This article lists the common Accessibilility issues which were covered in the Monthly Accessibility as a Service report.
July 2025
Tag all PDFs
Tagging a PDF means adding behind-the-scenes labels that explain how the content is organised — like what’s a heading, a paragraph, or a list.
These labels don’t change how the PDF looks, but they help screen readers (used by people who are blind or visually impaired) understand and read the document properly. It's a bit like giving directions so the screen reader knows what to say and how to say it.
To resolve this issue:
- Use Tag-enabled PDF Creators: Create or convert documents using software that supports tagging, like Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Word.
- Manually Add Tags: If your PDF isn't tagged, use a PDF editor's accessibility tools to add tags. This includes setting a logical reading order and adding alternative text for images.
- Consult Guidelines: Follow best practices outlined in WCAG or similar guidelines for effective tagging.
Ensure every page contains a top-level heading
Every page needs a main title, called a Heading 1 or H1.
Think of it like the big title on the front of a newspaper article — it tells you what the page is about. For people using screen readers, it’s super helpful because they can jump straight to that heading and know what the page is for — no need to scroll or guess.
Just making the text look big isn’t enough. Computers and screen readers can’t tell if it’s a heading just by size. It has to be properly coded as a heading behind the scenes — like giving it a label that says “This is the main heading!”
It also helps search engines (like Google) understand the topic better.
To fix this issue:
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Click the purple magnifying glass in your dashboard to view the issue in the Inspector.
- Edit the page in WordPress and add a page title and Update the site. update the link text accordingly.
- If the page does not need a heading for example the Newsletter page, you can click on the Ignore this page button.
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The issue will be resolved during your next site test.
📺 Watch: Top-level heading – another useful resource from Silktide.
June 2025
Specify alternative text for appropriate images.
Alternative text (alt text) is essential for users who are blind or partially sighted, as screen readers rely on it to describe images. Without alt text, important content or context may be lost.
To resolve this issue:
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Click the purple magnifying glass in your dashboard to view the issue in the Inspector.
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This will show you the image and the page it appears on.
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Open the image in the Image Manager and add a clear, descriptive alt text.
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Once saved, the issue will be resolved during your site’s next accessibility check.
📺 Watch: How to write good alt text – a helpful video from Silktide.
Ensure links explain their purpose
Vague link text like “Click here” or “Read more” isn’t helpful for users relying on screen readers. Link text should clearly describe the destination or purpose, even when read out of context.
Better example:
Click here to read more about this on the NSPCC website.
To fix this issue:
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Click View in the Inspector to identify where the link appears.
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Edit the page in WordPress and update the link text accordingly.
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The issue will be resolved during your next site test.
📺 Watch: Write better link text – another useful resource from Silktide.