Semantic HTML
Headings, lists, buttons and page regions marked up correctly, so a screen reader can jump straight to what the visitor wants.
Accessible website design
Accessible website design: a site anyone can use.
Customers who don't see well, can't use a mouse or read on their phone in bright sun. An accessible website lets all of them find out what you do and get in touch.
Accessible website design means your site works for people with visual, hearing or motor impairments too: with a keyboard, a screen reader or enlarged text. Every new site I build is made this way: semantic HTML, enough contrast, keyboard navigation, alt text for images, readable fonts and clear forms. For an existing site I run an accessibility check and give you a list of fixes.
Why accessibility matters
Because the law has changed. EU Directive 2019/882, the European Accessibility Act, has applied since 28 June 2025 to many products and services, including e-commerce services offered to consumers. Each country has its own law: in Germany the BFSG, in Austria the BaFG, in Romania Law no. 232/2022 and in Hungary Act XVII of 2022. I'm not a lawyer: I explain the technical side, and you should check your own obligations with a lawyer.
Because many customers need it without saying so. Older people who enlarge the text, someone with an arm in plaster, someone who can't tell red from green. If the contact button is hard to see or the form can't be filled in, they leave without telling you.
And because an accessible site is usually a better site. The clear structure a screen reader reads out is the same structure Google reads. Good contrast helps anyone looking at a phone in the sun, and clear forms are quicker to fill in.
What I actually do
Contrast and fonts
Text that stands out clearly from the background, readable fonts and pages that still work when the text is enlarged.
Keyboard navigation
Every menu, button and form works with the keyboard alone, with a visible outline on the active element.
Alt text
Images that carry meaning get a short description. Purely decorative images are hidden from screen readers.
Clear forms
Every field has a label, and errors are explained in words, not just shown in red.
Reduced motion and a statement
Animations stop for anyone who has asked for that in their device settings. The site gets an accessibility statement page.
What it costs
Accessibility is included in every new website at no extra cost. I quote the price for checking an existing site after I've looked at it, because it depends on its size and how it's built: you get a fixed price first. If the old site has too many problems, a new one is often the simpler route:
| Service | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Accessible Essential website (1 page, copy included) | €999 | One page with up to 12 sections, built accessible from the start, with an accessibility statement. |
| Business website, accessible | €1,499 | Up to 10 pages, accessible from the start, with Google Business Profile and email on your own domain. |
| Online shop, accessible | from €1,999 | Cart, checkout and forms that work with a keyboard and a screen reader. |
Accessible code, a widget, or nothing
Three ways small websites deal with accessibility:
| Accessible code (RAGANA Studio) | Accessibility widget | Nothing done | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screen readers | Correct structure, named buttons | The code underneath stays the same | Often hard to use |
| Keyboard | The whole site, with visible focus | Depends on the site, not the widget | Often stuck in menus |
| Forms | Labels and errors explained in words | No change | Often no labels |
| Cost | Included in new sites | Often a monthly subscription | Nothing, until there is a problem |
| Speed | No extra scripts | One more script on every page load | Unchanged |
| Accessibility statement | Included | Often missing | Missing |
How I check an existing site
1. Send me the link
I look at the site and tell you what the full check costs.
2. The check
Automated tests, then manual checks: I use the site with only a keyboard, with a screen reader and with enlarged text.
3. List of fixes
You get a clear list by priority: what is serious, what is minor, what is quick to fix.
4. Fixes or a new site
I fix the existing site or, if that is simpler, build a new one that is accessible from the start.
5 common accessibility mistakes
A widget instead of proper code
Buttons that promise one-click accessibility change colours and sizes on top of the site, but they don't fix the code underneath. A form without labels still has no labels. Problems are fixed in the site, not on top of it.
Light grey text on white
It looks elegant on a good screen in a dark room. On a phone in the sun, or for someone with poor sight, it becomes hard to read. Contrast can be measured, it is not a matter of taste.
Icons with no name
A magnifying glass, a basket, a three-line menu. Sighted people recognise them, but a screen reader just says “button”. Every button needs a name, even if it isn't visible.
Focus outline removed
Many sites hide the outline that shows where you are when using the keyboard, because someone didn't like how it looked. Without it, keyboard users can't tell where they are on the page.
Automated tests only
Automated tools find some of the problems, not all of them. They can't tell whether alt text makes sense or whether the keyboard order is logical. Manual checking is needed.
Frequently asked questions
Does the law apply to me?
It depends on what you sell, to whom, and how big your business is. Online shops and services where consumers sign a contract online are the main focus. Micro-enterprises providing services, meaning fewer than 10 employees and annual turnover or balance sheet total of no more than €2 million, are exempt. For your own situation, please ask a lawyer.
Which standard do you use?
The usual technical standard is EN 301 549, which refers to WCAG 2.1 at level AA. There is also the newer WCAG 2.2 with a few extra criteria. My new sites aim for WCAG 2.1 AA and take the 2.2 criteria into account too.
Does an accessible site look different?
Not necessarily. It can look just as modern. The difference is mostly in the code, the contrast and how buttons and forms behave.
What is an accessibility statement?
A page that says how accessible the site is, what isn't accessible yet and how someone with a problem can contact you. I write one for every new site.
Are there transition periods?
For some products and existing contracts the laws set transition periods, some running until 2030. For new websites and shops you shouldn't rely on them. Which deadlines apply to you is a question for a lawyer.
Is it worth it if I'm a micro-enterprise?
Yes, if you want every customer to be able to use your site. The exemption frees you from the obligation, not from customers who can't see well or use a keyboard. On new sites it costs nothing extra.
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Written by Raul Gabriel Nagy
Founder of RAGANA Studio, web designer since 2009. I hand-build websites and online shops for businesses in Romania, Hungary, Austria and Germany, and run my own online shop, raganadesign.shop. My story →
Updated:Want to know how accessible your site is?
Send me the link. I'll look at it and tell you what should be checked and what it costs. I'll reply on the same working day.