Accessibility and WordPress: How to make your CMS inclusive, legally compliant and powerful

WordPress is the world’s most widely used content management system – and therefore a key lever for digital accessibility. Yet many WordPress websites, even with modern themes and plugins, are not accessible. The good news is that accessibility standards can be implemented relatively easily in WordPress – if you know what to focus on.

In this article, you’ll learn how truly accessible WordPress is, the most common pitfalls, and how to make your website sustainably WCAG-compliant, user-friendly, and SEO-optimized.

Is WordPress accessible out of the box?

The short answer: partially.

WordPress places a strong emphasis on accessibility. Its core largely follows WCAG guidelines, and there is a dedicated accessibility team continuously working on improvements. This means:

✔ semantic HTML in the core
✔ a well-accessible admin area
✔ screenreader-friendly structures

However:
The actual accessibility of a WordPress website depends heavily on:

• the theme used
• installed plugins
• created content
• individual customizations

The biggest accessibility problems on WordPress websites

Many barriers are not caused by WordPress itself but by poor decisions or lack of knowledge.

Typical problems include:

• non-accessible themes
• navigation that cannot be used via keyboard
• missing or incorrect alt texts
• unclear heading hierarchies
• non-accessible forms
• sliders and pop-ups without ARIA support

The good news: almost all of these issues can be fixed.

Accessible WordPress themes: what to look for

A theme is the foundation of your website. For accessible WordPress sites, pay attention to:

Key criteria for accessibility-ready themes

• clean, semantic HTML
• full keyboard accessibility
• visible focus states
• sufficient color contrast
• logical heading structure
• accessible navigation

Tip: The WordPress theme directory includes the filter “Accessibility Ready”. This is a good starting point – but it does not replace manual checks.

Plugins: helpers or barriers?

Plugins extend WordPress – but they can also introduce new accessibility barriers.

Positive examples

• form plugins with correct labels
• SEO plugins with structured data support
• caching plugins for faster load times

Critical plugin types

• sliders and animations
• cookie banners without keyboard control
• page builders with poor semantic output

Rule of thumb:
Every plugin should be tested for accessibility – especially interactive elements.

Creating accessible content in WordPress

Even the best theme cannot help if the content is not accessible.

Best practices for editors

• use headings hierarchically (H1–H6)
• use meaningful link text instead of “click here”
• add alt text for all relevant images
• use simple, clear language
• short paragraphs and clear lists
• use tables only for data, not layout

WordPress supports these requirements technically – they just need to be used consciously.

Accessible forms in WordPress

Forms are common conversion hurdles.

Pay attention to:

• properly linked <label> elements
• clear error messages
• clearly marked required fields
• full keyboard accessibility
• large enough clickable areas

Many form plugins can be configured to be accessible – but only with the correct settings.

SEO benefits of accessible WordPress websites

Accessibility directly improves SEO:

• better crawlability via semantic HTML
• more understandable content for search engines
• better internal linking
• positive user signals
• improved mobile usability

WordPress provides the ideal foundation for this – if accessibility is considered from the start.

Testing & tools for accessible WordPress

Automated tools can help you get started:

• Lighthouse
• axe
• WAVE

However:
True accessibility requires manual testing, for example:

• keyboard tests
• screenreader tests
• testing with real users

Accessibility, legal compliance & WordPress

With the Accessibility Enhancement Act and WCAG standards, accessibility is becoming mandatory for many private companies. WordPress websites should therefore be not only visually accessible but also legally future-proof.

Conclusion: WordPress is ideal for accessible websites – with the right approach

WordPress provides an excellent foundation for accessible websites. The key is not the CMS itself, but how it is used.

By:

• choosing accessible themes
• using plugins deliberately
• creating content correctly
• testing accessibility

You create a website that is:
✔ inclusive
✔ SEO-optimized
✔ user-friendly
✔ legally compliant
✔ conversion-optimized

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