Keeping your site accessible over time

Why website accessibility isn't a one-time fix and how we help you maintain it as your site grows and changes.

Accessibility means making your website usable by as many people as possible — including people who use screen readers, people with low vision, people who navigate by keyboard, and many others. Making a site accessible at launch is a good start. Keeping it accessible over time requires ongoing attention. This guide explains why — and what we do about it.

Quick summary

Every time you add new content, change your design, or install a new plugin, you can accidentally introduce accessibility problems. We include accessibility checks in our care plan process to catch those regressions. You can help by following a few simple habits when you add your own content.

Why accessibility maintenance matters

It's the right thing to do

Around one in four people in the UK is disabled, according to the UK government's Family Resources Survey. Many disabilities — visual impairments, motor difficulties, cognitive differences, hearing loss — affect how people use the web. An accessible site serves everyone.

It's good for business

Accessible sites are also more usable for everyone. Clear headings, readable text, and well-structured content help all visitors, not just those with disabilities. Some accessibility work also helps search engines: Google says it uses an image's alt text, along with the rest of the page, to work out what the image is about.

Legal obligations exist

In many countries and sectors, making your website accessible is not optional — it's a legal requirement. The specifics depend on your business type and location, but the trend is clear: accessibility requirements are expanding.

How accessibility degrades over time

Here's the key insight: accessibility isn't a permanent property. It's something you maintain.

Common ways sites become less accessible after launch:

What happened	The accessibility problem it caused
Added a new image without alt text	Screen reader users get no description; some screen readers read out the file name instead
Changed color scheme	New colors may not have sufficient contrast
Installed a new plugin	Plugin-generated content may not be keyboard-accessible
Embedded a video without captions	Deaf and hard-of-hearing users can't follow the content
Added a PDF without tagging it	Screen reader users lose the headings and structure that tags provide
Changed font or reduced font size	Content becomes harder to read for low-vision users
Added a modal popup	Keyboard focus may not move correctly into the popup

Most of these aren't deliberate choices — they're small oversights that accumulate over time.

What we check

As part of your care plan, we include accessibility awareness in our routine checks. We look for:

Images added without meaningful alt text
Color contrast issues introduced by design changes
Keyboard navigation problems from new plugins or widgets
Broken heading structure (skipped heading levels)
Forms without proper labels
Links with non-descriptive text (like "click here" or "read more")

We use a combination of automated tools and manual checks. Automated tools catch many common issues; manual checks catch the problems that require judgment.

What you can do when adding content

If you add your own content to the site, a few habits go a long way:

Always write alt text for images. Alt text (alternative text) is a short description of what the image shows, used by screen readers. A descriptive alt text might be: "A barista pouring latte art into a ceramic cup." Not: "image001.jpg." See Alt text explained.

Don't use color alone to convey meaning. For example, don't create a table where green cells mean "yes" and red cells mean "no" with no other distinction. Use words too.

Use proper headings in order. Your page should have one main heading (H1), then subheadings (H2), then sub-subheadings (H3) — in order, without skipping levels.

Write links that describe the destination. "Read our accessibility policy" is better than "click here."

Add captions to videos. Most video platforms (YouTube, Vimeo) let you add captions. Always add them — or ask us to help.

Accessibility tools have limits

Automated accessibility scanning tools can't check everything. The W3C, which publishes WCAG, says some checks can't be automated and need human judgment. We use both. If you want a thorough accessibility review of your site, ask us about a dedicated accessibility audit.

Common questions

Is my site legally required to be accessible?

This depends on your country, industry, and business size. In the UK, all service providers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled people under the Equality Act 2010 (or the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in Northern Ireland). Public sector bodies, unless exempt, must also meet the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018, which means meeting WCAG 2.2 AA and publishing an accessibility statement. This is general information, not legal advice. We recommend treating accessibility as a baseline commitment regardless of legal requirements.

What accessibility standard should I aim for?

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), published by the W3C, are the international standard. Their success criteria come in three levels: A, AA and AAA. The latest version is WCAG 2.2, and content that meets it also meets WCAG 2.1. Level AA is the level UK public sector websites must meet, for example. We work toward WCAG 2.1 Level AA on sites we build and maintain.

What is an accessibility audit?

A structured review of your website against the WCAG guidelines, combining automated scanning with manual testing. It produces a list of specific issues with recommended fixes. Ask us if you'd like one — it's a separate engagement from routine care.

We only serve local customers — does accessibility still apply to us?

Yes. Accessibility is about serving all your customers, including those with disabilities. A small local business has the same responsibility to its local customers as a large national one.

Need a hand?

If you're stuck, email support@chykalophia.com and we'll help. Include your website address and a screenshot if you can.