Starting in 2025, web accessibility will be a legal requirement for websites, online stores, and digital applications that offer products or services. But how do you efficiently implement accessible web design?
Did you know that over 15% of the world's population lives with some form of disability? Many of these individuals face barriers online that prevent access to key services and information. After June 28, 2025, inaccessible websites won’t just risk fines – you could also lose out on millions of potential customers. But it’s not just about legal compliance; it’s about ensuring your digital presence is accessible to everyone, thus contributing to a more inclusive society.
Accessible web design offers an opportunity to demonstrate responsibility, enhance your brand’s reputation, and tap into new markets. In this article, we’ll cover what you need to know to get started.
Accessible web design means creating websites and digital applications that are usable by everyone, regardless of limitations such as neurodivergence or visual impairments. The goal of accessible web design is to provide digital content and functions without barriers so that all users have equal access to information and services.
Extended user group
Accessible design doesn’t just serve people with permanent disabilities; it also helps temporarily limited users, which broadens your reach.
Increased user-friendliness
Customers will navigate your site more quickly and efficiently, regardless of their abilities. This leads to higher satisfaction and loyalty.
Positive brand image
An accessible web design shows your commitment to social responsibility and inclusion, which in turn strengthens your brand’s reputation.
Legal compliance
Starting in 2025, web accessibility will be mandatory. Get compliant now to future-proof your business and promote inclusion.
Accessibility is a human right – also on the web. By 2025, companies will be legally required to ensure accessible design. The international WCAG guidelines (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) set forth by the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) outline four core principles that your company website must meet:
1. Perceptible
Information must be perceivable by all users. Graphic elements, videos, and illustrations should be described with meaningful alt text.
2. Operable
The website must be operable for user groups relying on assistive technology, ensuring all functionalities are controllable via keyboard.
3. Understandable
Information and interactions should be intuitive and predictable, avoiding any unexpected events.
4. Robust
The website must work seamlessly across all devices and assistive technologies and adhere to the latest standards.
The four principles are divided into 13 guidelines, which are further broken down into 78 success criteria. Compliance with legal requirements is evaluated based on these criteria and classified into three levels of conformity: A (minimum), AA, and AAA (maximum). Starting June 28, 2025, websites and digital applications offering products or services must meet Level AA standards. Interestingly, the BITV 2.0 guidelines applicable in Germany align with WCAG Level AA, so there’s no need for separate consideration.
The three conformance levels apply to every aspect of building an accessible website. Below, we explain these classifications using example criteria for integrating video and audio.
Simple A – This is the minimum level of accessibility, based on WCAG standards.
Subtitles or a transcript must be provided. Video and audio files, as well as animations and automatic sliders with movements over five seconds, must be controllable via a pause button.
Double A – This level addresses the most common accessibility issues.
In addition to the criteria for Level A, it must be ensured that the contrast of body text and images to the background should be at least 4.5 to 1. This applies, for example, to introductory texts on the website and subtitles within the video itself.
Triple A – This is the highest standard of accessibility.
Along with Level A and AA requirements, sign language must be integrated into videos. Easy-to-read versions of the content must also be made available.
Accessibility is a team effort. When we build new pages, we integrate accessibility right from the start and collaborate with our clients throughout the process.
When you work with us, you can trust that your website will meet all the necessary accessibility standards. If you’d like to explore specific measures further, we’ve compiled best practices below that you should keep in mind to enhance your website's accessibility.
We will be happy to help you. Just send us a short message!
To design an accessible website, here are a few key areas to focus on:
Numerous online tools are available to check individual elements or entire websites for accessibility. At Moccu, we utilize WAVE for initial audits to generate automated reports. While these provide a preliminary overview of a website's accessibility status, they must be supplemented with manual tests.
Need help testing your website with WAVE? Check out our quick guide here:
A comprehensive tool for enhancing website quality is Google Lighthouse, accessible via Chrome Developer Tools. Lighthouse rates accessibility alongside overall performance and SEO.
For direct page and element testing during design, we use Figma plugins, with Stark being a favorite for checking font styles, touch target sizes, and color contrasts. Additionally, Stark features a simulator for mimicking conditions such as color blindness.
There are various providers and systems for testing the screen reader suitability of structure and texts. For iOS, for example, we use VoiceOver.
There are a large number of accessibility checklists online where the guidelines of the most important accessibility catalogs are summarized in one list. Good examples of this include The A11Y Project, Webflow, and The Checklist Voxmedia.
At Moccu, we have developed a unique checklist for each specialist area to guide our experts in ensuring all relevant aspects are addressed when designing accessible websites or digital applications.
In web design, accessibility means that all content is equally accessible to all people. Specific impairments or restrictions do not play a role here.
Yes, an accessible website is mandatory for websites that market products or services, such as online stores. Websites that offer contact forms or appointment bookings are also affected.
However, private offers, B2B offers and small companies with fewer than ten employees or an annual turnover of no more than two million euros are exempt from the obligation.
Pure presentation pages on which the products or services cannot be purchased directly for a fee are exempt from the accessibility obligation.
You can make a website accessible by either studying the matter in depth yourself and implementing measures in a legally compliant manner or by commissioning an experienced agency that can provide targeted support.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are international guidelines for accessible web design developed by the W3 Consortium.
Now you have a good overview of what accessible web design looks like and how it can be implemented. We’re here to help you achieve accessibility for your website or digital application while ensuring legal compliance.
Thank you for your message! We will get in touch with you as quickly as possible!
