Updated August 2026
Website accessibility has become an increasingly important consideration for businesses and organisations operating online. An accessible website is designed so that as many people as possible can navigate, understand and interact with its content, including people who use assistive technologies.
For businesses, improving accessibility isn’t simply about technical standards. It can contribute to a better overall user experience, clearer website content and a digital presence that works for a wider audience.
If you’re looking for professional support rather than general information, learn more about Website Accessibility Services from 2Cubed, including accessibility audits, improvements and accessible website development.
What Does Website Accessibility Mean?
Website accessibility means identifying and reducing barriers that can prevent people from successfully using a website.
Different users interact with websites in different ways. Some may use screen readers, keyboards instead of a mouse, magnification software, voice controls or other assistive technologies.
Accessibility considerations can therefore affect people with:
- Visual impairments, including blindness, low vision and colour vision deficiencies
- Hearing impairments
- Motor or mobility impairments
- Cognitive and neurological disabilities
- Temporary or situational limitations
Good accessibility practices aim to ensure important website content and functionality remain understandable and usable regardless of how somebody accesses the website.
Why Is Website Accessibility Important?
Accessibility can have an impact on almost every part of the website experience.
A website may look impressive visually but still create significant difficulties for users if navigation cannot be operated with a keyboard, text is difficult to read, form fields are poorly labelled or important information cannot be interpreted by assistive technologies.
Improving accessibility can therefore help businesses provide a more inclusive digital experience while improving usability more generally.
Some of the key benefits include:
A more inclusive experience
Removing unnecessary barriers allows more people to access your information, products and services.
Improved website usability
Clear navigation, descriptive links, understandable forms and logical page structures can make a website easier for everyone to use.
Better content structure
Accessibility encourages websites to use meaningful headings, descriptive labels and logically organised content. These practices can also make pages easier for visitors to scan and understand.
A wider potential audience
An inaccessible website can unintentionally prevent potential customers from completing important actions such as making an enquiry, finding information or completing a purchase.
Supporting accessibility obligations
Businesses and organisations should also understand the accessibility requirements that apply to their websites and digital services, including relevant European and Irish requirements.
For organisations that need to assess their existing website, 2Cubed provides website accessibility audits and development services to identify accessibility issues and recommend practical improvements.
Understanding WCAG
One of the most important references for website accessibility is the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, commonly known as WCAG.
WCAG provides recommendations for making web content more accessible and is organised around four core principles, often abbreviated to POUR.
Website content should be:
- Perceivable – users must be able to perceive the information being presented.
- Operable – website interfaces and navigation must be usable in different ways.
- Understandable – content and website functionality should be clear and predictable.
- Robust – content should work reliably with different browsers, devices and assistive technologies.
These principles cover a wide range of website elements, from text and images to navigation, forms, video and interactive functionality.
WCAG has also evolved over time. Businesses reviewing accessibility should therefore consider which WCAG version and conformance level is appropriate to their circumstances rather than treating accessibility as a one-off checklist.
Common Website Accessibility Issues
Accessibility problems aren’t always immediately obvious when viewing a website normally.
Some common issues include:
- Images without meaningful alternative text
- Insufficient colour contrast
- Links that don’t clearly describe their destination
- Forms without appropriate labels or instructions
- Navigation that cannot be properly controlled using a keyboard
- Incorrect heading structures
- Missing video captions or audio transcripts
- Content that becomes difficult to use when text is enlarged
- Interactive elements that are difficult for assistive technologies to interpret
- Poor focus indicators for keyboard users
Individually, some of these problems can appear minor. Together, however, they can make sections of a website extremely difficult or impossible for some visitors to use.
Accessibility and Responsive Web Design
Accessibility should also be considered across different screen sizes and devices.
People increasingly access websites through smartphones and tablets, so website elements need to remain readable, understandable and easy to operate on smaller screens.
A strong responsive web design approach can support accessibility by ensuring layouts adapt effectively to different screen sizes.
However, responsive design and accessibility aren’t the same thing. A website can be responsive while still having accessibility problems, which is why accessibility should be considered independently during design, development and testing.
Does Website Accessibility Help SEO?
There is some overlap between accessibility and good SEO practices, but accessibility shouldn’t be viewed simply as an SEO technique.
For example, well-structured headings, descriptive image alternatives, understandable content and logical navigation can help make a website clearer for both users and search engines.
The primary purpose of accessibility, however, is to make websites more usable for people.
Rather than adding accessibility features solely in an attempt to improve Google rankings, businesses should focus on creating a genuinely usable website. Strong technical SEO, useful content, accessibility and user experience can then work together as part of a better overall website.
How Can You Check Your Website’s Accessibility?
Automated accessibility tools can provide a useful starting point.
Tools such as Lighthouse and WAVE can identify certain technical accessibility issues and help website owners understand where improvements may be required.
Automated testing cannot identify every accessibility problem, however.
A more complete accessibility review may include a combination of automated testing, manual testing, keyboard testing and assessment of how pages work with relevant assistive technologies.
It is also important to prioritise findings according to their impact rather than simply aiming for a perfect automated accessibility score.
If you’re unsure where your website currently stands, find out more about Website Accessibility Audits from 2Cubed.
Making Accessibility Part of Your Website Strategy
Website accessibility shouldn’t be something that is considered once and then forgotten.
Websites change continually. New pages are published, images are uploaded, functionality is added and third-party tools are introduced. Any of these changes can introduce new accessibility problems.
Accessibility is therefore most effective when it becomes part of the ongoing website process.
Content editors can consider heading structures and alternative text when publishing. Designers can consider contrast and interaction patterns. Developers can build accessibility considerations into components and functionality from the beginning.
Taking this approach can make maintaining an accessible website considerably easier than trying to correct a large number of issues retrospectively.
Need Help Improving Your Website’s Accessibility?
This guide provides an introduction to why website accessibility matters and some of the issues businesses should consider.
If you need to understand the accessibility of your existing website or want accessibility incorporated into a new website project, visit our dedicated Website Accessibility Services page.
2Cubed can help businesses and organisations identify accessibility issues and make practical improvements across website design, development, content and functionality.
Learn more about Website Accessibility →
Frequently Asked Questions About Website Accessibility
What is website accessibility?
Website accessibility is the practice of designing and developing websites so that people with different abilities can access, understand, navigate and interact with their content and functionality.
What does WCAG mean?
WCAG stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. The guidelines provide internationally recognised recommendations for improving the accessibility of web content for people with disabilities.
Who benefits from an accessible website?
Accessibility is particularly important for people with disabilities, but many accessibility improvements can benefit a much wider audience. Clear navigation, readable text, understandable forms and well-structured content can improve the experience for users generally.
Can automated tools tell me if my website is accessible?
Automated testing tools can identify many common accessibility issues, but they cannot assess everything. Manual testing and expert review are often necessary to understand how accessible a website is in practice.
Can an existing website be made more accessible?
Yes. Existing websites can be audited to identify accessibility barriers and determine which improvements should be prioritised. Depending on the website, this could involve changes to design, code, navigation, forms, content or other functionality.
For a more detailed assessment of your website, visit our Website Accessibility Services page.
