As a website owner in the 21st century, there is one acronym you can’t afford to ignore. An acronym that could make or break your business — WCAG, otherwise known as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. WCAG is a set of standards designed to ensure websites are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
If you’re not compliant, you’re risking more than just a bad user experience. Legal consequences, financial penalties, and a tarnished reputation are all potential outcomes for businesses that ignore WCAG. So, if you haven’t heard of WCAG before, now’s the time to pay attention.
What is the basic purpose of WCAG?
WCAG exists to provide website owners guidance on making their websites accessible. Think of it as an instruction manual on how to take your website from its bare-bones structure to an all-inclusive, barrier-free digital experience.
Practically speaking, WCAG is a set of guidelines. While not legally binding, these guidelines function as strong recommendations which carry significant weight. As a globally recognized framework, WCAG underpins key accessibility laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the U.S. and the European Accessibility Act (EAA) in Europe.
Developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), WCAG ensures web standards evolve alongside technological advancements, whether that means improving compatibility with assistive technologies or optimizing accessibility for emerging digital platforms
Its core mission is to eliminate digital barriers like illegible text or inaccessible forms, ensuring that individuals with visual, auditory, cognitive, and motor impairments can access the same products, services, and information as everyone else. In doing so, WCAG fosters a fairer, more inclusive digital world.
What are the different versions of WCAG?
WCAG is updated periodically to keep up with technology and emerging accessibility challenges. Each version released comes with added guidelines, new focus areas, or a novel approach.
Here’s a breakdown of the main versions to date:
- WCAG 1.0 (1999) – The first version, focused on text-based accessibility.
- WCAG 2.0 (2008) – Introduced the POUR principles (more on this below) and structured guidelines into three compliance levels (A, AA, AAA).
- WCAG 2.1 (2018) – Added guidelines for mobile accessibility and cognitive disabilities.
- WCAG 2.2 (2024) – Enhances usability for people with cognitive disabilities and further strengthens mobile accessibility.
- WCAG 3.0 (In development) – Will introduce a more flexible, scoring-based approach to accessibility.
To make sure you are compliant with most accessibility rights laws, adherence to WCAG 2.1 Level AA is recommended.
The role of POUR principles in WCAG compliance
The POUR principles were released as part of WCAG 2.0 in 2008. They are a set of overarching principles from which accessibility recommendations are derived.
POUR stands for:
- Perceivable – Users must be able to perceive content (e.g., alt text for images, captions for videos). This ensures that content is available in multiple sensory formats, so users with visual or auditory impairments can access it.
- Operable – Users must be able to navigate the site (e.g., keyboard accessibility). Websites should not create barriers for users who rely on keyboard navigation or other assistive devices.
- Understandable – Content should be clear and predictable (e.g., easy-to-read language, consistent navigation). This ensures that users with cognitive disabilities can effectively use and comprehend the content.
- Robust – Content must work with assistive technologies like screen readers. This means websites should be built with clean and structured code that remains accessible as technologies evolve.
The guidelines outlined in WCAG stem directly from these four principles. Each recommendation seeks to make your web content either perceivable, operable, understandable, or robust.
What are the different levels of WCAG conformance?
As well as different versions, WCAG has three different levels of conformance.
- Level A – The most basic level, addressing the most urgent barriers (e.g., ensuring alt text for images).
- Level AA – Ensures reasonable accessibility and is the standard most organisations should aim for (e.g., sufficient colour contrast, keyboard navigation).
- Level AAA – The most stringent level of conformance, ideal for government sites and accessibility-focused businesses (e.g., sign language interpretation for videos).
Most accessibility laws, like the ADA and the EAA, require at least AA compliance, making this the standard that most organisations strive for.
Examples of WCAG violations and how to fix them
You’re probably wondering: “if WCAG 2.1 AA is the standard I should be aiming for, then how do I go about achieving it?”. Well, understanding common failures is a good starting point. It will better equip you to identify any violations in your own web content and help you conjure the relevant solutions when needed.
Poor colour contrast
Without sufficient colour contrast, digital text blends into its background, making it hard to read for anyone, but especially those with visual impairments or colour blindness. The solution? Use an accessible colour contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal-sized text.
Keyboard navigation
Users with mobility impairments rely on keyboards to carry out functions that a mouse would ordinarily be used for. As such, make sure all interactive elements, such as buttons and links, can be accessed using keyboard functions like Tab and Enter.
Compatibility with assistive technologies
A very common WCAG violation is a lack of compatibility with assistive technologies, especially screen readers. Use proper ARIA labels and semantic HTML in your website design, and ensure all images have alt text that is sufficiently descriptive but not overwhelming for the user.
Missing video captions
Another common WCAG violation is captionless videos. As the use of videos in digital content has become more prevalent, so has the need to make them accessible. All videos should have accurate captions which are in-sync with any audio and displayed in an appropriate place on the screen. This way, users who are deaf or hard of hearing can still follow along.
Inaccessible forms
Forms can be used for just about anything: account creation, free trial sign-ups, product purchases, etc. However, if not made accessible, they just become another barrier. To avoid this, make sure all form fields are clearly labelled, provide clear focus indicators to show users which field is selected, and provide logical instructions alongside any error messages.
How is WCAG compliance enforced?
While WCAG itself isn’t legally binding, it is the de facto standard for digital accessibility laws worldwide. That is to say, WCAG is used as the benchmark for other, legally-binding regulations.
In the U.S., for example, the ADA and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act rely on WCAG to define web accessibility. During lawsuits that result from violations of these acts, judges frequently cite WCAG as the standard for digital accessibility. In the UK and EU, the EAA also expects compliant organisations to ensure their digital services align with WCAG.
Ultimately, governments use WCAG to define accessibility requirements, meaning it is enforced indirectly through national laws.
What are the risks of not complying with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
Failure to comply with WCAG brings with it many risks. Not just because of the legal implications, but business ramifications too. Let’s delve into it.
Legal consequences
As you know, many countries use WCAG as a benchmark for enforcing accessibility laws. Businesses that fail to comply may face lawsuits, fines, and reputational damage. For example, in the U.S., businesses have been sued under the ADA for inaccessible websites, incurring fines of up to $75,000 for first time violations.
Loss of potential customers
An inaccessible website alienates users with disabilities, which can lead to churn in existing customers while deterring future customers. After all, who would want to shop somewhere where they feel unwelcome?
SEO penalties
Search engines favour accessible websites. Poor accessibility can impact your rankings on Google and reduce web traffic.
Brand reputation damage
Inclusion is a topic held dear to many consumers, particularly those who prioritise ethical purchasing decisions. Once word gets out that your business is neglecting accessibility, you can expect strong public backlash. Your brand’s reputation could be damaged beyond repair.
Steps to take toward WCAG compliance
Nobody wants to find themselves tangled in an accessibility lawsuit — and we totally get that. So, how do you ensure your site is fully compliant? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here’s your step-by-step guide to WCAG compliance.
Complete an accessibility audit
The first step in achieving WCAG compliance is to assess your website’s current accessibility level. Conducting an accessibility audit involves evaluating your site against WCAG standards to identify any issues that could hinder users with disabilities.
Luckily, automated auditing tools exist so that you don’t have to do this manually. Tools like our accessibility checker identify WCAG violations with just a quick scan of your website. The results are then issued alongside recommended fixes.
For thoroughness, you may even choose to conduct manual audits or user testing as well.
Begin implementing WCAG fixes
Once you’ve identified accessibility issues, it’s time to start addressing them. Begin with the high-priority fixes that affect the core user experience, such as ensuring text is readable, images have alt text, and your site can be navigated with a keyboard.
If your site has multimedia content, be sure to add captions or transcripts. Depending on the size of the site, implement these fixes incrementally, ensuring each change brings you closer to full compliance. Most importantly, refer back to WCAG for guidance.
Monitor and maintain high accessibility standards
You might think that once your site is WCAG compliant, your job is done. But that is not the case. Websites are dynamic and are always being updated with new information, better designs, and new product images or videos.
With every new addition, comes the risk of a new WCAG violation. Therefore, regular monitoring and accessibility audits are essential for maintaining compliance. Establish a routine for testing your site’s accessibility, and make sure your team is trained in accessibility best practices. At the very least, audits should be carried out at least after every significant website change or WCAG update.
Conclusion: Get started with WCAG compliance today
True win-win scenarios are few and far between, but accessibility is certainly one of them. Investing in accessibility not only benefits your business, but helps foster a fairer society. It’s also the right thing to do, both legally and morally. So, elevate your digital standards, audit your site, and take the first step toward creating a more accessible and equitable online experience for everyone.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines FAQs
There are four POUR principles on which WCAG recommendations are based: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.
WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the minimum conformance level to aim for to ensure compliance.
You can use an automated auditing tool like our accessibility checker.
While WCAG is not legally binding in itself, it is used as a benchmark for accessibility in laws like the ADA and EAA, which are legally binding and enforceable.