What Is WCAG? A Simple Guide for Businesses in 2025
If you’ve ever started looking into digital accessibility, you’ve probably seen the acronym WCAG. But what does WCAG actually mean, and why does it matter for your business?
I’m Tania Gerard, founder of Tania Gerard Digital, where I help companies embed accessibility and neurodiversity into their websites, marketing, and workplace culture.
This article breaks WCAG down in a way that’s clear, practical, and business-focused, without the bs jargon.
What Does WCAG Stand For?
WCAG stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
These guidelines are created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to make websites, apps, and digital content accessible to disabled and neurodivergent users.
In simple terms, WCAG gives businesses a clear standard to follow so that everyone, regardless of ability, device, or assistive technology, can access, understand, and use your online content, good, right?
The current version, WCAG 2.2, is the standard most businesses should be working towards in 2025.
The Four WCAG Principles (POUR)
WCAG is built around four core principles, often remembered by the acronym POUR:
1. Perceivable
Your content must be presented in ways that people can perceive.
Add alt text to images
Provide captions for videos
Ensure text contrast is strong enough to read
2. Operable
Your website must be usable for everyone.
Make sure navigation works with a keyboard
Avoid auto-playing elements that users can’t control
3. Understandable
Content should be clear and easy to follow.
Use straightforward language
Keep layouts logical and predictable
4. Robust
Your content should work across different devices, browsers, and assistive technologies.
Ensure your site works with screen readers
Test across mobile and desktop
If your website fails in one of these areas, you’re likely excluding part of your audience — often unintentionally!!!
Why WCAG Matters for Businesses
WCAG isn’t just a legal standard. It’s a business opportunity. By meeting accessibility standards, you can:
Reach a wider audience, including the 1 in 4 people with disabilities and 1 in 5 who are neurodivergent
Improve customer experience by making your content easier to use for everyone
Build trust and reputation as a brand that values inclusion
Boost conversions and revenue by removing barriers in the customer journey
Future-proof your marketing, aligning with global accessibility regulations and best practice - yessss!
Understanding WCAG Levels
WCAG has three levels of compliance:
Level A – The minimum level (basic accessibility)
Level AA – The practical and recommended standard for most businesses
Level AAA – The highest level, often used for government or specialist sites
At Tania Gerard Digital, I help clients work towards WCAG 2.2 Level AA. This is globally recognised as the benchmark for accessible digital experiences.
Putting WCAG into Action
Many businesses assume WCAG is overly technical. The truth is, even small, simple changes can make a mahoosive difference:
Add alt text to images
Use strong colour contrast
Structure content with headings and bullet points
Provide captions or transcripts for audio and video
Design clear, accessible forms
These improvements don’t just help disabled users, they actually make your content clearer and easier for everyone, yay!
WCAG and Neurodiversity
As someone with ADHD and autism, I know how many marketing experiences are unintentionally inaccessible. Silly cluttered layouts, autoplaying media, and hard-to-skim text create real barriers for engagement, regardless of ability.
By aligning with WCAG 2.2 AA, you make your content easier to process for neurodivergent audiences too.
Start Your WCAG Journey
Want to know if your website or marketing meets WCAG 2.2 standards? You lucky sausage, you are in the right place!
I offer Accessibility Reviews and WCAG Audits to help businesses identify barriers and fix them.