Common ADA Accessibility Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Ensuring ADA website compliance is no longer optional. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that digital spaces, just like physical ones, are accessible to everyone. Unfortunately, many businesses still overlook basic accessibility elements, leading to common ADA compliance issues that can cause frustration for users and increase legal risks.

In this guide, we’ll review the most frequent website accessibility mistakes and provide practical tips on how to fix them. Following these best practices not only improves user experience but also helps you align with WCAG guidelines and meet ADA legal requirements for websites.

Missing Alternative Text for Images

One of the most common website accessibility mistakes is failing to provide alternative text (alt text) for images. Screen readers rely on alt text to describe visuals to users with vision impairments. Without it, important content is lost.

Fix: Add descriptive, concise alt text to every meaningful image. Decorative images can be marked as “null” so they’re skipped. This step is a core part of the ADA compliance checklist.

📊 Infographic Placeholder #1
Prompt for ChatGPT Image Gen:
"Create an infographic titled 'Alt Text Best Practices' with 3 sections: Descriptive text, Keep it concise, Skip decorative images. Use icons for screen reader, text, and images in a clean flat design."

Poor Color Contrast

Another frequent issue is poor contrast between text and background. If text blends into its background, users with low vision or color blindness may struggle to read it. This violates website accessibility standards under WCAG.

Fix: Use contrast checkers to ensure text meets WCAG ratios (at least 4.5:1 for body text). Adjust colors, backgrounds, or font weights to improve readability while keeping brand consistency.

Inaccessible Forms

Forms are essential for sign-ups, purchases, and communication. Yet, many fail accessibility checks. Missing labels, unclear error messages, or reliance on visual-only cues create barriers.

Fix: Each form field should have a visible label and programmatic association. Error messages must be descriptive, not just color-based. Accessible forms are critical for ADA compliance for small business websites.

📊 Infographic Placeholder #2
Prompt for ChatGPT Image Gen:
"Design an infographic titled 'Accessible Forms Checklist' with 4 items: Proper labels, Clear error messages, Keyboard accessible, Logical tab order. Use form field icons in an ADA-friendly theme."

Missing Captions and Transcripts

Videos without captions exclude users who are deaf or hard of hearing. Similarly, podcasts or audio content without transcripts leave out those unable to hear. These are common ADA compliance issues that can easily be addressed.

Fix: Add closed captions to all videos and provide transcripts for audio. Captions should be accurate, synchronized, and available in multiple formats. This step is vital to meeting ADA legal requirements for websites.

Keyboard Navigation Barriers

Many users rely on keyboards, not mice, to navigate websites. If menus, links, or buttons aren’t accessible via keyboard, users with motor impairments face significant barriers.

Fix: Ensure your website allows full keyboard navigation, including through menus, forms, and modals. Provide a visible focus indicator so users can track their position on the page.

Overreliance on PDFs

Businesses often post critical information as scanned PDFs. Unfortunately, most scanned PDFs are not accessible to screen readers and fail website accessibility audits.

Fix: Provide accessible HTML versions of content whenever possible. If PDFs are necessary, ensure they include tags, proper reading order, and alternative text for embedded images.

📊 Infographic Placeholder #3
Prompt for ChatGPT Image Gen:
"Create an infographic titled 'Top 5 ADA Website Mistakes' with icons for Missing Alt Text, Poor Contrast, Inaccessible Forms, Missing Captions, Keyboard Barriers. Use a checklist-style design in accessibility colors."

Ignoring Heading Structure

Headings (H1, H2, H3) guide both screen readers and users in understanding page hierarchy. Many sites misuse headings or rely on styling without semantic tags, creating navigation challenges.

Fix: Use headings in a logical order. One H1 per page, followed by subheadings in proper sequence. Don’t skip levels or use headings for styling only.

Non-Descriptive Links

Links like “Click here” or “Read more” provide no context to screen reader users. Without descriptive text, users can’t understand what the link leads to.

Fix: Use descriptive link text, such as “Download our ADA compliance checklist” instead of “Click here.” This improves both accessibility and SEO.

No Accessibility Testing

Many businesses launch websites without testing for accessibility. Skipping an ADA accessibility audit leads to overlooked errors and potential lawsuits.

Fix: Conduct both automated and manual accessibility testing. Use tools like WAVE, Axe, or Lighthouse, and combine them with real user testing. Regular audits ensure you stay aligned with WCAG guidelines.

📊 Infographic Placeholder #4
Prompt for ChatGPT Image Gen:
"Design an infographic titled 'How to Fix Common ADA Mistakes' with 4 icons: Alt text, Captions, Forms, Keyboard navigation. Each with a short fix under it. Use a modern flat illustration style."

Continuous Monitoring and Training

Accessibility isn’t a one-time fix. New content, features, or redesigns can reintroduce common ADA compliance issues. Without ongoing training, teams may unintentionally undo accessibility efforts.

Fix: Provide regular training on accessibility standards. Schedule routine website accessibility audits and update content teams on the latest WCAG guidelines.

Conclusion

Most common ADA compliance issues—from missing alt text to inaccessible forms—can be resolved with planning and testing. By following an ADA compliance checklist, aligning with website accessibility standards, and conducting regular audits, you’ll reduce legal risks and create a more inclusive experience.

Accessibility isn’t just about following ADA legal requirements for websites; it’s about ensuring your digital space works for everyone. Small businesses, enterprises, and organizations of all sizes benefit when they learn how to make websites ADA compliant and inclusive by design.