Common Digital Accessibility Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)

In the fast-paced economy of digital content creation, even the most well-intentioned teams can stumble when it comes to accessibility. As a business leader, you’re tasked with ensuring your organization’s digital presence welcomes everyone—no small feat in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

Accessibility can feel overwhelming and confusing regardless of your industry. Standards keep changing, needs vary widely, and the fear of making mistakes can sometimes lead to paralysis. But here’s the thing—recognizing common mistakes is the first step toward creating truly inclusive digital experiences and reaching your target audience.

The Most Common Digital Accessibility Mistakes

1. Poor Color Contrast and Reliance on Color Alone

The Mistake:
Teams often choose colors based purely on brand guidelines or aesthetic preferences, without considering contrast ratios. Even worse, many use color as the only way to indicate important information, such as form errors or required fields.

The Impact:

Users with visual impairments struggle to read text
Colorblind users miss important information
Content becomes unreadable in bright environments
Brand appears exclusionary

The Fix:

Use WCAG 2.1 recommended contrast ratios (4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text)
Provide multiple visual cues beyond color (icons, patterns, text)
Test your color combinations with contrast checker tools
Create accessible color palettes that maintain brand identity

2. Missing or Inadequate Alt Text

The Mistake:
Either skipping alt text entirely, using generic descriptions (“image.jpg”), or providing overly verbose descriptions that don’t convey the image’s purpose.

The Impact:

Screen reader users miss crucial information
Search engines can’t properly index images
Content meaning is lost for users with slow connections

The Fix:

Write concise, purposeful alt text that conveys the image’s function
For decorative images, use empty alt=”” attributes
Include relevant keywords naturally
Test your content with screen readers

3. Inaccessible Forms and Interactive Elements

The Mistake:
Creating forms and interactive elements that work only with mouse input, lack clear labels, or don’t provide adequate error feedback.

The Impact:

Keyboard users can’t complete basic tasks
Screen reader users don’t know what information to input
Users with motor impairments get frustrated and leave
Conversion rates suffer

The Fix:

Ensure all functionality works with keyboard navigation
Use proper label elements associated with form fields
Provide clear error messages and success feedback
Test forms with keyboard-only navigation

4. Non-Semantic HTML Structure

The Mistake:
Using div elements for everything, creating a flat document structure, or using headings for styling rather than organization.

The Impact:

Screen reader users can’t navigate content effectively
Search engines struggle to understand page structure
Content becomes harder to maintain and update
User experience suffers for everyone

The Fix:

Use semantic HTML elements (nav, main, article, etc.)
Create logical heading hierarchy (h1 through h6)
Use ARIA labels only when semantic HTML isn’t possible
Structure content for both visual and non-visual access

Breaking Through the Overwhelm

We often see teams freeze when faced with accessibility requirements. The fear of getting it wrong can sometimes prevent any action at all. Remember: accessibility is a journey, not a destination. It’s better to start making improvements incrementally than to wait for perfection.

Start with These Simple Steps:

Audit Your Current State

Run automated accessibility checks
Review your most-used templates
Test with actual assistive technologies

Prioritize Fixes

Address high-impact issues first
Focus on frequently-used features
Plan for sustainable improvements

Build Team Knowledge

Train content creators on accessibility basics
Create accessible content templates
Establish clear guidelines and checklists

The Cost of Inaction

While fixing accessibility issues might seem daunting, the cost of doing nothing is far greater:

Lost market opportunity (61 million people in the U.S. have a disability)
Legal risk and compliance issues
Damaged brand reputation
Decreased user engagement and conversions

How accesszanü Can Help

Creating accessible digital experiences doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Our team of accessibility experts can help you:

Conduct thorough accessibility audits
Develop practical remediation plans
Train your team on best practices
Implement sustainable accessibility processes

We understand the challenges you face because we’ve been there. Our approach combines technical expertise with practical experience, ensuring solutions that work in the real world.

Ready to Make Your Digital Content More Accessible?

Take the First Step:

Book a free consultation to discuss your accessibility challenges
Request an accessibility audit of your digital properties
Schedule a team training session

Not Ready to Commit?

Read our accessibility quick tips
Subscribe to our newsletter for updates
Explore our resource center for practical insights

It Just Feels Right

Creating accessible digital experiences isn’t just about compliance—it’s about building a digital world where everyone belongs. When you fix these common accessibility mistakes, you’re not just improving usability, you’re making a statement about your organization’s values and commitment to inclusion.

Ready to start your accessibility journey? Let’s talk about how we can help make your digital content accessible to everyone.

Contact accesszanü today at hello@accesszanu.com or call 323.287.5685 to discuss your accessibility needs.

Resources