Definition

An accessibility audit is a systematic evaluation of your website to determine how effectively it serves the needs of users with disabilities.

Explanation

Just like even a daily newspaper can have small errors, websites can have accessibility issues that impact users. An accessibility audit helps you identify and fix these problems, ensuring your website complies with web accessibility laws and guidelines (like Section 508, ADA, and WCAG Standards) to avoid potential lawsuits.

This audit involves a detailed, often page-by-page, analysis of your website. Its primary goal is to uncover any accessibility barriers that might prevent users with disabilities from fully accessing and interacting with your content. These issues can create a poor user experience and harm your brand's reputation. An audit helps you address these challenges.

You can perform an accessibility audit in two ways:

• Automated Checks: You can start with an accessibility scanner (also called a checker or monitor). These tools can quickly identify common issues and suggest solutions. However, automated checks aren't foolproof and won't catch every problem.
• Manual Testing: For a comprehensive evaluation, you'll need human expertise. Accessibility experts, who are experienced and often certified in web accessibility, can conduct thorough manual testing to uncover issues that automated tools might miss.

By conducting regular accessibility audits, you can make your website more inclusive and provide a better experience for all users.