There’s still an ongoing debate in the accessibility community about the best way for organizations to conduct a web accessibility audit to meet standards. Many argue that manual audits are superior to automated ones, but the reality is different.
Web technologies have evolved rapidly in recent years, and accessibility standards have evolved right alongside them. Regulatory laws continue to be reviewed and refined, with new guidelines and expectations emerging after each update.
In 2024, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) began moving into full enforcement across the EU, aligning closely with the latest Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2). This marks a major step forward from earlier frameworks such as EN 301 549 and WCAG 2.1, expanding accessibility expectations for websites, apps, and digital products. And so while manual audits have their place from time to time, the importance of automated web accessibility audits cannot be overstated.
What Is a Web Accessibility Audit
A website accessibility audit is a detailed analysis of a website (both background and foreground elements) to determine whether it is up to acceptable web accessibility standards. Based on the region where you are, there might be some regulations requiring web content to be accessible to people with disabilities. The generally accepted reference material for website accessibility is the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).
WCAG is an international standard created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), an active community of the foremost accessibility specialists and organizations. Although WCAG compliance is not a legal requirement on its own, nor is WCAG specifically cited in the ADA as the technical standard to follow, it would still benefit your organization to strive for WCAG compliance. The WCAG standard has been tried and tested and is under routine development by accessibility experts, making it a reliable standard.
Why Should I Audit My Website?
Conducting a website accessibility audit is the essential first step toward creating a compliant and inclusive digital experience. Accessibility audits identify where a website falls short of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and outline the steps needed to achieve compliance.
Legal regulations in most regions now require websites to be accessible to people with disabilities. Meeting these requirements isn’t only about compliance; it’s also a powerful way to enhance digital marketing with accessibility. It also strengthens brand reputation and expands reach to a wider audience.
Organizations are encouraged to align with at least WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards, which represent a strong foundation for both usability and compliance. Achieving and maintaining accessibility demonstrates a commitment to inclusivity while improving SEO, user engagement, and overall customer satisfaction.
A comprehensive audit ensures that accessibility becomes not just a legal checkbox, but a strategic advantage for modern businesses.
A web accessibility audit checks how well your site supports users with disabilities and meets WCAG and ADA standards. Combining manual and automated audits ensures full coverage, and only afterward can tools like Equally AI’s widget help you stay compliant and keep your website accessible as it grows.
Recommendations for Website Accessibility Audit
Before diving into best practices, it’s important to remember that accessibility is a continuous process, not a final destination. A proper audit helps identify barriers, but ongoing testing, remediation, and monitoring are what ensure lasting compliance.
The following recommendations outline how to approach accessibility audits effectively and maintain an inclusive, compliant website over time.
Web Accessibility Audit Do's ✅
- Make it an iterative part of the web development process:
A web accessibility audit is best done when your website is being developed, so that appropriate fixes can be initiated. However, if you didn’t do it during the development process, you can still do it here with Equally AI’s free accessibility audit tool. We’ll give you a standard audit for free with elaborate reports and recommendations for fixes. - Perform both manual and automated audits
Automated audits are fast and efficient, helping you detect technical accessibility issues at scale. Manual audits, on the other hand, capture the human experience—testing how real users, including people with disabilities, interact with your site. The best results come from combining both methods to ensure your website is not only compliant but also truly usable for everyone. - Perform audits regularly as you scale.
Accessibility audits don’t end after you comply with the WCAG standards. As long as your website experiences growth, the tendency to break something exists. Make accessibility audits a regular part of your yearly plan. You can’t be too careful; you don’t want to receive a demand letter after your latest website upgrade. Endeavor to perform frequent audits and fixes. - Establish Internal Standing Policies
Educate your staff on accessibility best practices. Organize webinars to demonstrate the importance of web accessibility in your operations procedures.
Incorporate your accessibility goals into other policies and procedures. Thus, responsibility will be spread, and accessibility will become a daily part of life.
- Regularly consult with people who live with disabilities.
This is a very important practice that a lot of companies overlook. Every now and then, you should invite web accessibility consultants living with disabilities to test your systems for conformance. No one knows the difficulties related to navigating an inaccessible website like people who use screen readers and other assistive technologies.
Web Accessibility Audit Don'ts ❌
- Don’t think you can handle it all by yourself
A web accessibility audit is a complex and iterative process. You may not be able to handle all the intricacies and technicalities it has. Don’t make the mistake of performing an audit by yourself without the insight of a trained professional or a web accessibility solution. You run the risk of relying on false results to fix your website. A demand letter might just be knocking at the door. - Don’t assume an accessibility statement and a web accessibility policy are the same.
A web accessibility statement publicly declares your commitment to ensuring that your website is accessible. You post this online (on your website). On the other hand, a web accessibility policy directs your organization’s internal decisions and procedures about accessibility.Customers and clients might not be interested in hearing about your accessibility policy. Instead, you should disseminate it among relevant departments in your organization, alongside any necessary training
- Don’t assume it’s a one-off process. As mentioned earlier, a web accessibility audit is not a one-off process. You can’t simply perform an audit, make the recommended fixes, and forget all about it. Well, actually, you can if you’re using an automated web accessibility solution like Equally AI.
- Don’t ignore third-party vendors.
Often, you may need to purchase technologies or content from third-party vendors to supplement your internal efforts. However, you must ensure that such external resources do not reintroduce accessibility barriers that exclude people with disabilities.Make sure that your third-party vendors are aware of your accessibility policy. Also, include a contract clause that demands vendors’ products meet or exceed your technical accessibility requirements.
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What to Do After the Audit
Completing an accessibility audit is only the beginning. The next step is implementing the necessary fixes and establishing systems that keep your website accessible over time. As said already, web accessibility is not a one-time project, but an ongoing commitment that requires consistent updates, monitoring, and optimization as your site evolves.
Start by prioritizing the issues identified during your audit. Always address high-impact barriers first, especially those that prevent users with disabilities from accessing core functions like navigation, forms, or purchasing. Once critical fixes are complete, move on to enhancements that improve usability, readability, and compatibility with assistive technologies.
To maintain compliance long-term, consider integrating an accessibility management solution like Equally AI’s Accessibility Widget.
➡️You’ll find our article on this topic very helpful: How To Mitigate Non-compliance Risks From Inaccessible Third-Party Content
Key Takeaways
- A web accessibility audit is an iterative process of analyzing a website to determine its level of conformance to established guidelines.
- It’s best done by experts who can handle your website as you scale.
- Performing an audit by yourself may predispose you to legal risks.
- Making your website accessible is the right thing to do, and it begins with an accessibility audit
