Website accessibility: a practical content checklist
Make your pages easier to read, navigate, and use with different devices and assistive technologies.
Start with structure
Use meaningful headings in a logical hierarchy. A reader should be able to understand the page outline without reading every paragraph. Use real buttons for actions and links for navigation rather than making generic text containers clickable.
Write descriptive link labels. In a list of links read out of context, repeated “learn more” labels may be difficult to distinguish. Clear destination names help many readers, including people scanning a page visually.
Check keyboard operation
Move through navigation and interactive controls with the keyboard. Focus should be visible and follow a sensible order. A user should be able to reach a tool’s inputs, run its action, and find the result without a mouse.
Do not remove focus outlines without a visible replacement. Avoid interactions available only on hover. If you introduce dialogs, handle focus movement and closing behaviour carefully.
Review forms and images
Give every input a visible label, explain the expected information, and place errors near the related field. Do not rely on colour alone to communicate success or failure. For dynamically updated results, consider how an assistive technology will announce the change.
Describe informative images with alternative text that conveys their purpose. Decorative images can use empty alternative text. If a chart communicates a key result, provide the information in an accessible table or explanation too.
Test beyond appearance
Check text contrast, zoom, narrow screens, and long content. A layout that looks polished on one desktop may fail when a user increases text size. Combine automated checks with manual use; no single automated result proves complete accessibility.
Use the W3C accessibility tutorials for detailed examples. Keep a record of issues and prioritise barriers that prevent a visitor from completing a core task.
Put this into practice
Use our free tools, then return to the guide library for your next step.