How do I make my website accessible (WCAG)?

WCAG 2.1/2.2 is the recognised standard, and level AA is the usual target. The core checks are practical: text should have enough contrast against its background (around 4.5:1 for normal-size text), every meaningful image needs descriptive alt text, the whole site must work with a keyboard alone, form fields need visible labels, and videos need captions.

Build it on solid foundations. Using semantic HTML — real headings, buttons, lists, and landmarks — means screen readers can understand the page with little extra work, while visible focus states, resizable text, and not relying on colour alone to convey meaning cover common needs. Automated tools like Lighthouse or axe catch many issues, but testing with a keyboard and a screen reader catches the rest.

Accessibility is worth doing for more than compliance. It opens your site to millions of users with visual, motor, or hearing differences, improves usability for everyone (think captions on a noisy commute), and shares a lot with SEO — alt text, semantic structure, and clear language all help search engines too. It's best designed in from the start rather than bolted on later.