Every time someone can't use your website, you lose a customer in silence. They don't send a complaint: they simply go to a competitor. And this is not a rare case: a significant share of people browse with some kind of limitation —visual, hearing, motor or cognitive— whether permanent, temporary (an arm in a cast) or situational (sunlight hitting the phone screen). Web accessibility simply means making sure all those people can use your site too.
The topic is more relevant than ever: since 28 June 2025 the European Accessibility Act (Directive EU 2019/882) has been applicable, and this 28 June marks its first year in force. Many companies still don't know whether it affects them or where to start. At aatsoft, a web development company in Manresa (Barcelona), we build accessible sites from the design stage; in this guide we explain what accessibility is, why it pays off as a business and how to take the first steps.
What web accessibility is (without the jargon)
An accessible website is one that anyone can perceive, understand and operate, whatever they use to browse: a mouse, a keyboard, a phone, a screen reader or voice control. It does not mean building a website «for people with disabilities»: it means building a website that leaves no one out.
The international reference standard is WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), and the European Accessibility Act relies on it through the EN 301 549 standard, requiring level AA in practice. WCAG boils down to four easy-to-remember principles.
1. Perceivable
Information must be perceivable even when one sense fails: alt text on images for screen-reader users, enough colour contrast for people with low vision, captions on videos for people who can't hear.
2. Operable
Everything must work without a mouse. Some people navigate with the keyboard only or with assistive devices: if your menu, forms and buttons don't work with the Tab key and don't show where the focus is, those people get stuck.
3. Understandable
Content and behaviour must be predictable: clear language, error messages that explain what happened and how to fix it, and consistent navigation across every page.
4. Robust
The code must be well built so assistive technologies (screen readers, magnifiers) interpret it correctly, today and years from now. This is where quality development makes the difference.
Why it matters for your business (beyond the law)
Compliance is one reason, but not the only one. Accessibility is, above all, a smart business decision:
- You reach more customers. You widen your audience to people who today can't complete a purchase or a form on your site.
- You improve your SEO. Many accessibility best practices —alt text, well-structured headings, semantic HTML, good performance— are exactly the ones Google rewards. Accessibility and ranking go hand in hand.
- You strengthen your brand. A polished, usable website signals professionalism and care. One that excludes people signals the opposite.
- You reduce risk. If your activity falls within the scope of the European Accessibility Act, getting ahead saves you legal and reputational trouble.
Is my company required to comply?
The European Accessibility Act does not bind every single website in the same way: it focuses on certain products and services aimed at consumers, such as e-commerce, banking, telecoms, transport or e-books. In addition, some microenterprises providing services may be exempt from part of the obligations.
That said, the smart approach is not to ask «can I be fined?» but «am I leaving customers out?». If you sell online or handle processes through your website, the best move is to review your specific case and, in any scenario, work towards an accessible site. If you're unsure whether your activity is in scope, we'll help you figure it out.
Where to start: a quick checklist
You don't need to rebuild your website from scratch. Many accessibility improvements are concrete changes with an immediate impact. Here is a first list to review today:
Check the colour contrast between text and background, add descriptive alt text to images, make sure you can navigate the whole site with the keyboard (Tab key), label your form fields properly, order your headings hierarchically (a single H1, then H2, H3…) and add captions to videos. That alone covers a good share of the most common problems.
How we help at aatsoft
At aatsoft we build accessibility in from the start, not as a last-minute patch. We run accessibility audits on your current site, fix what blocks your users and develop new sites that meet WCAG level AA without giving up an attractive design. And because accessibility and SEO share the same roots, those improvements also boost your ranking.
Request an accessibility review of your website and we'll tell you, with no strings attached, what's leaving customers out and how to fix it. Discover our web development services too.
