HubSpot CMS WCAG 2.1 Checker

WCAG 2.1 for HubSpot CMS Sites

WCAG 2.1 became a W3C Recommendation in June 2018. It added criteria for mobile, low vision and cognitive accessibility to WCAG 2.0, and it is the standard named in the US Department of Justice rule for state and local government websites, in EN 301 549 V3.2.1 and in most accessibility settlements.

This checker runs the free scan with the WCAG 2.1 AA preset, so the results match the standard your contract, policy or regulator is most likely to name for a HubSpot CMS site.

On HubSpot CMS sites, WCAG 2.1 issues usually come from themes: fixed-width layouts that do not reflow, light form borders, and hover menus that disappear when the pointer moves. Fix them in the theme or a child theme so every page benefits.

Who Should Run the HubSpot CMS WCAG 2.1 Checker

• HubSpot CMS site owners whose contracts or policies name WCAG 2.1 AA.
• State and local government bodies, under the ADA Title II rule.
• Businesses responding to an ADA demand letter, which usually cites WCAG 2.1 AA.
• Public sector bodies in the EU, under the Web Accessibility Directive.

WCAG 2.1 Criteria That Often Fail on HubSpot CMS

• 1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose

  Form fields that collect personal data, such as name, email and address, need the right autocomplete attribute.

• 1.4.10 Reflow

  Content must reflow at 320 CSS pixels wide, the same as 400% zoom, without scrolling in two directions.

• 1.4.11 Non-text Contrast

  Buttons, form borders, icons and focus indicators need a contrast ratio of at least 3:1.

• 1.4.12 Text Spacing

  Text must stay readable when users increase line, paragraph, letter and word spacing.

• 1.4.13 Content on Hover or Focus

  Tooltips and menus that appear on hover or focus must be dismissible, hoverable and stay visible.

• 4.1.3 Status Messages

  Messages such as “added to cart” or form errors must be announced to screen readers without moving focus.

Where HubSpot CMS Sites Usually Fail WCAG 2.1

These problems come up again and again on HubSpot CMS sites, and each one fails WCAG 2.1. The HubSpot CMS accessibility checker explains how to fix them in HubSpot CMS.

• Forms with placeholder-only fields. HubSpot forms output labels by default, but many are hidden or restyled so the placeholder is the only guide, which disappears when someone starts typing.
• CTA buttons and image CTAs. Image-based call-to-action buttons without alt text, and several "Learn more" buttons on one page, give screen reader users no way to tell them apart.
• Pop-ups and slide-in forms. Pop-up forms, banners and the cookie notice can open without moving focus into them, and can cover content when a keyboard user tabs to it.
• Chat and meetings embeds. The chat bubble and embedded meeting scheduler load as widgets and iframes outside your theme, with their own focus and naming problems.
• Module and landing page content. Heavy use of modules in flexible columns leads to skipped heading levels, repeated link text and decorative images read aloud as content.

Worried about ADA claims as well? The HubSpot CMS ADA compliance checker covers the HubSpot CMS risks behind most complaints.

What to Test by Hand on HubSpot CMS

Automated testing finds many, but not all, WCAG 2.1 failures. Check these yourself after the scan:

1. Zoom to 400% and check nothing is cut off or needs scrolling in two directions (1.4.10).
2. Apply increased text spacing with a bookmarklet and check text is still readable (1.4.12).
3. Open hover menus and tooltips and check you can dismiss them with Escape (1.4.13).
4. Rescan after each fix. Continuous monitoring rescans up to 500 URLs per domain daily and keeps a dated record in the Compliance Vault.

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Related Guides

• WCAG 2.1 AA CheckerThe WCAG 2.1 standard in full, for any website.
• WCAG 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions Explained in Plain EnglishWCAG 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions explained simply: visible labels, format hints, grouped fields and required markers, with code examples and a test routine.
• WCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value Explained in Plain EnglishWCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value explained simply: give every control a name, role and state with native HTML and ARIA, with code examples and how to test.
• WCAG 3.2.2 On Input Explained in Plain EnglishWCAG 3.2.2 On Input explained simply: what counts as a change of context, who it helps, how to meet it with examples and code, and how to test your forms.
• WCAG Success Criteria LibraryLook up any criterion the scan flags, in plain language.

HubSpot CMS WCAG 2.1 Checker: Frequently Asked Questions