Web accessibility
A web usable by everyone
Web accessibility means the widest possible range of people can fully use a website, including users with visual, hearing, motor, or cognitive disabilities. It follows the international WCAG standard and, in practice, also helps regular visitors, search engines, and the overall usability of the site.
What web accessibility covers
An accessible website accounts for the fact that people operate it in different ways. Someone may not see and uses a screen reader, someone cannot use a mouse and navigates with the keyboard only, someone struggles to tell apart low color contrast. The goal is for everyone to reach the content and complete what they came for — an order or a form, for example.
The international benchmark is the WCAG standard (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), built on four principles: content should be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. The common target is conformance level AA, which European regulations also recommend.
How to make a website accessible in practice
Accessibility is best handled during design and development, not afterwards. You cover much of it with proper page structure, sufficient contrast, and making everything important operable by keyboard. Automated tests help, but only a human review confirms a reliable result.
- Text descriptions (alt) on images so a screen reader can read them.
- Sufficient contrast between text and background and a legible font size.
- Full keyboard operation and a visible indicator of the active element.
- Clearly labeled forms and unambiguous error messages.
- Captions for videos and a logical heading structure for the page.
Why accessibility pays off
An accessible site widens the range of people who can buy from you or contact you, so you do not lose customers needlessly. Many of these measures also improve usability for everyone and help SEO, since search engines process a clear, well-structured page more easily too.
There is a growing legal dimension as well: for part of the websites and online stores in the EU, accessibility is becoming mandatory. Addressing it early is therefore cheaper and safer than retrofitting under pressure.
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Explore our website developmentFrequently asked questions
Is web accessibility mandatory for my company?
For a growing share of websites and online stores in the EU, yes — the obligation follows from European accessibility regulations. Even where it is not yet mandatory, it pays off, because it widens your customer base and improves usability.
Will accessibility ruin my website’s design?
No. Accessibility and an attractive design are not at odds — it is about sufficient contrast, legibility, and logical operation, which benefit good design. The site comes across as well thought out and is comfortable for everyone to use.
Can an existing website be made accessible?
Yes, although some fixes are harder than designing the site to be accessible from the start. We recommend beginning with an audit that reveals the biggest barriers and addressing those first.