they have accessible labels behind the scenes.
Be careful with content that opens a new tab, downloads a file or takes users away from the site. Tell people in advance where possible. Unexpected behaviour is frustrating, particularly for visitors using assistive technology.
Test beyond automated tools
Accessibility scanners are useful for catching missing alt text, poor contrast and code issues. They are a starting point, not a sign-off. A tool cannot reliably tell whether an image description is meaningful, whether a heading hierarchy makes sense, or whether your form instructions are understandable.
Combine automated checks with simple manual testing. Navigate key pages using only a keyboard. Increase browser zoom. Try the site on a phone with a poor connection. Ask someone unfamiliar with your business to find a service, understand your offer and send an enquiry. If they get stuck, customers probably will too.
For higher-risk websites, specialist testing with disabled users and accessibility professionals is worth the investment. This is especially true where people need to make payments, access essential information or complete complex forms. The right level of work depends on your site, audience and the consequences of getting it wrong.
Build accessibility into everyday website work
The cheapest time to solve an accessibility problem is before it reaches the live site. Include it in design reviews, development checks and content publishing. When you add a new page, ask whether the headings are logical, images have useful descriptions, links are clear and the page works without a mouse.
If a website redesign is on the horizon, do not treat accessibility as a bolt-on task at the end. Raise it in the first conversation. It affects design choices, templates, navigation, forms and the tools you choose. Fixing those foundations early usually costs less than rebuilding them after launch.
A good website should not make people work harder than necessary to become a customer. Start with the pages that drive enquiries and sales, make a few meaningful improvements, then keep going. Accessibility is not about chasing a box-ticking score. It is about making sure your business is easier to choose.