What is Web Accessibility (WCAG)?
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are international standards developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) that define how to make websites accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. The current standard is WCAG 2.1, which builds on earlier versions with enhanced mobile and cognitive accessibility requirements.
Why Web Accessibility Matters
In the UK, web accessibility isn't just best practice – it's increasingly a legal requirement. The Equality Act 2010 requires websites to be accessible to disabled users, and failing to meet accessibility standards can result in discrimination claims. Beyond compliance, accessible websites reach a broader audience: approximately 1 in 4 UK adults have some form of disability, and many more experience temporary impairments.
Accessible sites also perform better in search rankings, load faster, and provide better user experiences for all visitors, including those using mobile devices or poor internet connections.
WCAG Levels Explained
WCAG 2.1 uses three conformance levels:
- Level A: Basic accessibility features (minimum standard)
- Level AA: Enhanced accessibility; the standard most UK public sector organisations must meet
- Level AAA: Enhanced accessibility features for specific contexts
Most UK organisations aim for Level AA compliance.
Key Accessibility Principles
WCAG is built on four core principles, remembered by the acronym POUR:
- Perceivable: Content must be visible and understandable (proper contrast, alt text for images)
- Operable: Users must be able to navigate using keyboard and other tools
- Understandable: Text must be clear, pages logically structured, and instructions explicit
- Robust: Content must work across different browsers and assistive technologies
For Marketing Professionals
When developing landing pages or digital campaigns, accessibility should be built in from the start, not added afterwards. This means:
- Writing descriptive link text and headings
- Ensuring colour contrast meets standards
- Providing captions for video content
- Testing with screen readers and keyboard navigation
- Using semantic HTML structure
Accessibility improves conversion rates by removing friction for all users and demonstrates corporate responsibility – increasingly important to UK consumers and institutional buyers.
Getting Started
Use free tools like WAVE, Axe DevTools, or Lighthouse to audit your pages. Many agencies now include accessibility audits in landing page development as standard practice.