Website Accessibility (WCAG): Support Without the Legal Risk

Your website should be usable by everyone — including people with disabilities. But “accessible” doesn’t mean the same thing to every business. At A7Designs, we help identify areas where your website could be more inclusive by supporting key principles of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) — without making risky claims of full compliance.

We’re not accessibility auditors or legal advisors. Instead, we focus on practical improvements that help your customers navigate, read, and interact with your website — regardless of their abilities.

website accessibility wcag

What Is Website Accessibility?

Website accessibility means designing and developing your site so people with various impairments — such as visual, hearing, motor, or cognitive disabilities — can use it without barriers.

That might include:

  • Text alternatives for images
  • Sufficient colour contrast
  • Keyboard navigability
  • Descriptive link text
  • Clear heading structures

Accessibility is more than a legal checkbox — it’s about user experience, inclusion, and respect.

What Is WCAG?

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are internationally recognised standards that provide guidance on how to make websites more accessible. These guidelines are regularly updated by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), with the current version being WCAG 2.2.

WCAG is based on four key principles — a site should be:

  1. Perceivable – Content must be presented in ways all users can perceive
  2. Operable – Interface components and navigation must be usable
  3. Understandable – Information must be clear and easy to comprehend
  4. Robust – Content must be reliably interpreted by a wide range of technologies

There are also three conformance levels: A, AA, and AAA — with AA being the general benchmark for most organisations.

What A7Designs Can Do

We do not provide legal certification or claims of WCAG conformance. But we can help improve accessibility by:

  • Flagging major barriers like low contrast or missing alt text
  • Ensuring your headings, buttons and links are structured properly
  • Supporting mobile responsiveness and keyboard navigation
  • Avoiding design pitfalls that affect screen reader users
  • Creating accessible forms and call-to-action buttons

We design sites with these principles in mind — and we can review existing sites for key issues that might be turning visitors away.

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Why Accessibility Matters (Even If You’re Not Legally Required)

Some industries are legally required to meet accessibility standards — especially government, education, and healthcare.

But for small businesses in Adelaide, the real benefits of accessibility are:

  • Better SEO: Google loves clean, structured content — just like screen readers do.
  • Lower bounce rates: Users stay longer when they can interact easily.
  • More conversions: Clear buttons and readable content help everyone — not just people with disabilities.
  • Inclusive branding: Being accessible says, “Everyone is welcome here.”

How Do You Know If Your Site Has Accessibility Issues?

Most websites have at least some issues — even big brand sites.

Here’s what we recommend:

  • Free accessibility checkers (like WAVE or AXE) for a basic scan
  • Manual testing: Can you navigate your site with just a keyboard? Can you tell where you are?
  • Review of headings, link text, colour contrast, and alt attributes

A7Designs can assist in identifying many of these issues and suggest or implement changes. We’ll work with your platform (WordPress, Shopify, BigCommerce, etc.) to apply changes responsibly.

Common Accessibility Improvements We Help With

Here’s a breakdown of typical accessibility issues we help site owners address:

Issue
How We Can Help
Missing image alt text
Add relevant alt attributes for screen readers
Low contrast text
Adjust colour pairings to meet minimum contrast thresholds
Confusing button/link text
Replace vague text like “click here” with meaningful labels
No heading structure
Organise pages with H1, H2, and H3 hierarchy
Keyboard trap elements
Make sure modals and navigation can be escaped via keyboard
Poor mobile UX
Ensure responsive design adapts to different screen sizes

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Do I need to be WCAG compliant?

In Australia, some sectors are legally obligated to meet WCAG standards. For businesses, it’s more about best practice and user experience. We recommend improvements, but do not offer legal compliance services.

Learn more on the Australian Human Rights Commission website.

2. Can you audit my site for accessibility issues?

We can review your website for common WCAG-related issues and suggest changes, but we are not certified accessibility auditors. For formal assessments, we recommend working with a specialist provider.

3. Will improving accessibility help my SEO?

Yes — many accessibility improvements (like semantic headings, fast load times, and alt text) also boost your SEO and usability. It’s a smart investment.

4. What platforms do you work with?

We work primarily with WordPress, Shopify, and BigCommerce — platforms that can support accessibility improvements with the right themes and plugins.

5. How much does it cost to make my site more accessible?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. We can start with a basic review and implement changes based on your budget. You don’t need to fix everything at once — even small steps make a difference.

Let’s Make Your Site More Inclusive

Accessibility isn’t just about meeting a checklist — it’s about creating a better experience for all users.

Whether you’re building a new site or improving an existing one, A7Designs can help you take practical steps toward a more inclusive web presence.

Get in touch now for a friendly chat about your website.