In plain English
Think of the ramp beside the steps at a shop's door. It was put there for wheelchairs, but parents with strollers and delivery drivers use it too. An accessible website works the same way: what helps a visitor who can't see the screen well also helps someone reading on a phone in bright sun.
Used in a sentence
“We test every page with a keyboard and a screen reader before launch, so the accessibility issues are fixed, not just flagged.”
“Our old site's buttons were light grey on white, and the accessibility check said half our customers could barely read them.”
In detail
Accessibility is measured against WCAG, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Most businesses aim for level AA: enough contrast between text and background, images described in words, forms with real labels, headings in a sensible order, and every link and button reachable with the Tab key. None of it changes how the site looks to most visitors; it changes how it's built underneath.
In the US, websites have been part of disability law cases for years, and courts have treated a business's website as part of serving the public. Building it in from the start is far simpler than fixing it after a complaint, and it overlaps with what search engines reward: clear headings, described images and pages that load cleanly.
Why it matters for your business
An accessible site reaches more customers and carries less legal risk, and much of the work also helps your search rankings.
- More people can read, book and buy
- Less exposure to accessibility complaints
- Clearer structure for search engines
Easy to mix up
Accessibility isn't an overlay or a widget you add to a finished site. Plugins that promise instant compliance don't fix the code underneath, and they can make things harder for people using screen readers. Real accessibility is in how the pages are designed and built.
Related terms
UX, Responsive design and Core Web Vitals. Or browse the whole glossary.
