Practical Guide: How to Fix Accessibility on Your Website

WordPress – A Good Foundation, But Not Always Sufficient

WordPress is the world's most widely used CMS and has made significant strides in accessibility in recent years. With the right theme and plugin choices, you can go quite far.

What WordPress Does Well by Default:

Semantic HTML structure: Modern WordPress themes often follow basic HTML semantics with correct use of headings (h1-h6), lists, and other structural elements.

Keyboard navigation: WordPress core functionality supports keyboard navigation, which is critical for users who cannot use a mouse.

Alt text for images: WordPress has built-in support for alt text, but it's up to the user to actually fill them in.

Customizable HTML: You can control HTML output via templates and hooks, providing flexibility for accessibility improvements.

Concrete Steps to Improve WordPress Accessibility:

1. Choose an accessibility-aware theme

Look for themes that market themselves as "accessibility-ready" or "WCAG-compliant". Popular options include Twenty Twenty-Four and Astra.

2. Install accessibility plugins

• WP Accessibility: Adds ARIA landmarks, skip links, and other basic improvements
• One Click Accessibility: Gives users tools to customize the website's appearance
• Accessibility Checker: Scans your content for common issues

3. Configure proper heading structure

Ensure each page has a logical heading structure (H1 → H2 → H3) without level skipping. Don't use headings just for styling.

4. Optimize color contrast

Check that text color and background color have sufficient contrast (at least 4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large headings).

When WordPress Becomes Challenging

Challenge 1: Visual Page Builders (Elementor, WPBakery, Divi)

Page builders are popular for their simplicity, but they often create accessibility problems:

Common Problems:

• Sloppy HTML structure with unnecessary div elements
• Poor or incorrect ARIA attributes
• Keyboard navigation that doesn't work properly
• Semantic structure lost in visual design

Solutions:

• Short-term: Add custom CSS and JavaScript to fix problems
• Long-term: Migrate content to WordPress Gutenberg editor which has better accessibility support
• Compromise: Use page builders sparingly and only for less critical sections

Challenge 2: Old or Custom-Built Themes

Older themes often lack modern accessibility functionality:

Common Deficiencies:

• Missing ARIA landmarks (navigation, main, complementary)
• Incorrect or missing skip navigation
• Poor keyboard focus handling
• Insufficient color contrast

Solutions:

• Update the theme: If a newer version is available
• Manual improvements: Add ARIA attributes and landmarks via functions.php
• Theme change: Invest in a modern, accessibility-aware theme

Challenge 3: Old Content That Needs Updating

Common Problems:

• Images without alt text from previous years
• PDF documents that aren't accessible
• Embedded videos without captions
• Blog posts with poor heading structure

Systematic Solution:

1. Audit existing content: Use tools like Screaming Frog to identify images without alt text
2. Prioritize: Start with most visited pages and critical content
3. Bulk editing: Use WordPress bulk editing function to update metadata efficiently
4. Content guidelines: Create guidelines for future content production

Tools for Testing Accessibility

Automated Tools:

• axe DevTools: Browser extension that identifies common problems
• WAVE: Free web-based tool from WebAIM
• Lighthouse: Built into Chrome Developer Tools

Manual Testing:

• Keyboard navigation: Test navigating the entire website without a mouse
• Screen readers: Test with free screen readers like NVDA (Windows) or VoiceOver (Mac)
• Color contrast: Check all text colors against backgrounds

Why WordPress Isn't Always Enough

While WordPress is a good choice for many websites, there are limitations when it comes to accessibility:

Performance issues: WordPress websites can become slow with many plugins, negatively affecting user experience.

Limited control: You depend on theme and plugin developers' understanding of accessibility.

Technical debt: Older WordPress installations can accumulate technical problems that are difficult to solve.

Scalability: For larger websites with complex requirements, WordPress can become impractical.

Modern Alternatives: Next.js and Developer-Focused Solutions

For businesses that want complete control over accessibility and performance, modern JavaScript frameworks like Next.js offer significant advantages:

Next.js Advantages for Accessibility:

Complete control: Developers have total control over HTML structure and semantics from the ground up.

Built-in tools: Next.js comes with built-in support for many accessibility features and optimizations.

Better performance: Server-side rendering and automatic optimization provide faster loading times.

Future-proof: Built with modern web standards and best practices.

Capacity: Handles everything from small business websites to large e-commerce platforms.

When Next.js is the Best Choice:

• E-commerce platforms that need fast performance and complex functionality
• Business websites with high security and performance requirements
• Web applications requiring advanced interactivity
• Websites where accessibility and SEO are critical business factors

How We Help Businesses with Accessibility

As a web development agency specializing in Next.js and modern web solutions, we help businesses in several ways:

For Existing WordPress Websites:

• Accessibility audits: Thorough review of current accessibility status
• Optimization: Improvements without needing to change platforms
• Migration consulting: Evaluation of whether and when a move to more modern technology is justified

For New Projects or Major Rebuilds:

• Next.js development: Building fast, accessible websites from the ground up
• Accessibility by design: Integration of WCAG 2.1 AA standards throughout the development process
• Performance optimization: Ensuring fast loading times for all users
• Future-proofing: Technical solutions that grow with your business

Why We Chose Next.js as Our Primary Platform:

Quality over quantity: Instead of being generalists across all CMS platforms, we focus on delivering exceptional results with modern technology.

Best possible accessibility: Next.js gives us the tools to build websites that don't just meet WCAG standards but exceed them.

Long-term sustainability: Websites built with Next.js are better equipped for future accessibility requirements and technical development.

Concrete results: We've helped clients reduce loading times by over 40% and improve Lighthouse accessibility scores from 60 to 95+.

Next Steps for Your Business

If you have an existing WordPress website:

1. Start with a basic accessibility audit
2. Implement the most critical improvements
3. Evaluate whether your current solution is sustainable long-term

If you're planning a new website or major rebuild:

1. Consider modern alternatives like Next.js for best results
2. Plan for accessibility from project start
3. Invest in solutions that grow with your business

Regardless of situation:

Start early! The new law takes effect on June 28, 2025, and quality improvements take time to implement and test properly.

Contact Us for Expert Help

We help businesses navigate accessibility challenges, whether you need to optimize an existing WordPress website or build something entirely new with Next.js.

Contact us for a free consultation where we'll discuss your specific situation and recommend the best path forward.

Remember: Accessibility isn't just about avoiding fines – it's about creating better experiences for all your users and building a stronger digital presence for your business.

Quick Checklist: Is Your Website Accessible?

✅ Basic Structure:

• Does each page have a clear H1 heading?
• Does the heading structure follow logical order (H1 → H2 → H3)?
• Are all images provided with descriptive alt text?

✅ Navigation and Interaction:

• Can you navigate using only the keyboard?
• Is there a "skip to main content" link?
• Are all form fields clearly labeled?

✅ Visual Design:

• Do text and background have sufficient color contrast?
• Is information understandable even without colors?
• Does the page work at 200% zoom?

✅ Test Yourself:

• Have you tried navigating without a mouse?
• Have you tested with a screen reader (e.g., free NVDA)?
• Do all functions work with JavaScript disabled?