Top Accessibility Mistakes Small Businesses Make
Small business owners wear many hats. You're the CEO, marketer, accountant, and often the webmaster. With so many responsibilities, website accessibility often falls through the cracks. But here's the reality: in 2025, over 4,000 ADA website lawsuits were filed — and small businesses were the primary targets.
The good news? Most accessibility mistakes are easy to fix once you know what to look for. In this guide, we'll reveal the top accessibility mistakes small businesses make — and show you how to fix them using AccessiTool's free ADA checker.
ADA website lawsuits filed in 2025
Targeted small businesses with under 25 employees
Average settlement cost before legal fees
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Try AccessiTool Free →Why Small Businesses Are at Risk
You might think, "I'm a small business. No one will sue me." That's exactly what thousands of business owners thought before receiving a demand letter. Law firms specifically target small businesses because:
- They often don't know accessibility laws exist
- They rarely have legal teams to fight back
- Settlements are easier to extract
- Many use cookie-cutter website templates with built-in issues
Using a website accessibility checker free tool like AccessiTool is your first line of defense.
Mistake #1: Missing Alt Text on Images
Missing Alternative Text (Alt Text)
Alt text describes images for people who use screen readers (blind or visually impaired users). Without alt text, screen readers say "image" or nothing at all — leaving users completely lost.
alt="Red leather sofa on sale for $499" not alt="sofa".
Mistake #2: Poor Color Contrast
Low Color Contrast Between Text and Background
If your text color is too similar to the background, people with low vision or color blindness can't read it. This includes light gray text on white backgrounds — a very common design mistake.
Mistake #3: Inaccessible PDFs
PDF Files That Screen Readers Can't Read
Many small businesses upload scanned documents, brochures, or forms as PDFs. Scanned PDFs are essentially images — screen readers can't read them. This is a major ADA violation.
Mistake #4: Keyboard Navigation Failures
Users Can't Navigate Using Only a Keyboard
Many people with mobility impairments cannot use a mouse. They rely solely on the Tab key to navigate websites. If your site has invisible focus indicators or "keyboard traps" (where users get stuck), you're violating WCAG.
Mistake #5: Missing Form Labels
Unlabeled Form Fields
Contact forms, search boxes, and checkout forms often lack proper labels. Screen reader users hear "edit text" with no context — they don't know what information to enter.
<label> tag. Example: <label for="email">Email Address</label><input id="email" type="email">
Mistake #6: No Video Captions
Uncaptioned Video Content
If your website includes promotional videos, tutorials, or customer testimonials without captions, deaf and hard-of-hearing users cannot access that information.
Mistake #7: Empty or Missing Buttons
Buttons Without Accessible Names
Icon-only buttons (like a magnifying glass for search or an X for close) without text labels are invisible to screen readers.
<button aria-label="Search">🔍</button> Or include hidden text: <span class="visually-hidden">Search</span>
Mistake #8: No Skip Navigation Link
Missing "Skip to Main Content" Link
Keyboard users must tab through every navigation menu link before reaching content. On sites with long menus, this is extremely frustrating.
<a href="#main-content" class="skip-link">Skip to main content</a> Make it visible when focused.
Mistake #9: Poor Heading Structure
Skipping Heading Levels (H1 → H3 → H2)
Screen reader users navigate by headings. If you skip levels (H1 to H3) or use headings just for visual styling, you break their navigation.
Mistake #10: Relying Only on Color for Information
Using Color Alone to Convey Meaning
"Required fields are in red" or "Green means available, red means sold out" — color-blind users cannot distinguish these.
How to Check ADA Compliance Website for These Mistakes
You don't need to manually check every page. AccessiTool's free ada checker automatically scans your entire website and flags these exact issues:
- ✅ Missing alt text
- ✅ Color contrast failures
- ✅ Empty buttons and form labels
- ✅ Heading structure problems
- ✅ And 50+ other WCAG checks
🔍 Run Your Free ADA Compliance Scan
Find all 10 mistakes (and more) in under 60 seconds.
Start Free Scan →Real Story: How a Small Bakery Got Sued
Let me share a real example. A small bakery in Florida — just 8 employees — received a demand letter because their online ordering system had:
- No alt text on product images
- Poor color contrast on the checkout button
- Keyboard trap in the shopping cart
They settled for $35,000 plus legal fees. The fixes would have taken 2 hours and cost $0 using a free accessibility checker for websites like AccessiTool.
Internal Links: Free Tools to Fix These Mistakes
🔗 Fix Accessibility Issues With These Free Tools
FAQs About Accessibility Mistakes
Final Thoughts: Don't Be the Next Statistic
These 10 accessibility mistakes are incredibly common — but also incredibly easy to fix. The difference between a lawsuit and compliance is simply awareness and action.
Start today. Run AccessiTool's free ada checker on your website. You'll get a detailed report showing exactly which mistakes you're making and how to fix them. No technical skills required.
🚀 Protect Your Business Today
Scan your website for free. Fix accessibility mistakes before they become lawsuits.
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