Your website is often the first thing potential clients and customers visit. Creating a great first impression with your website design and branding is important. However, if it isn’t accessible, you may be unintentionally excluding visitors with disabilities. The question that often arises is how to make a website accessible.

On the surface level, it is an additional consideration in the design process. However, it plays an important role in ensuring that all site visitors can experience what you’re offering through your website.

As a web design company in Burlington, CM2 Media specializes in building websites that not only look professional but also meet accessibility standards. This is so your business can grow without leaving anyone behind.

In this blog post, we’ll walk through how to make a website accessible, what the website accessibility guidelines (WCAG) mean for businesses, and why ongoing testing is essential.

Why Accessibility Matters

Having an accessible website is more than just a “nice-to-have.” It makes sure your website can be used by people with a range of abilities, including visual, auditory, motor and cognitive.

There are business benefits as well:

Wider Audience Reach – An accessible website removes barriers so more people can engage with your content.
Improved SEO – Search engines favour accessible websites since content is more easily interpreted.
Reduced Legal Risk – Depending on your region, you may be required to meet accessibility standards. For Canadian businesses, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) requires many organizations to follow WCAG.

This naturally raises the question: Is WCAG compliance required? In many jurisdictions, including Ontario, the answer is yes for businesses over a certain size. It’s important to check your legal requirements. For example, in Ontario, businesses and non-profit organizations with 50 or more employees are required to have an accessible website.

However, even when not legally required, following WCAG is considered best practice.

What Are Website Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)?

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, or WCAG, are internationally recognized standards that provide clear recommendations for creating accessible digital content.

They are built around four key principles:

Perceivable – Information and the user interface must be presented in ways people can perceive.
Operable – Users must be able to navigate and interact with the interface.
Understandable – Content and navigation should be clear and predictable.
Robust – Content must work reliably across assistive technologies.

For businesses wondering, “Is WCAG compliance required?”, the reality is that following these guidelines is both a safeguard and a smart investment.

Accessibility in Content and Media

Here’s how a website can be made accessible:

Text Content

Text is one of the most straightforward elements to make accessible. This includes:

Descriptive headings that guide readers and screen readers.
Plain language that reduces complexity for users with cognitive challenges.
Scannable formatting, such as bullet points and shorter paragraphs, helps all readers.

Images and Graphics

Images require alt-text and textual support:

Alt-text descriptions should explain the purpose of the image, not just what it looks like.
Complex visuals like charts or infographics need longer descriptions or transcripts.

Video and Audio

Adding multimedia to websites is increasingly common, but it must also be accessible:

Captions for videos help people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Transcripts for audio files provide alternative access to information.
Audio descriptions for video help explain important visual details to blind users.

This extra care to make content accessible creates a positive perception of your brand and ensures nobody visiting your website feels excluded.

Accessibility in Website Design and User Interface

The look and functionality of your website play a huge role in accessibility. Here’s how to make a website accessible at the design stage:

Colour and Contrast

Low contrast text can make reading difficult. WCAG provides specific contrast ratios to ensure that text stands out against backgrounds.

Navigation and Menus

Menus should be consistent and easy to follow. Users should be able to navigate using a keyboard alone, not just a mouse.

Forms and Inputs

Forms often present barriers. Accessibility-friendly practices include:

Clearly labelled fields.
Error messages that explain what went wrong and how to fix it.
Logical tab order for keyboard users.

Responsive Design

Accessibility also means your site should work across devices — desktop, mobile, and tablets. This isn’t just convenience; it’s inclusion.

At CM2 Media, we integrate accessibility from the ground up, ensuring that design decisions align with website accessibility guidelines. Here is an example of this work in action — we worked on redesigning the Canada’s Walk of Fame website, implementing WCAG best practices to make it accessible.

Accessibility in Maintenance and Testing

Website accessibility isn’t a one-time task; it requires ongoing attention. Even the best-designed accessible website can drift out of compliance if updates aren’t handled properly. This is especially true if your team is making regular updates to your website.

Regular Testing

Testing ensures accessibility remains intact:

Automated tools can quickly scan for common issues like missing alt text or poor contrast.
Manual testing with assistive technologies such as screen readers is essential to catch what tools miss.

Content Updates

When new content is added, accessibility must remain a priority:

Ensure new videos are captioned.
Check that new images include alt text.
Maintain clear headings and consistent formatting.

Training and Awareness

Your team should understand the basics of accessibility. When staff know how to create accessible content, your website remains compliant without constant corrections.

The Business Case for Accessibility

Beyond compliance, focusing on accessibility on your website can be good for your business:

Brand Reputation – Demonstrating commitment to inclusivity builds trust.
Competitive Edge – Many businesses still overlook accessibility; meeting standards can set you apart.
Future-Proofing – As technology and regulations evolve, being accessible positions your business for long-term success.

Medium-sized businesses, in particular, can’t afford to lose potential customers due to accessibility barriers. Accessibility helps you compete with larger organizations by offering a professional, inclusive digital experience.

How CM2 Media Helps With Website Accessibility

At CM2 Media in Burlington, Ontario, we understand that accessibility is more than a checklist. It’s also part of creating a website that performs for your business.

Our team can:

Design and develop websites that align with WCAG standards.
Build accessible content and media into your website from the start.
Provide testing and maintenance support to keep your site accessible as it grows.

We know that for growing businesses, every client matters. Accessibility ensures your website works for all visitors, helping you grow without limits.

Learn More About Website Accessibility

If you’re still wondering if WCAG compliance is required? If your business or non-profit organization is in Ontario and has 50 or more employees, the answer is yes. This is both a legal requirement in many cases and a best practice for all businesses that want to succeed online.

Having a truly accessible website is more than adding a plugin. This is only one initial step. At CM2 Media, we help medium-sized businesses in Burlington and beyond create websites that are professional, scalable, and accessible.

If you’re ready to build a website that grows with your business and meets modern accessibility standards, our team is here to help.

Let’s Talk

How To Make a Website Accessible: WCAG Compliance Tips