How to Run a Complete Website Accessibility Audit in 2026 | AuditMySite

Accessibility Is No Longer Optional

In 2025, 4,605 ADA website accessibility lawsuits were filed in the U.S. — a 12% increase from 2024. The global disability community represents $13 trillion in annual disposable income. Accessible websites convert better, rank better, and serve everyone better.

Understanding WCAG 2.2

Four principles (POUR):

Perceivable: Alt text, captions, sufficient contrast
Operable: Keyboard navigation, no time traps, no seizure triggers
Understandable: Clear labels, predictable behavior, error assistance
Robust: Valid HTML, proper ARIA attributes

Most organizations target Level AA compliance.

Phase 1: Automated Testing

Catches approximately 30–40% of issues. Tools:

axe DevTools (free) — industry standard
WAVE — visual overlay
Lighthouse — built into Chrome, good for CI/CD
Pa11y (open source) — command-line
Siteimprove (paid) — enterprise scanning

Catches: missing alt text, insufficient contrast, missing form labels, empty links, improper heading hierarchy.

Phase 2: Keyboard Navigation Testing

Approximately 2.4 million Americans use a keyboard as primary input. Test: tab order, focus visibility, interactive elements (Enter/Space), modal focus trapping, skip navigation links. Budget 2–3 hours for thorough testing.

Phase 3: Screen Reader Testing

Options: NVDA (free, Windows), VoiceOver (built into Mac/iOS), JAWS ($1,000/year), TalkBack (Android). Listen for: meaningful alt text, proper heading outline, labeled form fields, announced data tables, ARIA live regions for dynamic content.

Phase 4: Content and Design Review

Color contrast: 4.5:1 for text. Body text minimum 16px. Line height at least 1.5. Max paragraph width 80 characters. Text resizable to 200%. Links distinguishable by more than color alone.

Phase 5: ARIA and Semantic HTML Audit

First rule of ARIA: "Don't use ARIA if you can use native HTML." Common mistakes: role="button" on divs instead of using button elements, missing aria-expanded, incorrect aria-label values, aria-hidden on important content.

Remediation Priority

Critical: Keyboard traps, missing form labels, non-functional elements
High: Missing alt text, contrast failures, skip navigation
Medium: Heading hierarchy, ARIA improvements, focus management
Low: Enhanced screen reader experience, AAA criteria

Accessibility intersects with everything — from brand identity design to how customer-facing digital interfaces handle diverse user needs.

The Bottom Line

Website accessibility isn't just compliance — it's building a web that works for everyone. Start with automated testing, layer on keyboard and screen reader testing, and make accessibility part of your development process.