Accessibility problems often block the exact actions a business cares about: enquiries, forms, calls and bookings.
The six basics
Can everyone actually use it?
Accessibility
Accessibility is not a nice extra for later. It is whether people can read, navigate, understand and act on the site in the first place.
Why this matters
The business problem behind the score.
The UK Equality Act 2010 makes accessibility a business risk, not just a design preference.
Accessible pages are usually clearer for everyone, including rushed buyers on small screens.
What weak looks like
- Forms have placeholders but no real labels.
- Buttons, links or controls do not have useful accessible names.
- Text contrast fails against the background.
- Images that carry meaning have missing or empty alt text.
- The page depends on mouse-only interactions.
What the scan checks
- Critical, serious and moderate axe-core violations
- Rendered DOM checks after the page loads
- Form labels and accessible names
- Common contrast and semantic HTML failures
What to fix first
- Fix critical and serious violations before polishing the interface.
- Add visible labels or accessible names to forms and controls.
- Repair low-contrast text, especially on buttons and key explanations.
- Add meaningful alt text to images that explain something important.
Ready means
Not perfect. Ready.
OK
Forms can be completed without guessing what each field means.
OK
Primary actions are usable with assistive technology.
OK
The page does not rely on tiny, low-contrast or mouse-only interactions.
Questions people ask
Does the scan prove WCAG compliance?
No automated scan can prove full WCAG compliance. Clunky AI catches common rendered-page failures and highlights issues worth fixing first. Human review is still needed for a complete accessibility audit.
Why do form labels matter?
Labels tell users and assistive technology what each input is for. A placeholder is not a reliable substitute because it disappears and is often not announced clearly.
Should accessibility fixes come before design changes?
Yes when the issue blocks use. A pretty page that some people cannot navigate or submit is not ready to do its job.
Next step
See how your site scores on this basic.
The free scan checks this alongside the other five basics, then shows the score, evidence and fix prompts where the issue is specific enough to act on.