Keyboard access is foundational WCAG expectation and helps power users too.
Five-minute pass
- Tab and Shift+Tab through header, content, footer.
- Enter/Space on buttons and links.
- Escape closes modals without losing focus badly.
Common SME failures
Hidden mobile menus that cannot receive focus, carousel controls only clickable, chat widgets stealing focus—test with widgets on and off.
SEO overlap
Sensible focus order usually parallels heading order—both help comprehension.
Frequently asked questions
Do all sites need skip links?
Recommended for heavy nav; at least ensure main content is reachable quickly.
Who fixes this?
Dev + designer; content editors avoid breaking focus with improper ARIA.
Quick keyboard accessibility audit (15 minutes)
Unplug your mouse and tab through your homepage, contact form, and main navigation. Can you see focus outlines? Does tab order follow visual order? Can you submit a form and understand error messages? Traps in modals and missing skip links are common failures on SME sites.
Accessibility overlaps SEO—clear headings, alt text, and readable contrast help everyone. WCAG 2.2 guidance lives at W3C WAI; NZ public sector standards at Digital.govt.nz.
Building or redesigning? Ask your web design partner how accessibility is tested before launch—see our post-launch testing guide.
More guides in this topic
- Focus indicators: why invisible outlines hurt real users
- Form labels, errors, and screen reader basics (starter level)
- Colour contrast for text and icons: practical tips
- Image alt text that helps people (not keyword spam)
- Heading hierarchy that matches the real page outline
Browse the full Accessibility & inclusive UX guide hub or return to the guides home.
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Authoritative further reading
These independent resources complement this guide. Search engines and customers both reward accurate, helpful information—we link out where official documentation or regulators explain the topic better than a generic blog post could.