Web accessibility delivers a website every visitor can use with confidence.
Why does web accessibility matter?
Web accessibility ensures that websites can be used by the widest possible audience. A well-designed website should be easy to navigate, read, and interact with for everyone, regardless of device, browsing method, or assistive technology.
Following accessibility guidelines is especially important to ensure that visitors with disabilities or other impairments who rely on screen readers, keyboard navigation, or other assistive tools can access and use a website effectively. At the same time, these practices benefit all visitors by creating clearer navigation, stronger content structure, and more consistent interfaces. We incorporate accessibility considerations into every project we build, whether the site is developed on WordPress or Shopify.
Following recognized accessibility standards can also help reduce legal risk associated with accessibility complaints while improving overall usability. Well-structured pages, readable content, and semantic HTML make websites easier for both users and assistive technologies to interpret.
Accessibility best practices we follow:
- Design and development aligned with WCAG accessibility guidelines from the start of every project.
- Accessible forms and interactive elements with clear labels, instructions, and helpful error messages.
- Color contrast, typography, and spacing choices that keep content readable for every visitor.
- Semantic HTML and full keyboard accessibility that support screen readers and assistive technologies.
- Accessibility testing that combines automated tools with careful manual review of key pages.
Accessibility legislation and legal considerations
Accessibility laws increasingly apply to websites
Accessibility laws increasingly apply to digital services such as websites. Businesses that provide services to the public are generally expected to make reasonable efforts to ensure their websites can be used by individuals with disabilities.
US federal accessibility legislation
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed into law in 1990, established a legal framework protecting individuals with disabilities from discrimination. The ADA applies to state and local governments (Title II) and businesses that are open to the public (Title III), and its principles increasingly extend to digital services such as websites, as described on ada.gov.
In recent years, court cases have further clarified how these requirements can apply to websites. One widely cited case is Robles v. Domino’s Pizza, LLC, which addressed whether a website and mobile app must be accessible to users relying on screen readers. The case was ultimately resolved after six years of litigation, reinforcing the expectation that digital services should be accessible.
WCAG provides the technical standard
Most legal and technical guidance references the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), published by the W3C. WCAG 2.2 includes defined conformance levels (A, AA, AAA), and Level AA is widely treated as the practical benchmark referenced by accessibility professionals and commonly cited in guidance and legal contexts.
California accessibility legislation
Businesses operating in California must also consider the Unruh Civil Rights Act (California Civil Code section 51), which prohibits discrimination based on disability and other protected characteristics. Although originally focused on physical spaces, courts have increasingly applied the law to digital services when websites prevent users from accessing information or services.
Under section 52 of the California Civil Code, successful claims may result in statutory damages of at least $4,000 per violation, along with legal fees and other penalties. Plaintiffs may also seek additional damages in some cases (source: Kris Rivenburgh, Author of the ADA Book).
As a result, accessibility has become an important risk consideration for many California-based businesses. Aligning a website with established accessibility standards such as WCAG can help reduce the likelihood of complaints while improving usability for all visitors.
Our WCAG conformance process
When accessibility is incorporated into a new website project, we consider accessibility requirements from the earliest design and planning stages. Layouts are designed with readable typography, sufficient color contrast, and clear visual hierarchy so content remains understandable for users with different visual and cognitive needs. Interactive elements such as buttons, links, and form controls are designed with appropriate size, spacing, and labels so they can be easily identified and activated across different devices and input methods.
Accessibility review and remediation
For existing websites, our process begins with a structured accessibility review. We evaluate common WCAG criteria including color contrast, heading hierarchy, semantic HTML structure, keyboard navigation, focus indicators, form labeling, image descriptions, and link clarity. We also review how screen readers interpret page content, ensuring that images include descriptive alt text, links communicate their purpose, and interface components provide meaningful context to assistive technologies.
Testing and validation
Accessibility testing is supported by automated tools such as Google Lighthouse and PageSpeed Insights, along with third-party scanning services such as Siteimprove and AccessibilityChecker.org. These tools help identify common accessibility issues and support ongoing review, but they are most effective when combined with manual testing and careful review of WCAG success criteria.
Supporting SEO through accessibility
Many of the improvements made through accessibility work also strengthen search engine optimization. Clear content structure, descriptive headings, meaningful internal links, and properly labeled images help both search engines and assistive technologies interpret page content more effectively.
AI tools in web accessibility workflows
Artificial intelligence tools may be used during accessibility projects to help identify potential barriers more efficiently and support baseline improvements such as automatically generating descriptive image alt text. Automation can help create broader initial coverage across large websites, but accessibility conformance still depends on careful human review, structured remediation, and ongoing evaluation as content and features evolve.
Accessibility disclaimer
Web accessibility is closely tied to the quality of a website’s design, development, content, and ongoing maintenance. Because websites evolve over time and assistive technologies continue to develop, no accessibility service can guarantee that a website will meet every user need or every interpretation of accessibility requirements in all scenarios.
Razorfrog works to reduce common accessibility barriers and move websites toward WCAG 2.2 Level AA conformance through responsible design and development practices. Accessibility is an ongoing process, and maintaining accessibility over time may require periodic reviews as content and features change.