WordPress WCAG checklist — a practical first pass for SME sites

Most small-business sites run on WordPress. Accessibility work there is less about “installing an overlay” and more about theme markup, plugin widgets, media, and forms. This page is educational only. It is not legal advice, not ADA/EAA certification, and not a guarantee that your site meets WCAG 2.2 AA.

Who this is for

• SME owners on WordPress.com or self-hosted WordPress
• Agencies handing off a brochure, booking, or WooCommerce shop
• Anyone aiming for a realistic first pass toward WCAG 2.2 AA as a technical target

Theme and structure

• Skip link: Theme should expose a “skip to main content” link that works with keyboard.
• Landmarks: Prefer native header, nav, main, footer (or matching ARIA landmarks).
• Heading order: One clear H1 per template; no skipped levels for style alone.
• Page titles: Unique <title> via SEO plugin or theme settings — not the same string on every page.
• Language: Correct lang on the HTML element for the site’s primary language.

Menus, focus, and keyboard

• Open and close the mobile menu with keyboard only (Tab, Enter/Space, Escape).
• Focus stays visible on links, buttons, and menu items (do not remove outlines without a clear replacement).
• Dropdowns should not trap focus or open only on hover with no keyboard path.

Media and content

• Meaningful images get descriptive alt text; decorative images use empty alt.
• Featured images and gallery plugins often default to empty or filename alt — review them.
• Embedded video needs captions for speech; audio-only needs a transcript where content matters.
• Link text should make sense out of context (“Download the menu PDF”, not “click here”).

Forms (Contact Form 7, Gravity, WooCommerce, etc.)

• Every field has a visible label associated with the control (not placeholder-only).
• Required fields are marked in text, not colour alone.
• Error messages name the field and how to fix it; they are announced accessibly after submit.
• CAPTCHAs: prefer accessible options; if you must use image CAPTCHA, provide an alternative.

Plugins and widgets to watch

• Sliders/carousels that auto-advance without pause controls
• Cookie banners that steal focus or block the page without a keyboard dismiss
• Megamenus and page builders that inject div soup without headings or buttons
• “Accessibility overlay” plugins — they do not replace semantic HTML or content fixes

A short WordPress test pass

1. Unplug the mouse: Tab through home, a post, contact, and cart/checkout if you sell.
2. Zoom text to 200% — layout should reflow without clipped content.
3. Toggle a system dark/high-contrast mode if you use custom CSS; check contrast on buttons.
4. Run an automated scanner (e.g. axe / WAVE) on 3–5 key templates, then fix real issues by hand.
5. Draft an accessibility statement: known limits, contact email, last review date.

What this does not mean

Passing a plugin score does not make you “WCAG certified.” Theme marketplaces vary wildly. National rules (including EAA scope) differ. When stakes are high, talk to a qualified attorney and, if needed, a human auditor.

Educational materials only. Not legal advice. Not ADA/EAA certification. A11yReady does not guarantee legal outcomes.