9 Common Website Accessibility Issues (& How to Fix Them)

Website accessibility helps people with vision, hearing, movement, learning, and cognitive disabilities use your website with fewer barriers. It also supports ADA website compliance and helps your site follow WCAG guidelines, which are widely used standards for accessible web content.

When your website is easy to read, easy to use, and easy to understand, more visitors can find what they need. That is good for your users, your brand, and your search performance.

At Global Reach, we help businesses fix common website accessibility difficulties that can affect ADA and WCAG compliance. Our Iowa-based team builds, reviews, and improves websites with accessibility, usability, SEO, and long-term performance in mind.

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What Is Website Accessibility?

Website accessibility means people with different needs and abilities can use your website without barriers.

An accessible website should work for people who:

• Use a screen reader
• Navigate with a keyboard
• Need captions for videos
• Have low vision
• Are color blind
• Have trouble using a mouse
• Need clear and simple content

Accessibility is not just about meeting government guidelines. It is about making your website easier for real people to use.

Why Website Accessibility Matters

Website accessibility matters because your website is the first place a potential customer goes to learn about your business, contact your team, buy a product, book a service, or get important information. If your website is hard to use, some visitors may not be able to complete those tasks.

Improving accessibility can help your business:

• Reach more people
• Improve user experience (UX)
• Support WCAG and ADA compliance
• Reduce legal risk
• Build trust with visitors
• Improve website structure
• Support better SEO
• Make your website easier to use on mobile devices

A more accessible website is usually a better website for everyone.

ADA Website Accessibility & WCAG Standards

The Americans with Disabilities Act, often called the ADA, is a civil rights law that protects people with disabilities from discrimination.

For websites, accessibility is often measured using the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, or WCAG. These guidelines explain how to make web content easier for people with disabilities to access and use.

WCAG is built around four main ideas. A website should be:

• Perceivable: Users can see, hear, or understand the content.
• Operable: Users can move through and use the website.
• Understandable: Users can read and follow the content.
• Robust: The website works with different devices and assistive tools.

Common Website Accessibility Issues

Many websites have accessibility problems that are easy to miss. Some issues happen during design. Others happen when new pages, images, forms, or videos are added.

1. Missing Alt Text on Images

Alt text is a short written description of an image. Screen readers use alt text to explain images to people who cannot see them.

The problem

If an image lacks alt text, some users may miss important information.

This is a common issue with:

• Product images
• Staff photos
• Infographics
• Service images
• Icons
• Buttons
• Charts

How to fix it

Add short, clear alt text to important images. Good alt text should explain the purpose of the image.

Example:

Instead of:

alt="image"

Use:

alt="A web page with serious website accessibility issues."

 2. Poor Color Contrast

Color contrast is the difference between text color and background color.

The problem

If text blends into the background, it can be hard to read. This is especially true for people with low vision, color blindness, or anyone using a phone in bright light.

Common problems include:

• Light gray text on a white background
• Thin fonts
• Text placed over busy images
• Buttons with low contrast
• Links that are hard to see

How to fix it

Use strong contrast between text and background colors.

As a general rule, normal text should have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5 to 1. Large text should have a contrast ratio of at least 3 to 1.

You can also improve contrast by:

• Using darker text
• Increasing font size
• Avoiding text over busy photos
• Making buttons stand out
• Underlining links when helpful

Better contrast makes your website easier to read for everyone.

3. Inaccessible Website Forms

Forms are one of the most important parts of a website. Visitors use them to contact your team, request quotes, schedule services, sign up, or make purchases.

The problem

Forms can be hard to use when fields are not clearly labeled.

Common form accessibility issues include:

• Missing field labels
• Placeholder text used instead of labels
• Unclear error messages
• Required fields that are not explained
• Forms that do not work with a keyboard
• Fields that screen readers cannot identify

How to fix it

Make every form field clear and easy to complete.

Each form should include:

• A visible label for every field
• Clear instructions
• Helpful error messages
• A clear submit button
• Keyboard-friendly navigation
• Labels that are connected to the correct fields in the code

This helps all users understand what information is needed.

4. Vague Anchor Text (Link Text)

Links should tell users where they are going.

The problem

Links like “click here,” “learn more,” or “read more” can be confusing. Screen reader users may jump from link to link, so vague link text does not give enough context.

How to fix it

Use link text that clearly explains the action or destination.

Instead of:

“Click here”

Use:

“Schedule a website accessibility audit”

Clear links help users move through your website with confidence. They also help search engines better understand your content.

5. Keyboard Navigation Issues

Some people cannot use a mouse. They may use a keyboard or another assistive tool to move through a website instead of a mouse. 

The problem

A website has keyboard navigation issues when users cannot reach or use important features with the Tab, Enter, Space, and arrow keys.

Common problems include:

• Menus that cannot be opened with a keyboard
• Buttons that are skipped
• Pop-ups that trap users
• Forms that cannot be completed
• No visible focus outline
• Tab order that feels confusing

How to fix it

Test your website without a mouse. Use the Tab key to move through the page. Use Enter or Space to activate buttons and links.

Make sure:

• Every link can be reached
• Every button can be reached
• Menus work with a keyboard
• Forms can be completed
• The focus outline is visible
• The tab order follows the page layout

If you cannot use your website with a keyboard, some visitors may not be able to use it at all.

6. Missing Video Captions and Transcripts

Videos and audio can help tell your story, but they need text alternatives.

The problem

Users who are deaf or hard of hearing may not be able to access audio content without captions or transcripts.

Captions also help people who:

• Watch videos without sound
• Are in noisy places
• Prefer to read
• Need help following spoken content

How to fix it

Add captions to videos and transcripts to audio content.

For videos, use captions that match the spoken words and include important sounds when needed. For audio, provide a written transcript below or near the media.

This makes your content easier to access, search, and reuse.

7. Poor Heading Structure

Headings organize your content. They help users scan the page and understand what each section covers.

The problem

Some websites use headings only for style. This can create a confusing page structure for screen reader users and search engines.

Common heading problems include:

• Missing H1 headings
• Multiple H1 headings used incorrectly
• Headings skipped out of order
• Headings that are too vague
• Text styled to look like a heading but not coded as one

How to fix it

Use headings in a clear order.

A simple structure looks like this:

• H1: Main page title
• H2: Main sections
• H3: Subsections under each H2

8. Inaccessible PDFs and Documents

Many websites include PDFs, forms, menus, brochures, reports, and other documents.

The problem

PDFs can be difficult to use when they are not designed for accessibility. 

Common issues include:

• Scanned images of text
• Missing document tags
• Poor reading order
• No alt text for images
• Unlabeled form fields
• Tables that do not read correctly

How to fix it

Review PDFs before adding them to your website. When possible, instead of making users open a PDF, put important information on the web page itself.

If a PDF is needed, make sure it has:

• Real text, not just scanned images
• Proper headings
• Correct reading order
• Alt text for important images
• Accessible tables
• Clear form labels

Accessible web pages are often easier to update, easier to read on phones, and better for SEO.

9. Accessibility Issues on Mobile Devices

Many users visit websites on phones. Accessibility problems can feel worse on small screens.

The problem

Mobile accessibility issues include:

• Text that is too small
• Buttons that are too close together
• Menus that are hard to use
• Forms that are difficult to complete
• Content that does not resize
• Pop-ups that cover the screen

How to fix it

Test your website on real phones.

Make sure:

• The text is easy to read
• Buttons are easy to tap
• Menus are simple
• Forms are short and clear
• Pages resize correctly
• Content does not require sideways scrolling

Website Accessibility Checklist for Businesses

Use this simple checklist to find common accessibility problems:

• Do all important images have alt text?
• Is the text easy to read against the background?
• Can users move through the site easily with a keyboard?
• Do forms have clear labels?
• Are error messages helpful?
• Are links clear and descriptive?
• Do videos have captions?
• Do audio files have transcripts?
• Are headings in the right order?
• Are buttons and links easy to see?
• Do PDFs meet accessibility standards?
• Is the website easy to use on a phone?

If you answer “no” to any of these questions, your site may need accessibility improvements.

How Accessibility Helps SEO

Website accessibility and SEO often work together. Many accessibility improvements also help search engines understand your website.

For example:

• Alt text helps explain images.
• Clear headings improve page structure.
• Descriptive links improve context.
• Captions and transcripts add searchable content.
• Faster, cleaner pages improve user experience.
• Mobile-friendly design supports better usability.

Accessibility should not be treated as a separate task. It should be part of your website design, development, content, and SEO strategy.

Website Accessibility Services in Iowa From Global Reach

Website accessibility issues can make your site harder to use, harder to trust, and harder to find online.

Global Reach helps businesses improve website accessibility through planning, design, development, testing, and ongoing support. Since 2015, we have built over 500 WCAG Level AA-compliant websites for clients in the United States and have also supported accessibility work for clients in Europe.

If you are not sure whether your website is accessible, Global Reach can help. Our Iowa-based web development team can review your site, identify key issues, and recommend clear next steps.

Contact Global Reach today to schedule a website accessibility audit.