Web Accessibility Guidelines: How to Make Your Website WCAG 2.2 Compliant

Modern websites are expected to be fast, secure, and easy to navigate. However, many organisations overlook a fundamental requirement that affects millions of people every day: accessibility.

Web accessibility guidelines provide a framework for ensuring that digital content can be accessed, understood, and used by everyone, including people with disabilities. Whether a user relies on a screen reader, keyboard navigation, voice commands, or other assistive technologies, accessibility plays a critical role in creating equal access to online information and digital services.

The importance of web accessibility guidelines continues to grow as more of our daily lives move online. Current estimates show that 5.16 billion people are online, highlighting the need for accessibility. At the same time, one in five people has a disability affecting online access. These figures demonstrate why accessibility is no longer a niche consideration but a core business responsibility.

Despite growing awareness, many websites still fail to meet recognised accessibility standards. Research indicates that over 96% of U.S.-based web pages are inaccessible to disabled users. In practice, this means many internet users encounter accessibility barriers when attempting to access information, purchase products, complete forms, or engage with digital services.

For businesses, accessibility is about more than compliance. Accessible websites improve user experience, increase audience reach, strengthen brand reputation, and often contribute positively to search engine optimisation. Well-structured web content, meaningful headings, descriptive links, and proper markup all help both users and search engines understand a website more effectively.

At Smart Digitants, we help organisations build websites that combine strong performance, user-focused design, compliance with web accessibility guidelines and sustainable growth strategies. As a UK digital growth partner specialising in web development, digital marketing, and user experience optimisation, we recognise that website accessibility should be integrated into every stage of the web development process rather than treated as an afterthought.

This guide explains the latest web accessibility guidelines, outlines the requirements of WCAG 2.2, and provides practical advice for achieving WCAG compliance across websites and mobile applications.

What Are the Web Accessibility Guidelines?

Web accessibility guidelines are internationally recognised standards designed to make digital content accessible to all users, including people with visual, hearing, cognitive, motor, and neurological disabilities. These guidelines establish accessibility requirements that help organisations create inclusive online experiences while reducing accessibility barriers.

The most widely accepted framework is the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) or web accessibility guidelines developed by the World Wide Web Consortium. The web content accessibility guidelines provide detailed recommendations covering web pages, downloadable linked content, web technologies, mobile devices, and user interface components.

The primary objective of web accessibility guidelines is straightforward: ensure that people can access, understand, navigate, and interact with digital content regardless of their abilities, input methods, or user’s device.

Web accessibility guidelines have evolved significantly over time. WCAG 2.0 established the foundation for modern website accessibility standards. WCAG 2.1 introduced new accessibility requirements focused on mobile devices, low vision, and learning disabilities. Most recently, WCAG 2.2 was released in October 2023 with nine new criteria, expanding support for users who experience challenges with navigation, authentication, and dynamic interactions.

The content accessibility guidelines WCAG framework is built around four core principles commonly known as POUR:

Principle	Meaning
Perceivable	Users can recognise content with their senses
Operable	Users can access content through various methods
Understandable	Content is clear and easy to comprehend
Robust	Content works across different technologies and tools

These principles are often summarised as perceivable operable understandable robust, forming the foundation of all WCAG guidelines.

The Four Web Accessibility Guidelines Principles Explained

Principle 1: Perceivable means users can recognise content with their senses.

Information should never be hidden from users because of a disability. Websites should provide text alternatives for images, captions for video content, and sufficient colour contrast to support users with low vision. High colour contrast helps users with low vision access content easily.

Principle 2: Operable ensures users can access content via various methods.

Users should be able to operate functionality using a keyboard, mouse, touchscreen, voice controls, and other input methods. Web interfaces must be operable via keyboard accessibility. All interactive elements must be accessible via keyboard without needing a mouse, ensuring keyboard only users can complete tasks successfully.

Principle 3: Understandable requires content to be clear and easy to comprehend.

Web content must be readable and easy to understand. Meaningful headings, meaningful labels, visible and meaningful labels, clear instructions, and descriptive titles help users navigate complex information. Guidance on cognitive accessibility reinforces how accessible labels match the purpose of each field and informs users how to proceed.

Robust

Principle 4: Robust ensures content works across different technologies and tools.

Robust content relies on proper markup, semantic HTML, and valid coding standards. Using valid HTML ensures compatibility with assistive technologies. Content must be compatible with various web browsers and assistive technologies, including future user agents and evolving accessibility tools.

Understanding WCAG Success Criteria

Each principle of web accessibility guidelines contains a collection of measurable requirements known as success criteria. These success criteria provide specific tests that determine whether a website satisfies recognised accessibility standards.

For example, success criteria address:

• Text alternatives for non-text content
• Keyboard navigation
• Data tables and structured content
• Flashing content limits
• Active focus visibility
• Error prevention and correct errors during form submission
• Important status messages
• Descriptive links and content link clarity
• Extended audio description requirements
• Prerecorded video only content accessibility

Success criteria are the practical foundation of WCAG compliance because they provide measurable benchmarks that web developers, designers, and content teams can follow throughout an accessibility journey.

In the next section, we will examine WCAG conformance levels, including Level A, Level AA, and Level AAA, and explain which level most organisations should target to meet modern website accessibility standards.

WCAG Compliance Levels Explained

Understanding WCAG compliance levels is essential for any organisation working towards better website accessibility. While many businesses are aware of the web accessibility guidelines, fewer understand how WCAG conformance is measured and what level of compliance is expected in practice.

Web accessibility guidelines compliance has three levels: A, AA, and AAA. Each level builds upon the previous one, introducing additional accessibility requirements and success criteria designed to improve the experience for a wider range of users.

The three levels provide a practical framework for organisations to assess their current position and define realistic accessibility goals. Not every website is expected to achieve the highest level of compliance, but understanding the differences helps businesses make informed decisions during their accessibility journey.

Level A: The Basic Level of Accessibility

Level A is considered the basic level of WCAG compliance. It addresses the most critical accessibility barriers that prevent users from accessing web content altogether.

Level A includes 30 success criteria for basic accessibility.

These requirements focus on ensuring that fundamental functionality remains available to all users. Examples include providing text alternatives for images, ensuring content can be accessed without relying solely on colour, and making key user interface components available through keyboard navigation.

Without Level A compliance to web accessibility guidelines, many users may find a website impossible to use. A screen reader may not interpret content correctly, keyboard only users may be unable to navigate pages, or forms may lack meaningful labels that explain their purpose.

Although Level A provides an essential starting point, it is generally not considered sufficient for most modern websites. Meeting only the basic level may still leave significant accessibility issues that affect users with disabilities.

Level AA: The Recommended Standard for Most Organisations

For the vast majority of businesses, charities, educational institutions, and public sector organisations, Level AA represents the most practical and widely accepted target.

Level AA is the most commonly referenced standard in legal cases.

This level introduces additional success criteria that significantly improve usability and accessibility without creating unrealistic implementation challenges. It addresses many common accessibility issues that users encounter daily, such as poor colour contrast, inaccessible forms, missing focus indicators, and unclear navigation structures.

Importantly, WCAG 2.2 level AA is required for government services and is widely recognised as the benchmark for accessible websites across many industries.

Level AA requirements typically include:

Accessibility Area	Example Requirement
Colour Contrast	Sufficient contrast between text and background
Navigation	Consistent navigation across web pages
Forms	Clear instructions and error identification
Focus States	Active focus indicators for keyboard users
Multimedia	Captions for video content
Structure	Content should be structured logically

For most organisations, achieving Level AA compliance to web accessibility guidelines strikes the right balance between usability, inclusivity, and practical implementation. It supports a broader range of assistive technologies while helping users navigate websites more efficiently.

Businesses that target Level AA also place themselves in a stronger position regarding legal compliance. Accessibility regulations are legally required for public sector bodies in the UK, while many private sector organisations are increasingly adopting WCAG standards to reduce risk and improve user experience.

Level AAA: Enhanced Accessibility

Level AAA represents the highest level of WCAG conformance and includes the most demanding accessibility requirements.

Level AAA includes 28 success criteria for comprehensive accessibility.

This level of web accessibility guidelines focuses on providing the best possible experience for users with a wide range of disabilities and access needs. Requirements may include enhanced contrast ratios, more detailed error prevention mechanisms, sign language support in some contexts, and additional assistance for users with cognitive impairments.

While Level AAA offers significant accessibility benefits, it is important to recognise that achieving full AAA compliance across an entire website is often difficult or impractical.

The World Wide Web Consortium itself acknowledges that not all content types can reasonably satisfy every AAA requirement. For this reason, most organisations adopt Level AA as their primary target while selectively implementing AAA success criteria where appropriate.

Rather than treating AAA as an all-or-nothing goal, many organisations use it as a source of additional improvements after achieving Level AA compliance.

How WCAG 2.2 Builds on Previous Versions

A common question during accessibility audits is whether organisations need to move from WCAG 2.0 or WCAG 2.1 to WCAG 2.2. The answer is generally yes.

WCAG 2.2 was released in October 2023 to enhance accessibility. It expands previous guidance by introducing nine new success criteria aimed at improving accessibility for users with cognitive disabilities, low vision, and users who rely on alternative input methods.

The update in web accessibility guidelines reflects changes in how people interact with modern websites, mobile applications, and web technologies, which should be factored into accessible web development practices. Some of the new success criteria focus on:

• Easier authentication processes
• Improved target sizes for touch interfaces
• Better visibility of active focus indicators
• Reduced cognitive load during task completion
• Enhanced support for mobile devices

For organisations already aligned with WCAG 2.1, the transition to WCAG 2.2 is typically manageable. However, websites that have not reviewed their accessibility standards for several years may require a more comprehensive accessibility audit.

Practical WCAG 2.2 Accessibility Best Practices

Identifying accessibility issues is only the beginning. The real value of web accessibility guidelines comes from implementing practical improvements that make websites easier to use for everyone. While WCAG 2.2 contains detailed technical requirements, many accessibility gains can be achieved through a series of well-planned design, content, and development decisions.

The following best practices align with modern web accessibility guidelines and help organisations move closer to WCAG compliance.

Create Accessible Content From the Start

Content is often the first point of interaction between a user and a website. If information is difficult to understand, poorly structured, or inaccessible to assistive technologies, even the most advanced website can become difficult to use.

A fundamental requirement of web accessibility guidelines is that web content must be readable and easy to understand. Writers and content teams should focus on:

• Clear language
• Logical content flow
• Meaningful headings
• Descriptive titles
• Consistent terminology
• Concise instructions

Meaningful headings help users navigate long pages efficiently. Screen reader users frequently move between headings to locate information quickly, making a logical heading hierarchy essential.

Use Semantic HTML and Proper Markup

One of the most effective ways to support accessibility is through semantic HTML. Semantic HTML structures content for better screen reader interpretation. Instead of relying on generic containers for everything, developers should use elements that communicate meaning and purpose.

Examples include:

• <header>
• <main>
• <nav>
• <article>
• <section>
• <footer>

Using proper markup helps assistive technologies identify relationships between different content areas. It also supports future user agents and emerging accessibility tools that rely on well-defined structures.

Equally important for web accessibility guidelines is ensuring that user interface components are defined properly. Buttons should be coded as buttons, links should function as links, and form controls should be associated with appropriate labels. When code lets assistive technologies interpret content correctly, users experience more predictable and reliable navigation.

Write Effective Alternative Text

Alternative text remains one of the simplest yet most valuable accessibility improvements. Every meaningful image should include text alternatives that communicate its purpose. Effective alternative text should:

• Describe important information
• Convey context where necessary
• Remain concise
• Avoid unnecessary wording

Decorative images that add no informational value should be marked appropriately so they do not distract screen reader users.

Improve Link Accessibility

Links provide the pathways users follow throughout a website. Poorly written links create confusion, reduce usability and affect compliance to web accessibility guidelines. One of the most common accessibility problems occurs when websites use vague phrases such as:

• Click here
• Read more
• Learn more

Without surrounding context, these links provide little information about their destination. Instead, organisations should use descriptive links that clearly communicate where the link leads.

Examples include:

Weak Link Text	Accessible Alternative
Click here	Download our accessibility policy
Read more	Learn about WCAG 2.2 compliance
View	View website accessibility checklist

Descriptive links help users navigate more confidently and support screen reader functionality.

Ensure Keyboard Accessibility Throughout the Website

Keyboard accessibility remains a core requirement of WCAG compliance. Users should be able to operate functionality using only a keyboard, regardless of page complexity. This applies to:

• Menus
• Search tools
• Forms
• Dialogues
• Sliders
• Interactive user interface components

Developers should regularly test whether users can move through content using keyboard commands alone. Where shortcut keys are implemented, organisations should provide options to change shortcut keys if conflicts arise with assistive technologies or operating system controls.

A website that functions perfectly with a mouse but fails for keyboard only users cannot be considered compliant with modern web accessibility guidelines.

Design Accessible Forms

Forms often represent critical conversion points. Whether users are contacting a business, requesting a quote, or completing a transaction, accessibility directly affects completion rates.

Accessible forms as per web accessibility guidelines should include:

• Meaningful labels
• Clear instructions
• Error prevention mechanisms
• Validation guidance
• Accessible error messages

This is particularly important for users with cognitive impairments, learning disabilities, and those using assistive technologies.

Meet Colour Contrast Requirements

Visual design plays a significant role in accessibility. While colour can improve aesthetics and branding, it should never compromise usability. As noted earlier, high colour contrast helps users with low vision access content easily. Organisations should verify:

• Text contrast ratios
• Button visibility
• Link distinction
• Error message visibility
• Focus indicators

Support Mobile Accessibility

Modern accessibility extends far beyond desktop browsing. Many users access digital services through smartphones and tablets. As a result, web accessibility guidelines place greater emphasis on mobile devices, touch interactions, and overall web performance optimisation strategies. Accessibility considerations for mobile devices include:

• Touch target size
• Screen orientation flexibility
• Zoom functionality
• Responsive layouts
• Alternative input methods

Interfaces should remain usable regardless of screen size or user’s device.

Build Robust Content for Assistive Technologies

The final goal of web accessibility guidelines is creating robust content that functions reliably across a wide range of technologies. This includes:

• Screen readers
• Voice recognition software
• Magnification tools
• Alternative keyboards
• Mobile accessibility tools
• Future assistive technologies

Using valid HTML ensures compatibility with assistive technologies. Additionally, content must be compatible with various web browsers and assistive technologies to ensure a consistent experience. Regular testing helps identify issues before they affect users.

Accessibility as Part of Everyday Web Development

When accessibility becomes part of normal project workflows, improvements occur naturally throughout the lifecycle of a website. The result is better user experiences, stronger digital accessibility, improved technical SEO and search visibility, and greater confidence that accessibility requirements are being met.

Practical improvements such as semantic HTML, descriptive links, meaningful labels, keyboard accessibility, and robust content create a strong foundation for WCAG compliance. However, accessibility extends beyond text and navigation. Multimedia content introduces its own set of requirements that organisations must address to create truly accessible websites.

Need Help Meeting Web Accessibility Guidelines?

Achieving compliance with modern web accessibility guidelines requires more than a few technical fixes. From improving online accessibility and ensuring operable user interface components to making multimedia and time based media accessible, every part of your website should support an inclusive user experience. 

Whether your goal is to reach a mid range conformance level such as WCAG 2.2 Level AA, prepare for requirements linked to the European Accessibility Act, or address issues that could leave you with an inaccessible website, taking action now can reduce risk and improve usability for all users.

At Smart Digitants, we help organisations assess, improve, and maintain website accessibility through audits, remediation planning, and accessibility-focused web development. If you want to strengthen compliance with web accessibility guidelines, remove accessibility barriers, and build a website that works for everyone, get in touch with our team to start your accessibility journey.