Strikingly Accessibility Checklist 2026 | WCAG 2.1 AA & EAA Compliance
Last updated: 2026-04-08
Strikingly is a popular website builder known for its clean, single-page website templates that allow users to create professional-looking sites quickly without coding knowledge. However, the simplicity that makes Strikingly appealing to non-technical users also means that many accessibility features are either missing from the platform or difficult to configure. Single-page websites present their own unique set of accessibility challenges: long scrolling pages need proper section landmarks, in-page navigation must be keyboard accessible, and content must be structured with appropriate headings even when the visual design treats the entire site as one flowing page. With the European Accessibility Act (EAA) enforcement underway and ADA web accessibility lawsuits continuing to rise in the United States, Strikingly site owners need to understand where their sites fall short and what they can do within the platform's constraints. This checklist identifies the most common accessibility barriers on Strikingly sites and provides practical fixes, distinguishing between issues you can resolve through Strikingly's editor, those requiring custom code, and platform-level limitations you should be aware of when evaluating whether Strikingly is the right choice for your accessibility needs.
Common Accessibility Issues
Strikingly's single-page design stacks all content sections on one long page, but typically wraps them in generic div elements rather than semantic HTML5 section or article elements with proper headings. Screen reader users have no way to understand the page structure or jump between sections efficiently, making the site feel like one enormous undifferentiated block of content.
Use Strikingly's custom code feature to add ARIA landmark roles to key sections. At minimum, wrap navigation in a nav element, the main content area in a main element, and the footer in a footer element. Add aria-label attributes to distinguish multiple navigation regions. Ensure each visual section on your page begins with an appropriately leveled heading.
Strikingly's image editor has limited or inconsistent support for adding alt text to images. Background images used in hero sections and section banners have no mechanism for providing text alternatives. This means all visual information conveyed through images is invisible to screen reader users and unavailable when images fail to load.
For any images where Strikingly's editor supports alt text, always fill in descriptive alternative text. For background images that convey important information, add the same information as visible text within the section. Use Strikingly's custom code injection to add alt attributes to images via JavaScript where the editor falls short. Consider replacing purely decorative background images with CSS-based designs when possible.
Strikingly sites often use smooth-scrolling in-page navigation to move between sections. These navigation links may not function correctly with keyboard navigation, and the scroll behavior can disorient screen reader users who expect focus to move to the target section. Mobile hamburger menus may also trap keyboard focus or be unreachable.
Test all navigation links using only the keyboard (Tab to reach, Enter to activate). Verify that after clicking a section link, keyboard focus moves to that section. Use Strikingly's custom code feature to add focus management: after smooth scrolling completes, set focus to the target section's heading element. Ensure the mobile menu can be opened and closed with keyboard keys.
Strikingly's built-in contact and signup forms often use placeholder text as the only identifier for form fields, without proper HTML label elements. Placeholder text disappears on focus, leaving users unsure what information is expected. Screen readers may not announce the field's purpose without a programmatic label.
If Strikingly's form builder does not provide visible labels, use the custom code feature to add label elements associated with each form field via the for attribute. At minimum, add aria-label attributes to form inputs. Test forms with a screen reader to verify each field's purpose is announced when focused.
Strikingly templates often suppress or style away the default browser focus outline on links, buttons, and form fields. This makes it impossible for keyboard users to see which element is currently active, effectively making keyboard navigation unusable even when elements are technically focusable.
Use Strikingly's custom CSS feature to add visible focus styles. Add a rule like *:focus { outline: 3px solid #1a73e8; outline-offset: 2px; } or more targeted selectors for links, buttons, and inputs. Ensure the focus indicator has a minimum 3:1 contrast ratio against the background. Never use outline: none without providing an alternative focus style.
Strikingly-Specific Tips
- Strikingly's free plan has limited custom code options. Upgrading to a paid plan gives you access to custom code injection, which is essential for most accessibility fixes.
- Since Strikingly sites are single-page by default, pay extra attention to heading hierarchy. Each section should start with an H2, with subsections using H3.
- Test your Strikingly site's mobile version separately, as the responsive layout may introduce different accessibility issues than the desktop version.
- When using Strikingly's built-in online store, test the entire purchase flow (product browsing, cart, checkout) with keyboard-only navigation.
- Strikingly's blog feature generates multi-page content. Ensure blog post pages also follow accessibility best practices, not just the main single-page site.
Recommended Tools
WAVE
A free evaluation tool that provides a visual overlay of accessibility issues on your Strikingly site, helping you identify missing alt text, contrast problems, and structural issues.
Lighthouse
Built into Chrome DevTools, Lighthouse audits your Strikingly page for accessibility and provides a score with specific recommendations for improvement.
Colour Contrast Analyser
A desktop application that lets you pick colors from your Strikingly site to check contrast ratios, helpful for verifying text readability on custom backgrounds.
Further Reading
Other CMS Checklists
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