Website Accessibility Audit
An accessibility audit evaluates whether your website can be used by people with disabilities. This includes visual impairments, motor disabilities, cognitive differences, and temporary situational limitations.
Beyond legal compliance, accessible sites reach a larger audience and often provide better experiences for all users. 15% of the global population has some form of disability. Exclusion is a market limitation.
What an accessibility audit examines
Visual accessibility
Colour contrast, text sizing, visual cues that do not rely solely on colour.
Common issues
- Insufficient contrast ratios
- Text too small to read
- Information conveyed only by colour
- Images without alt text
Keyboard navigation
Whether all functionality is available without a mouse.
Common issues
- Focus not visible
- Tab order illogical
- Keyboard traps
- Skip links missing
Screen reader compatibility
Whether assistive technology can interpret and navigate the content.
Common issues
- Missing ARIA labels
- Improper heading structure
- Unlabelled form fields
- Dynamic content not announced
Responsive accessibility
Whether accessibility is maintained across devices and zoom levels.
Common issues
- Content lost at 200% zoom
- Touch targets too small
- Orientation locked
- Inconsistent mobile experience
Interactive elements
Whether buttons, links, and forms are accessible.
Common issues
- Unclear click targets
- Poor error messaging
- Time limits too short
- No accessible alternatives
Content accessibility
Whether text content is readable and understandable.
Common issues
- Complex language
- Missing captions for video
- No transcripts for audio
- Unclear instructions
Common accessibility problems
Missing alt text
Images without descriptions are invisible to screen reader users. Decorative images need empty alt attributes.
Impact: Core content is inaccessible to visually impaired users.
Keyboard inaccessible navigation
Dropdown menus, modal dialogs, or interactive elements that cannot be operated with keyboard alone.
Impact: Users with motor impairments cannot navigate the site.
Insufficient colour contrast
Text that does not meet WCAG AA contrast ratios (4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text).
Impact: Content unreadable for users with low vision or colour blindness.
Missing form labels
Form fields without proper labels or instructions, making them unusable with assistive technology.
Impact: Users cannot complete forms or transactions.
Part of the wider Commercial Assessment
An accessibility audit tells you what does not comply. It does not tell you whether accessibility is prioritised in your development process or culture.
- Accessibility problems often have process causes: no accessibility requirements in briefs, no testing with assistive technology, no accountability for compliance.
- Fixing accessibility issues without fixing the development process means new issues appear with every release.
- Some accessibility work has higher commercial priority: fixing checkout accessibility may matter more than fixing blog accessibility.
The Commercial Assessment examines accessibility alongside five other domains: channels and reporting, attribution, sales handoff, user experience, and team capability. Compliance is one factor in a larger system.
Learn about Commercial AssessmentInclusion expands markets
If your site excludes users, that is worth understanding. But if you suspect the problem is systemic, not just compliance, you need a broader assessment.