In the digital world, accessibility plays a crucial role in ensuring that websites and information are easily accessible to all users. As a specialized digital agency for high-quality websites and powerful web applications, we consider accessibility an essential aspect of our work. A recent study by Aktion Mensch revealed that only one in four of the most visited online shops is accessible*. This highlights the urgency of bringing this topic into focus and making websites more inclusive.

Christina Marx, press spokesperson for Aktion Mensch, emphasizes the importance of accessibility on the internet with the following words: "Unhindered access to information and communication, and this explicitly includes the web, is a fundamental human right."*

What is Accessibility on the Internet?

Accessibility on the internet means that websites and web applications are designed in such a way that they can be used by all people regardless of their abilities or impairments. This includes not only people with physical limitations, but also those with visual or hearing impairments, cognitive impairments, or other restrictions. An accessible website should therefore be easy to use and understandable for everyone, without requiring special technical aids.

Why is Accessibility Important on Websites?

The importance of accessibility corresponds to an ethical principle that states that all people should participate equally in digital life. At the same time, an accessible website opens up enormous potential for companies and website owners. By ensuring accessibility for all users, they significantly increase the reach of their content and services. An accessible online offering not only appeals to a broader target audience, but also improves the user experience for all visitors.

But not only from an ethical perspective, but also with regard to the upcoming Accessibility Act, it is essential that companies adapt their websites and web applications accordingly: From 2025, the new Accessibility Act** comes into force, which stipulates that all websites and apps offering electronic services must be accessible. This legislative change underlines the growing importance of accessibility in the digital space and ensures that all users receive equal access to online services.

The Most Common Problems

People with disabilities can be confronted with a variety of challenges on websites that make accessing content difficult. These problems can make using the website frustrating and sometimes even impossible for this target group.

One of the most common challenges is the lack of keyboard accessibility. Many websites are designed to be navigated with a mouse and do not sufficiently consider that some users may rely on keyboards. This can result in important functions and interactions being unreachable if keyboard navigation has not been correctly implemented.

Another common problem concerns the missing labeling of multimedia content. For people with visual impairments, alternative texts for images and transcriptions for videos are of crucial importance. Without these descriptions, they cannot adequately perceive and understand the content.

Color contrasts are another aspect that is often neglected. For people with visual impairments or color blindness, insufficient contrasts between text and background can severely impair readability and make the content inaccessible.

The use of exclusively visual elements to convey information is also a problem. When important information is only conveyed through colors or visual design elements, users with visual impairments or cognitive impairments are excluded.

Complex or unclear page structures can make navigation on a website difficult. A clear and well-organized page structure is important for all users, but especially for people with cognitive impairments or learning difficulties.

Forms and interactive elements that are not designed to be user-friendly can also represent a hurdle. Missing or misleading error messages as well as unclear instructions make it difficult to enter information correctly and successfully perform interactions on the website.

How Do You Check the Accessibility of a Website?

Website owners should regularly check the accessibility of their website to ensure that it meets current standards. There are various tools and techniques that can help:

  1. Manual Review: Website owners should also manually go through the website and look for possible obstacles for users with limitations. For example, test whether the website can be operated with a keyboard, whether the page structure is clear and understandable, and whether screen readers can correctly interpret the content.

  2. Automated Tools: There are online tools that can automatically test the accessibility of a website. They check aspects such as color contrasts, readability, alternative texts for images, and navigation.

Examples of these include:

  • WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool: Developed by WebAIM, WAVE is a popular tool for checking the accessibility of websites. It identifies potential problems and provides visual clues for developers and website operators.

  • Lighthouse: This is a tool from Google that is available in the developer console of Google Chrome. It offers a range of audits, including accessibility, to help developers improve the performance of their websites.

  • aXe Core: aXe Core is an open-source tool from Deque Systems and can be installed in developer tools like Chrome or Firefox. It scans websites for accessibility problems and provides detailed reports.

  • Web Accessibility Toolbar (WAT): The WAT is a browser extension for Internet Explorer that offers various functions for checking accessibility.

  • Siteimprove Accessibility Checker: A user-friendly browser plugin that identifies accessibility problems and provides contextual recommendations.

As experts in the fields of e-commerce and online shops, business websites, UX/UI design, and web development, we are not only familiar with current best practices, but also well prepared to prepare our clients for the requirements of the Accessibility Act 2025. We ensure for our clients that their online presence is not only inclusive, but also future-proof.

  • https://blog.google/intl/de-de/unternehmen/engagement/barrierefreiheit-gastbeitrag-aktion-mensch/ ** https://www.bundesfachstelle-barrierefreiheit.de/DE/Fachwissen/Produkte-und-Dienstleistungen/Barrierefreiheitsstaerkungsgesetz/barrierefreiheitsstaerkungsgesetz_node.html