WCAG Accessibility: Why Your Website MUST Be Accessible

⚖️ IMPORTANT: Accessibility Becomes Mandatory!

From June 28, 2025 the private sector (online stores, service providers, etc.) must comply with the European Accessibility Act (EAA). Non-compliance can lead to fines up to €900,000 and claims from discriminated users!

4 million

Dutch people with disabilities

€900K

Maximum EAA fine

98%

Websites not accessible

+23%

More conversions with WCAG

🤔 What is WCAG?

📖 Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

WCAG (pronounced "wuh-kag") is the international standard for web accessibility, developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

These are guidelines that ensure websites, apps, and digital content are accessible to everyone - including people with:

Visual impairments: Blind, low vision, color blind
Auditory impairments: Deaf, hard of hearing
Motor impairments: Unable to use a mouse
Cognitive impairments: Dyslexia, ADHD, autism
Temporary impairments: Broken arm, fatigue

⚖️ Legal Obligations in the Netherlands

📜 What Does the Law Say?

1. European Accessibility Act (EAA) - June 28, 2025

For whom: Private sector (online stores, services, e-commerce, banks, telecom)

Required: WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance

Fines: Up to €900,000 + damage claims

2. Temporary Digital Accessibility Decree (2018)

For whom: Public sector (government, education, healthcare)

Required: WCAG 2.1 Level AA since 2020

Fines: Administrative fines possible

3. General Equal Treatment Act (AWGB)

For whom: Everyone

Risk: Discrimination claims for inaccessible websites

Consequence: Damages + reputational damage

📊 The WCAG 2.1 Levels

✅ Level A - Minimum Accessibility

Basic requirements - without these, your website is unusable for many users

Alt texts for images
Keyboard navigation possible
Videos have subtitles
No time limits on actions

⚡ Level AA - Standard (REQUIRED from 2025!)

Legal minimum - the EAA requires Level AA compliance

Sufficient color contrast (4.5:1 ratio)
Text scalable up to 200%
Focus indicators visible
Error messages understandable
Consistent navigation
Labels for form fields

🏆 Level AAA - Optimal

Best practice - not required but ideal for maximum inclusivity

Sign language for videos
Extended text alternatives
Very high color contrast (7:1 ratio)
Text alignment adjustable

💰 The Business Case for Accessibility

📈 Why WCAG is Good for Your Business

1. Larger Audience (+20% potential customers)

4 million Dutch people have a disability - that's 23% of the population! By being accessible, you don't exclude this enormous group.

2. Better SEO (+15% higher rankings)

Google values accessibility: semantic HTML, alt texts, good heading structure - all WCAG and SEO best practices!

3. Higher Conversions (+35% more sales)

Studies show that accessible websites have 35% higher conversions - because they are simply more usable for EVERYONE.

4. Lower Legal Risks

Avoid costly lawsuits: in the US there are 4,000+ accessibility lawsuits per year against companies with inaccessible websites!

5. Better Brand Reputation

Inclusivity matters - 67% of consumers prefer to choose companies that take diversity and accessibility seriously.

🛠️ WCAG Implementation: Practical Checklist

✅ Top 20 WCAG Requirements for Level AA

1. Alt texts: Every image has descriptive alt-text (or alt="" for decorative images)

2. Color contrast: Minimum 4.5:1 contrast ratio between text and background

3. Keyboard navigation: All functionality works without mouse (Tab, Enter, Space)

4. Focus indicator: Clearly visible focus outline for keyboard navigation

5. Semantic HTML: Correct heading structure (H1 → H2 → H3), landmarks (<nav>, <main>, etc.)

6. Form labels: Each input field has a clear <label>

7. Error messages: Clear, understandable error messages with suggestions

8. Link texts: Descriptive link texts (not "click here")

9. Responsive text: Text scalable up to 200% without losing functionality

10. ARIA labels: For complex components (modals, tabs, accordions)

11. Video subtitles: All videos have closed captions

12. Skip links: "Skip to main content" link at top of page

13. No flickering content: Nothing flickers faster than 3 times per second

14. Consistent design: Navigation and elements in fixed locations

15. Language attribute: <html lang="en"> correctly set

16. Auto-complete hints: Suggestions for form fields

17. Clear focus order: Logical tab-order through the page

18. No time-outs: Or warning + option to extend

19. Avoid empty links: No links or buttons without text/label

20. Accessibility statement: Page with WCAG compliance status

🔧 WCAG Tools & Testing

🛠️ Free Tools to Test WCAG

Tool	What it Tests	Price
WAVE (WebAIM)	Complete WCAG scan, visual feedback	Free
axe DevTools	Browser extension for development	Free
Lighthouse (Chrome)	Accessibility score + tips	Free
Color Contrast Analyzer	Color contrast checker	Free
NVDA / JAWS	Screen readers for testing	Free / €90

⚠️ Warning: Automated Tools Only Cover 30%!

Tools like WAVE and axe are great, but only detect 30-40% of accessibility issues. The rest must be tested manually:

✅ Test with real screen readers (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver)
✅ Navigate the entire site with keyboard only
✅ Test with browser zoom at 200%
✅ Ask users with disabilities for feedback

🚀 SBuilder's WCAG Approach

💼 How We Build Accessible Websites

Accessibility-First Design
We start with accessibility in mind - color contrast, clear hierarchy, intuitive navigation

Semantic HTML5
Correct heading structure, landmarks, ARIA labels where needed

Automated Testing
Lighthouse, axe, and WAVE tests with every build

Manual Testing
Screen reader tests, keyboard navigation, zoom tests

WCAG Audit Report
Official compliance report for legal coverage

Accessibility Statement
Compliance status page on your website (required!)

💡 Conclusion: Accessibility is Win-Win

✨ Bottom Line

WCAG compliance is not just a legal obligation from 2025 - it's a business opportunity to reach 20% more people, get better SEO, and build an inclusive brand.

With fines up to €900,000 and increasing discrimination claims, it's not a question of if, but when you implement accessibility.

🎯 Advice: Start NOW with WCAG implementation - don't wait until the June 2025 deadline!

♿ WCAG Accessibility