This checklist outlines the accessibility requirements content editors should follow when adding or updating website content. It covers images, links, headings, videos, and documents, as well as reports and tools for ongoing monitoring. It is based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level A and AA.

Use this checklist to review content before publishing and when updating existing pages. Following it consistently helps prevent common accessibility issues and ensures content can be used by people who rely on assistive technologies, such as screen readers, keyboard navigation, and captions.

Website Content Accessibility Checklist 

Images

• Add meaningful alt text for all content images.
• Avoid embedding text inside images.
• Don’t rely on image alone to convey important information.
• Avoid Image-Only PDFs or Scans. If a flyer with event information is added to a page the following steps can be taken to make the content accessible:
  • Use descriptive alt text for the image.
  • Repeat all text from the flyer directly on the web page (either above or below the image).
  • Add a heading or summary above the image to summarize the content. For example: “Event Details (also shows in flyer below)”

Headings

• Use heading levels to create a clear and logical structure. Start with Heading 2 for main sections (since Heading 1 is reserved for the page title), and use subsequent heading levels (e.g., Heading 3, Heading 4) as needed for subsections. Avoid skipping levels. For example, don’t jump from Heading 2 to Heading 4, so screen reader users can easily understand the content hierarchy.
• Do not use bold text to mimic headings, use real heading tags.

Text Formatting (Recommended)

• Avoid ALL CAPS for emphasis — it's harder to read for many users.
• Use bold/italic sparingly for true emphasis — not as a substitute for headings or lists.

Links

• Write descriptive link text (e.g., “View the annual report” instead of “Click here”).
• Avoid duplicate link text going to different places.
• Avoid instructions that depend on visual/spatial location, e.g. "click the button on the right" or "see the sidebar."

Lists

• Use ordered or unordered lists available in content editor for items that are lists.
• Do not create lists using dashes, numbers, or tabs manually. 

Tables

• Use tables only for tabular data, not for layout.
• Include table headers to support accessibility and responsive design.
• Give data tables a caption/title summarizing what the table shows. (Recommended)

Embedding iFrame

• When embedding an iFrame using the Embed embedded content icon in the content editor, use the Title option under Advanced. This helps users who rely on screen readers understand the purpose of the embedded content, such as a video, map, or form.

Audio/Video

• Include captions and transcripts for videos.
• Ensure media players are keyboard-accessible. Most embedded players from platforms like YouTube and Vimeo support keyboard navigation.
• Avoid enabling autoplay on embedded video or animated GIFs that run longer than a few seconds. 

Page Setup

• Give every page a descriptive, unique page title.

Documents (PDF, Word, etc.)

• Ensure documents have proper tags, alt text, and reading order.
• Test documents for accessibility:
  • How to Check Word and PDF documents for accessibility
  • Microsoft Word accessibility checker — detailed walkthrough with screenshots(opens in a new tab)
  • Adobe PDF accessibility guide — detailed walkthrough with screenshots(opens in a new tab)

Periodically review the following Real Time Reports and resolve any issues found:

• Alt Tags
  • View pages with missing alt tags.
  • Add descriptive alt text to images to meet accessibility standards.
• Broken Links
  • View pages containing broken links.
  • Update or remove the broken links as needed.
• “Click Here” Links
  • View pages that use “Click Here” as link text.
  • Replace with meaningful, descriptive text that explains the link’s purpose.
• Editoria11y
  • View accessibility alerts on individual pages.
  • Review and resolve flagged issues to meet accessibility standards.

Editoria11y (“editorially”) is an accessibility checker built into your website. While you’re logged in, it checks each page you open, and the page you’re editing, for common problems: missing or unhelpful image descriptions, skipped heading levels, unclear link text, linked PDFs and more. Each alert explains the problem and how to fix it. Visitors never see the alerts.

If you don’t see the Editoria11y buttons at the bottom right of the page when you’re logged in, it isn’t turned on for your account. Contact VC3 support to turn it on.

Alerts on a Page

Open any page on your site while logged in. Alerts appear next to the content that needs a look, and the buttons at the bottom right show how many alerts the page has.

• A red ! is an error: something to fix, such as alt text that is just the image’s file name.
• A yellow ? is a manual check: something that may be a problem. Read it and decide, for example whether a “click here” link makes sense on its own.

Select an alert to read what’s wrong and how to fix it. Use the arrows at the bottom of the alert to go to the previous or next one, or select the number at the bottom right to go to the first alert.

Manual Checks: Mark as OK or Ignored

If you’ve checked a yellow alert and the content is fine, you can dismiss it:

• Mark as OK hides the alert for everyone who edits the site.
• Mark as ignored hides it just for you.

Errors (red) can’t be dismissed; fix them instead. On some sites these buttons aren’t available.

To bring back a hidden alert, select the eye button that appears at the bottom right (Show hidden alert), select the alert, then Restore this hidden alert.

Check Headings and Alt Text

Select the list button at the bottom right, then Headings or Alt Text. Editoria11y labels each heading on the page with its level (H2, H3 and so on) and shows each image’s alt text over the image. Check that the headings form an outline without skipping a level, and that each alt text describes what the image means on the page. Labels on your site’s header and footer can be ignored.

Alerts While You Edit

Editoria11y also checks the text editor while you edit a page. The alerts update as you type, so you can fix a problem and watch its alert disappear, for example by changing a Heading 4 to a Heading 3.

Hide or Show the Alerts

Select the round flag button at the bottom right to hide all alerts while you look at the page. Select it again to show them.

Tips

• Fix the red alerts first. Then go through the yellow ones.
• For help with what an alert asks for, see Website Accessibility.

Check Accessibility in Microsoft Word

1.Run the Accessibility Checker

1. Click the Review tab.
2. Select Check Accessibility. The Accessibility panel opens on the right.
3. Review all items listed under Errors, Warnings, and Tips.
4. Click any item in the panel to jump to the affected content.
5. Alternative path: File → Info → Check for Issues → Check Accessibility.

2. Save as PDF

1. Save using File → Save As → PDF. Do not use Print to PDF — it does not preserve structure, headings, or alt text.
2. In the Save As dialog, click Options and check "Document structure tags for accessibility."
3. Save the file.

Note: Adobe Acrobat Pro is required for the steps in this section. The free Adobe Reader does not include the full accessibility checker.

1. Run the Accessibility Checker

1. Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
2. In the left sidebar, click All tools → Prepare for accessibility → Check for accessibility.
3. Leave all options checked and click Start Checking.
4. The Accessibility Checker panel opens on the left. Results are grouped by category: Document, Page Content, Tables, Headings, and Forms.
5. For any Failed item, right-click and select Fix to address it, or Explain for details.
6. Alternative path: Tools → Accessibility → Full Check.

Note: Do not assume Needs Manual Check items are passing. Each one requires your manual review.

2. Verify Reading Order

1. Open from Accessibility → Reading Order.
2. Confirm numbered boxes follow a logical sequence top-to-bottom and left-to-right.
3. Pay close attention to multi-column layouts and content positioned beside images.
4. Drag blocks to reorder as needed.

Follow this sequence to check and publish an accessible document.

1. Fix in Word first. Run the Word Accessibility Checker and resolve all Errors and Warnings.
2. Export correctly. Use File → Save As → PDF → Options → check "Document structure tags for accessibility." Never use Print to PDF.
3. Run the Acrobat Pro checker. Fix all Failed items. Manually review all Needs Manual Check items.
4. Re-run the checker. Confirm no new issues were introduced by your fixes.
5. Publish. Once the checker shows no Errors, the document is ready.

Additional Resources

• How to Check Word and PDF documents for accessibility
• Microsoft Word accessibility checker — detailed walkthrough with screenshots(opens in a new tab)(opens in a new tab)
• Adobe PDF accessibility guide — detailed walkthrough with screenshots(opens in a new tab)