With the rapid evolution of technology and the democratization of Internet use, website accessibility is becoming increasingly important.
However, many companies still neglect this essential dimension, which can have consequences that are not only legal but also commercial and ethical.
An accessibility audit is a crucial step in ensuring that your website is usable by everyone, including people with disabilities - a demographic representing 16% of the world's population.
In this article, we explore why it's essential to carry out an accessibility audit for your website, and how to do it effectively.
What is web accessibility?
Web accessibility refers to the ability of websites, applications and digital tools to be used by everyone, whatever their abilities or limitations.
This includes people with visual, hearing, motor or cognitive disabilities, but also users facing temporary constraints (e.g. a poor Internet connection or a faulty screen).
Web accessibility standards are defined by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which establish measurable criteria for making content accessible.
What is an accessibility audit?
A digital accessibility audit is a detailed analysis of the extent to which your digital content is accessible to people with disabilities.
It evaluates your content's compliance with accessibility standards and examines various elements, such as text, images and interactive content, that contribute to a website's perceptibility, operability, comprehensibility and robustness.
The evaluation also identifies any existing accessibility problems on your site, and offers recommendations for correcting them.
What does an accessibility audit test?
Text accessibility
Text makes up the majority of web content. Analyzing its accessibility and readability is therefore one of the most important aspects of an accessibility audit.
What is tested :
Font size and legibility: ensure that fonts are legible and can be enlarged for users requiring a larger font.
Color contrast: check that text has sufficient contrast with its background to make it legible for people with low vision or color blindness.
Line spacing and paragraph structure: evaluate the spacing between lines, paragraphs and headings to facilitate reading and avoid overwhelming the reader.
Use of semantic HTML: test whether titles, lists and other structural elements use the appropriate HTML tags, thus facilitating navigation with screen readers.
Clear language: evaluate the text to ensure that it is understandable and straightforward, especially for users with cognitive impairments or low literacy levels.
Accessibility of images, audio and video
Like text, images, audio files and videos make up a large part of web content.
Without accessibility features, many users cannot interact with these elements.
What is tested :
Alternative texts (alt text): check that all relevant images have text descriptions that screen readers can read for visually impaired users.
Subtitles and transcriptions: ensure that all audio and video content includes accurate subtitles and transcriptions, enabling deaf or hard-of-hearing people to follow along.
Descriptive links and labels: ensure that multimedia links and labels are descriptive and clear, avoiding vague terms such as "click here" or "find out more".
Audio descriptions: check the addition of audio descriptions for visual content, to provide essential context for users with sensory impairments.
Accessibility of interactive content
Interactive content must also be usable by people with disabilities.
What is tested :
Keyboard navigation: check that all interactive elements, such as forms, menus and buttons, can only be used with a keyboard, useful for people with motor impairments.
Form labeling and error messages: ensure that form fields include clear labels and that error messages are descriptive, helping users to understand required or incorrect information.
Focus indicators and visual feedback: ensure that users can see which element is currently selected or in focus when navigating via keyboard commands.
Accessible drop-down menus and modals: ensure that complex elements such as drop-down menus and pop-ups are accessible and can be closed or navigated easily without a mouse.
Accessibility of the technology itself
This concerns the compatibility of the technology used with the support tools.
What is tested :
Screen reader compatibility: check that content works with popular screen readers(JAWS, NVDA, etc.) by testing the reading order and item labels.
Responsive and mobile-friendly design: ensuring that content fits well on different screens, orientations and devices.
Integration of assistive technologies: check that the site or application integrates effectively with other assistive technologies such as Braille displays and voice recognition.
Compatibility with browsers and operating systems: ensure that content functions correctly and is accessible on various browsers and operating systems.
Why carry out an accessibility audit?
Meeting legal obligations
In many countries, digital accessibility laws are becoming increasingly stringent.
In Europe, for example, the European Web Accessibility Directive requires public bodies to make their digital sites and services accessible.
In the United States, complaints based on the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) against private companies are multiplying.
An accessibility audit enables you to check that your site complies with current legal requirements, thus avoiding financial penalties and legal disputes.
Expand your audience
An accessible site attracts a wider audience, including the millions of disabled people around the world.
What's more, accessibility enhances the user experience for everyone: clear navigation, text alternatives and well-structured content benefit non-disabled users too.
Improve search engine optimization (SEO)
Search engines like Google value well-structured sites that comply with best web practices.
For example, alternative descriptions (alt tags) for images, which are necessary for screen readers, also help search engines to understand and index your content.
Building a positive brand image
Investing in accessibility sends a clear message: your company cares about inclusion and diversity.
This builds trust and loyalty among your users, enhancing your reputation.
How to carry out an accessibility audit?
A structured approach using automated testing tools can greatly simplify the execution of a website accessibility audit.
1. Determine the required standard
Generally speaking, the first step in an audit is to identify the applicable accessibility standard. For most organizations, this will be WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
However, depending on your sector of activity, there may be other specific accessibility requirements that your organization must meet.
It's essential to ensure that the accessibility testing tool you use analyzes compliance with the latest standards
2. Define the scope of your accessibility audit
While the aim is always to achieve the highest possible level of accessibility, it's best to start by analyzing the most common user paths - such as filling in a contact form, accessing a tutorial video or navigating to the FAQ section.
Not only is this approach more economical than a comprehensive audit, it is also better aligned with the goal of practical accessibility.
3. Working with an accessibility expert
Accessibility standards such as WCAG are complex and detailed. Some requirements are mandatory, while others are recommendations.
Without an expert to explain these differences, digital compliance efforts can become extremely costly and time-consuming.
If your organization doesn't have significant in-house digital accessibility resources or in-depth knowledge of WCAG, it may be a good idea to call on an external partner with proven experience in optimizing website accessibility.
4. Use an automated accessibility audit tool
Automated test solutions are essential for identifying the most obvious problems, such as :
- Insufficient color contrast.
- Images without alternative descriptions.
- Missing or incorrect HTML tags.
Specialized no-code SaaS tools, such as Mr Suricateallow you to quickly scan your site and generate detailed reports.
5. Combining automation and manual testing
Although automation is a major asset, it cannot detect all accessibility problems.
For example, manual tests are needed to evaluate :
- Easy keyboard navigation.
- The efficiency of screen readers.
- The intelligibility of text content.
6. Analyze results
The audit report must provide detailed documentation on the scope, definitions, methodologies, tools and processes used, as well as an explanation of how it will contribute to improving accessibility.
Once the tests are complete, categorize the problems detected:
- Critical errors: completely prevent access (e.g. links that don't work for screen readers).
- Moderate problems: degrading the user experience (e.g. insufficient contrast).
- Possible improvements: non-mandatory but beneficial optimizations (e.g. better title hierarchization).
Prioritize corrections according to their impact on accessibility.
7. Implement corrections
Collaborate with your developers and designers to solve the problems identified.
Make sure you follow good accessible development practices, such as the use of ARIA tags and semantic HTML structures.
8. Test and iterate
After each series of corrections, retest the site to check that the changes have solved the problems without introducing any new ones.
The benefits of a SaaS solution for accessibility audits
SaaS (Software as a Service) solutions dedicated to accessibility offer many advantages for simplifying and optimizing your audits:
1. Time-saving automation
SaaS tools carry out fast, accurate analyses of your site, identifying violations of WCAG standards in a matter of moments.
2. Detailed, customizable reports
They provide clear reports, with specific recommendations for correcting each problem.
Some tools even offer interactive visualizations to locate errors directly on your site.
3. Continuous monitoring
Once set up, an automated testing solution can continuously monitor your site for any new non-conformities after updates or content additions.
4. Scalability
Whether you've got a simple site or a complex platform with hundreds of pages, a SaaS solution can adapt to your needs.
Ensure the accessibility of your website with Mr Suricate !
Mr Suricatewith its advanced automated testing solutions and proactive expertise, is the partner of choice for companies wishing to ensure the accessibility of their websites.
By adopting a rigorous, ongoing testing strategy, companies can not only comply with standards, but also improve the user experience for all their customers, strengthening their reputation and commitment to social responsibility.
