Digital accessibility affects every part of a website—from overall architecture and source code to the individual elements on a single page. While improving accessibility across an entire site can feel overwhelming, there are many simple improvements you can implement quickly.
Even if you are working within the limitations of a content management system, small changes can significantly improve usability for people who rely on accessible digital experiences.
Below are practical website accessibility tips that can help you start improving your site today. These improvements require minimal effort but can make a meaningful impact while you continue building a more comprehensive accessibility program.
Quick website accessibility checklist
If you’re looking for a quick starting point, here are ten simple ways to improve website accessibility:
- Run an accessibility scan
- Add alternative text to images
- Structure pages with proper headings
- Ensure sufficient color contrast
- Simplify forms and labels
- Use meaningful link text
- Caption video content
- Use semantic HTML elements
- Design with accessibility in mind
- Test your site using only a keyboard
Each of these improvements helps remove barriers for users and strengthens the overall accessibility of your website.
1. Know where your website stands
Before making improvements, it helps to understand your current level of accessibility.
Website accessibility testing tools can quickly scan individual pages or entire websites to highlight common accessibility issues. These scans provide a high-level view of potential barriers and help teams prioritize improvements.
Tools such as Vispero’s ARC Toolkit Chrome extension allow developers and content creators to quickly identify accessibility errors and begin addressing them immediately. Running accessibility scans regularly helps teams detect issues early and prevent them from becoming larger problems.
Organizations that need deeper insights can also benefit from more comprehensive accessibility evaluations that analyze site structure, user flows, and assistive technology compatibility.
2. Always include alternative text for images
Images must include descriptive alternative text (alt text) so users who rely on screen readers can understand the information conveyed.
Effective alt text briefly describes the purpose of the image and communicates its meaning within the context of the page. If the image provides meaningful information, the description should convey that context clearly. Decorative images should be marked appropriately so that assistive technologies can ignore them.
Providing accurate alt text is one of the simplest and most impactful accessibility improvements you can make.
3. Structure content with proper headings
Clear page structure helps all users navigate content more easily, especially those using assistive technologies.
Use proper heading levels (H1, H2, H3) to organize content into logical sections. Screen reader users often navigate pages by headings, allowing them to skim content and jump directly to relevant sections.
Breaking large blocks of text into smaller sections with descriptive headings improves readability for everyone.
4. Ensure sufficient color contrast
Color contrast is critical for users with low vision or color-vision deficiencies.
Some color combinations make text extremely difficult to read. To ensure readability, foreground and background colors should meet WCAG color contrast requirements.
Free tools like Vispero’s Color Contrast Checker make it easy to test color combinations and confirm whether they meet accessibility guidelines.
Designing with strong contrast improves usability for all users, including those viewing content on mobile devices or in bright environments.
5. Keep forms simple and clearly labeled
Forms are one of the most common areas where accessibility barriers occur.
Accessible forms should include:
- Clear visible labels
- Concise instructions
- Helpful error messages
- Confirmation notifications after successful actions
Keeping forms short and easy to understand reduces frustration and improves completion rates for all users.
6. Use meaningful link text
Link text should clearly describe what will happen when a user activates the link.
Generic phrases such as “click here” or “read more” provide little context—especially for users navigating links through screen readers.
Instead, use descriptive link text such as:
- Download the accessibility guide
- Register for the accessibility webinar
- Learn more about digital accessibility services
Meaningful link text improves accessibility and makes navigation more intuitive.
7. Include captions for video content
Video captions ensure that people who are deaf or hard of hearing can understand multimedia content.
Many platforms, including YouTube, offer automated captioning tools that make caption creation easier. However, automated captions should always be reviewed for accuracy.
Captions also benefit users watching videos in noisy environments or without sound.
8. Use semantic HTML whenever possible
Accessible websites rely on proper semantic HTML structure.
This means:
- Lists should use list elements
- Buttons should use button elements
- Form inputs should use the correct field types
Semantic HTML helps assistive technologies correctly interpret the structure and purpose of each element on a page.
Using proper HTML structure also improves maintainability and consistency across your website.
9. Design with accessibility in mind from the start
Accessibility should be considered during the design phase rather than added after development.
Thoughtful design patterns—such as clear navigation, readable typography, and consistent layouts—make digital experiences easier for everyone to use.
Accessible design does not limit creativity. Instead, it ensures digital experiences remain usable for people with a wide range of abilities.
10. Test your website using only a keyboard
An accessible website should be fully usable without a mouse.
Many users rely on keyboard navigation or assistive technologies to interact with digital content. Testing your website using only a keyboard can quickly reveal navigation issues, missing focus indicators, or inaccessible controls.
Try navigating your site using only the Tab, Enter, and Arrow keys. This simple test often reveals accessibility issues that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Educate yourself on digital accessibility
Improving accessibility also requires ongoing learning. Developers, designers, and content creators benefit from understanding accessibility standards, assistive technologies, and inclusive design principles.
Resources from organizations such as the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) provide guidance on accessibility standards like WCAG and best practices for accessible development.
Accessibility testing tools can also support learning. Tools such as ARC Toolkit help developers identify accessibility issues during page testing, while assistive technologies such as JAWS, the world’s most widely used screen reader, allow teams to better understand how blind or low-vision users interact with digital content.
Automated monitoring tools such as ARC Monitoring help organizations track accessibility across websites over time, identify patterns, and prioritize improvements more effectively.
Common website accessibility mistakes to avoid
Many accessibility barriers occur because small issues are overlooked during development or content updates. Some of the most common problems include:
- Missing alt text on images
- Insufficient color contrast
- Incorrect heading structure
- Inaccessible forms or labels
- Keyboard navigation issues
Regular accessibility testing and education can help teams identify and prevent these issues before they affect users.
Keep improving your accessibility program
Digital accessibility is not a one-time project. Websites evolve constantly as new features, technologies, and content are introduced.
Even small improvements can make a meaningful difference for users who rely on accessible digital experiences. By integrating accessibility practices into everyday design, development, and content workflows, organizations can create digital environments that work better for everyone.
If your organization needs help assessing, improving, or scaling accessibility across websites and digital products, Vispero’s digital accessibility experts can help you take the next step.