October 20, 2026

Five fixes that help real visitors

Five small page fixes that help people use your site, and also help tools read it.

You do not need a redesign to help more people. These five fixes show up on a lot of small sites. Each one helps a real visitor. Each one also gives Google and AI tools a clearer page.

1. Describe images

Add an alt attribute to every image. If the picture carries meaning, say what it shows in a few words. If it is only decoration, use an empty alt so a screen reader skips it.

Do not use the file name as the description. "hero-final-v3.jpg" helps no one.

2. Label every field

Put a label next to each form field and tie it to the field with for and id. A placeholder is not a label. It vanishes when someone starts typing.

3. Darken pale text

Gray text on a white page is a common problem. If you have to squint, the contrast is too low. Make the text darker, or the background plainer, until the words are easy to read in daylight.

4. Keep headings in order

Use one H1 for the topic of the page. Then H2, then H3. Do not skip from H2 to H4 because you want smaller text. Use a style for size. Use the heading for structure.

5. Set the language

Add lang="en" on the html tag if the page is in English. Screen readers use it to pick a voice. Use a different code if the page is in another language.

None of these steps prove that the page meets WCAG. They do remove barriers that stop people every day. Scan the page after you ship the fixes so you can see what is still open.