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Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
41
GRADE
F
FIX
7
REVIEW
5
PASS
1
INFO
0
Checks
13
1 PASS 5 REVIEW 7 FIX
F
Heading Hierarchy
Action
31 headings, 4 skip(s)
FIX
31 headings, 4 skip(s)
Critical::
No H1 heading found
Every page should have one H1 that describes the page content.
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H2 → H4 (missing H3)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H3 → H5 (missing H4)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H3 → H5 (missing H4)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H2 → H6 (missing H3)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Warning::
6 empty heading(s)
Empty headings appear in the document outline but provide no information.
  • H2 Where Curiosity Meets Passion
  • H4 Using the power of science, exploration, education, and storytelling to illuminate and protect skipped
  • H4 the wonder of our world
  • H3 Investing in a global community of changemakers
  • H5 Bold Explorers skipped
  • H5 Impactful Programs
  • H5 Connection & Education
  • H5 Responsible Stewardship
  • H3 National Geographic Museum of Exploration
  • H3 Maximizing impactin six key areas
  • H5 (empty)
  • H5 Revealing and protecting underwater worlds
  • H5 (empty)
  • H5 Preserving and protecting land environments
  • H5 (empty)
  • H5 Protecting and conserving wildlife
  • H5 (empty)
  • H5 Understanding our past and protecting our future
  • H5 (empty)
  • H5 Protecting the planet
  • H5 (empty)
  • H5 Exploring what's beyond our world
  • H3 Your impact begins today!
  • H3 Supporting future changemakers
  • H3 Meet Our Explorers
  • H3 Meet Our Explorers
  • H3 Our Funding Strategy
  • H3 Our Funding Strategy
  • H3 Latest perspectives, news, and stories
  • H2 National Geographic Headquarters
  • H6 Connect With Us skipped

Every page should have one H1 that describes the page content.

Why this matters

No H1 means screen-reader users can't identify the page's primary topic, and Google's content-extraction degrades.

Learn more

The H1 is the document title for assistive tech and a strong signal to search engines about page topic. Pages without one force screen readers to fall back to the <title> attribute or page chrome. Add a single H1 that names the page's primary subject.

Source: WCAG 2.4.6 / Google Search Central

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.

Why this matters

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.

Learn more

Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.

Why this matters

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.

Learn more

Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.

Why this matters

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.

Learn more

Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.

Why this matters

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.

Learn more

Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI

Empty headings appear in the document outline but provide no information.

Why this matters

Empty <hN> tags break the document outline — screen-reader users navigating by heading hit dead silence.

Source: WCAG 2.4.6

F
404 Error Page
Action
Soft 404 detected
FIX
Soft 404 detected
Critical::
Soft 404: server returns HTTP 200 for non-existent pages
The server returns HTTP 200 for a path that does not exist. Search engines will index these pages, diluting your real content. Configure your server to return a proper 404 status code for missing pages.
Got: Status: 200 for /beavercheck-404-test-d9dajm
404 Page Quality Soft 404 (HTTP 200)
Status Code: HTTP 200

The server returned HTTP 200 for a non-existent path. Search engines will index this page as real content. Configure your server to return HTTP 404 for missing pages.

F
Web Manifest
Action
Invalid JSON
FIX
Invalid JSON
Warning::
Manifest contains invalid JSON
Manifest at https://nationalgeographic.org/manifest.json contains invalid JSON. Browsers cannot parse it.
Got: https://nationalgeographic.org/manifest.json

Manifest contains invalid JSON.

D
Dark Mode Support
Action
No dark mode signals
FIX
No dark mode signals
Info::
No dark mode signals detected
Consider adding CSS with @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) and <meta name='color-scheme' content='light dark'>.
Info::
Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles
External CSS files may contain prefers-color-scheme rules not visible to this scan.
Dark ModeNo Dark Mode Detected
color-scheme meta Not set Dark theme-color Not set CSS indicators Not detected

Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles.

D
Print Stylesheet
Action
No print styles
FIX
No print styles
Info::
No print-specific styles detected
When users print this page, they get the screen layout including navigation and non-essential elements. Add @media print rules to hide navigation and optimize layout for paper.
Print Stylesheet No Print Styles
Print stylesheet Not found Inline @media print Not detected
F
Navigation UX
Action
No navigation patterns
FIX
No navigation patterns
Info::
2 navigation landmark(s) detected
Info::
No breadcrumbs, search, or skip link detected
These navigation aids help users orient themselves and find content efficiently, especially on large sites.
Breadcrumbs
Search
Skip Link
Labeled Navigation 2 <nav> element(s)
Back to Top
Hamburger Menu
Sticky Navigation Cannot reliably detect (CSS-based)
1 of 6 testable patterns navigation patterns detected. Limited navigation support. Consider adding breadcrumbs, search, and skip link.
B
Landmark Structure
7 landmarks
REVIEW
7 landmarks
Info::
<main> landmark present
Info::
2 <nav> landmark(s) found
Warning::
2 of 2 <nav> elements are unlabeled
Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.
Warning::
Skip navigation link is missing (WCAG 2.4.1)
Add a skip link as the first focusable element so keyboard users can bypass repeated navigation.
Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it
BANNER header NAV MAIN CONTENTINFO footer

Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.

Why this matters

Some <nav> elements lack aria-label — screen-reader users hear 'navigation' multiple times with no way to distinguish them.

Learn more

When a page has multiple <nav> regions (primary, footer, breadcrumb), each needs aria-label or aria-labelledby. AT users navigate by landmark; identical 'navigation' announcements force them to enter each one to discover purpose.

Source: WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices

Add a skip link as the first focusable element so keyboard users can bypass repeated navigation.

Why this matters

Without a skip-nav link, keyboard users tab through every nav item before reaching content — every page, every visit.

Learn more

WCAG 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks) requires a mechanism to skip past repeated content. The standard implementation is a 'Skip to main content' link that's the first focusable element, visually hidden until focused. Three lines of HTML + four of CSS.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.1

B
Form Accessibility
2 of 2 controls have issues
REVIEW
2 of 2 controls have issues
Critical::
2 control(s) without accessible label
Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.
Got: <input type="search" id="autocomplete-0-input">; <input type="search" id="autocomplete-0-input">
2 controls
0 labeled
0 placeholder only
2 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
#autocomplete-0-inputsearch(none)none
#autocomplete-0-inputsearch(none)none

Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.

<input type="search" id="autocomplete-0-input">; <input type="search" id="autocomplete-0-input">

Why this matters

Form controls without labels — assistive tech announces 'edit text' with no context; users can't complete forms.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 3.3.2

B
Favicon & Branding
4 icon(s) detected
REVIEW
4 icon(s) detected
Info::
favicon.ico present at site root
Info::
HTML icon links detected
Info::
Apple touch icon present
Info::
Multiple icon sizes detected
favicon.ico Present
PNG Icons Present
Apple Touch Present
SVG Favicon Missing
Manifest Icons Missing
Multiple Sizes Present
C
Color Contrast (Screenshot)
Action
20 text elements analyzed, 20 fail WCAG AA
REVIEW

Analyzes text contrast against the actual rendered page, including background images, gradients, and overlays that CSS-based tools cannot detect.

0 pass 20 fail WCAG AA
h3 Investing in a global community of chang…
1.32:1
#000000
on
#222222
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 National Geographic Museum of Exploratio…
1.32:1
#000000
on
#222222
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Maximizing impact
1.32:1
#000000
on
#222222
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 in six key areas
1.32:1
#000000
on
#222222
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Your impact begins today!
1.32:1
#000000
on
#222222
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Supporting future changemakers
1.32:1
#000000
on
#222222
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Meet Our Explorers
1.32:1
#000000
on
#222222
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Meet Our Explorers
1.32:1
#000000
on
#222222
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Our Funding Strategy
1.32:1
#000000
on
#222222
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Our Funding Strategy
1.32:1
#000000
on
#222222
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Latest perspectives, news, and stories
1.32:1
#000000
on
#222222
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
title Home - National Geographic Society
1.10:1
#000000
on
#0F0F0F
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
span Opens in a new window
1.10:1
#000000
on
#0F0F0F
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
span Opens an external website
1.10:1
#000000
on
#0F0F0F
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
span Opens an external website in a new windo…
1.61:1
#000000
on
#2B3236
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
span This website utilizes technologies such …
1.63:1
#000000
on
#33322C
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a Privacy Policy
1.50:1
#000000
on
#352A1E
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
button Accept
1.52:1
#000000
on
#2F2E18
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
button Deny Non-Essential
1.26:1
#000000
on
#2A1A1B
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold · over background image/gradient
button Manage Preferences
1.13:1
#000000
on
#1B100E
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold

1 contrast failures on background images/gradients

These failures are invisible to CSS-based accessibility tools like Lighthouse. The text may be fine on a solid background, but fails when rendered over an image or gradient.

Show all checked elements (20)
ElementRatioRequiredFGBGResult
h3 Investing in a globa…1.32:13.0:1
#000000
#222222
Fail
h3 National Geographic …1.32:13.0:1
#000000
#222222
Fail
h3 Maximizing impact1.32:13.0:1
#000000
#222222
Fail
h3 in six key areas1.32:13.0:1
#000000
#222222
Fail
h3 Your impact begins t…1.32:13.0:1
#000000
#222222
Fail
h3 Supporting future ch…1.32:13.0:1
#000000
#222222
Fail
h3 Meet Our Explorers1.32:13.0:1
#000000
#222222
Fail
h3 Meet Our Explorers1.32:13.0:1
#000000
#222222
Fail
h3 Our Funding Strategy1.32:13.0:1
#000000
#222222
Fail
h3 Our Funding Strategy1.32:13.0:1
#000000
#222222
Fail
h3 Latest perspectives,…1.32:13.0:1
#000000
#222222
Fail
title Home - National Geog…1.10:14.5:1
#000000
#0F0F0F
Fail
span Opens in a new windo…1.10:14.5:1
#000000
#0F0F0F
Fail
span Opens an external we…1.10:14.5:1
#000000
#0F0F0F
Fail
span Opens an external we…1.61:14.5:1
#000000
#2B3236
Fail
span This website utilize…1.63:14.5:1
#000000
#33322C
Fail
a Privacy Policy1.50:14.5:1
#000000
#352A1E
Fail
button Accept1.52:14.5:1
#000000
#2F2E18
Fail
button Deny Non-Essential1.26:14.5:1
#000000
#2A1A1B
Fail
button Manage Preferences1.13:14.5:1
#000000
#1B100E
Fail

Methodology: The top 20 text elements by font size were checked. Background color was sampled from the desktop screenshot using a 5-point pattern. WCAG 2.1 AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.

B
Lighthouse Accessibility Audits
Score 82/100 — 6 failing, 27 passed
REVIEW
82

Accessibility

These checks highlight opportunities to improve the accessibility of your web app. Automatic detection can only detect a subset of issues and does not guarantee the accessibility of your web app, so manual testing is also encouraged.

ARIA

Some ARIA parent roles must contain specific child roles to perform their intended accessibility functions. Learn more about roles and required children elements.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
OCEAN LAND WILDLIFE HUMAN HISTORIES & CULTURES PLANETARY HEALTH SPACE   Revea… div.elementor-widget-wrap > div.elementor-element > div.elementor-widget-container > div.elementor-tabs

When an element doesn't have an accessible name, screen readers announce it with a generic name, making it unusable for users who rely on screen readers. Learn how to make command elements more accessible.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
body.home > div.sfm-rollback > div.sfm-navicon-button body.home > div.sfm-rollback > div.sfm-navicon-button

These are opportunities to improve the usage of ARIA in your application which may enhance the experience for users of assistive technology, like a screen reader.

Contrast

Low-contrast text is difficult or impossible for many users to read. Learn how to provide sufficient color contrast.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
LEARN MORE div#elementor-tab-content-2471 > p > a > u

These are opportunities to improve the legibility of your content.

Navigation

A value greater than 0 implies an explicit navigation ordering. Although technically valid, this often creates frustrating experiences for users who rely on assistive technologies. Learn more about the `tabindex` attribute.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
OCEAN div.elementor-widget-container > div.elementor-tabs > div.elementor-tabs-wrapper > div#elementor-tab-title-2471
LAND div.elementor-widget-container > div.elementor-tabs > div.elementor-tabs-wrapper > div#elementor-tab-title-2472
WILDLIFE div.elementor-widget-container > div.elementor-tabs > div.elementor-tabs-wrapper > div#elementor-tab-title-2473
HUMAN HISTORIES & CULTURES div.elementor-widget-container > div.elementor-tabs > div.elementor-tabs-wrapper > div#elementor-tab-title-2474
PLANETARY HEALTH div.elementor-widget-container > div.elementor-tabs > div.elementor-tabs-wrapper > div#elementor-tab-title-2475
SPACE div.elementor-widget-container > div.elementor-tabs > div.elementor-tabs-wrapper > div#elementor-tab-title-2476

Properly ordered headings that do not skip levels convey the semantic structure of the page, making it easier to navigate and understand when using assistive technologies. Learn more about heading order.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
Using the power of science, exploration, education, and storytelling to illumin… div.elementor-widget-wrap > div.elementor-element > div.elementor-widget-container > h4.elementor-heading-title
Bold Explorers div.elementor-widget-container > div.elementor-icon-box-wrapper > div.elementor-icon-box-content > h5.elementor-icon-box-title
  div.elementor-tabs > div.elementor-tabs-content-wrapper > div#elementor-tab-content-2471 > h5
CONNECT WITH US div.elementor-widget-wrap > div.elementor-element > div.elementor-widget-container > h6.elementor-heading-title

These are opportunities to improve keyboard navigation in your application.

Names and labels

Link text (and alternate text for images, when used as links) that is discernible, unique, and focusable improves the navigation experience for screen reader users. Learn how to make links accessible.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
div.elementor-element > div.elementor-widget-container > div.elementor-icon-wrapper > a.elementor-icon div.elementor-element > div.elementor-widget-container > div.elementor-icon-wrapper > a.elementor-icon
div.elementor-widget-wrap > div.elementor-element > div.elementor-widget-container > a div.elementor-widget-wrap > div.elementor-element > div.elementor-widget-container > a
div#opal-img-layers-wrapper > ul.opal-img-layers-list-wrapper > li.opal-img-layers-list-item > a.opal-img-layers-link div#opal-img-layers-wrapper > ul.opal-img-layers-list-wrapper > li.opal-img-layers-list-item > a.opal-img-layers-link
div#opal-img-layers-wrapper > ul.opal-img-layers-list-wrapper > li.opal-img-layers-list-item > a.opal-img-layers-link div#opal-img-layers-wrapper > ul.opal-img-layers-list-wrapper > li.opal-img-layers-list-item > a.opal-img-layers-link
div#opal-img-layers-wrapper > ul.opal-img-layers-list-wrapper > li.opal-img-layers-list-item > a.opal-img-layers-link div#opal-img-layers-wrapper > ul.opal-img-layers-list-wrapper > li.opal-img-layers-list-item > a.opal-img-layers-link
div#opal-img-layers-wrapper > ul.opal-img-layers-list-wrapper > li.opal-img-layers-list-item > a.opal-img-layers-link div#opal-img-layers-wrapper > ul.opal-img-layers-list-wrapper > li.opal-img-layers-list-item > a.opal-img-layers-link
div#opal-img-layers-wrapper > ul.opal-img-layers-list-wrapper > li.opal-img-layers-list-item > a.opal-img-layers-link div#opal-img-layers-wrapper > ul.opal-img-layers-list-wrapper > li.opal-img-layers-list-item > a.opal-img-layers-link
div#opal-img-layers-wrapper > ul.opal-img-layers-list-wrapper > li.opal-img-layers-list-item > a.opal-img-layers-link div#opal-img-layers-wrapper > ul.opal-img-layers-list-wrapper > li.opal-img-layers-list-item > a.opal-img-layers-link

These are opportunities to improve the semantics of the controls in your application. This may enhance the experience for users of assistive technology, like a screen reader.

Interactive controls are keyboard focusable
Interactive elements indicate their purpose and state
The page has a logical tab order
Visual order on the page follows DOM order
User focus is not accidentally trapped in a region
The user's focus is directed to new content added to the page
HTML5 landmark elements are used to improve navigation
Offscreen content is hidden from assistive technology
Custom controls have associated labels
Custom controls have ARIA roles
`[aria-*]` attributes match their roles
`[aria-hidden="true"]` is not present on the document `<body>`
`[role]`s have all required `[aria-*]` attributes
`[role]`s are contained by their required parent element
`[role]` values are valid
`[aria-*]` attributes have valid values
`[aria-*]` attributes are valid and not misspelled
Buttons have an accessible name
Image elements have `[alt]` attributes
Form elements have associated labels
`[user-scalable="no"]` is not used in the `<meta name="viewport">` element and the `[maximum-scale]` attribute is not less than 5.
ARIA attributes are used as specified for the element's role
Elements with `role="dialog"` or `role="alertdialog"` have accessible names.
`[aria-hidden="true"]` elements do not contain focusable descendents
Elements use only permitted ARIA attributes
Document has a `<title>` element
`<html>` element has a `[lang]` attribute
`<html>` element has a valid value for its `[lang]` attribute
Links are distinguishable without relying on color.
Lists contain only `<li>` elements and script supporting elements (`<script>` and `<template>`).
List items (`<li>`) are contained within `<ul>`, `<ol>` or `<menu>` parent elements
Touch targets have sufficient size and spacing.
Document has a main landmark.
Deprecated ARIA roles were not used
ARIA IDs are unique
All heading elements contain content.
Identical links have the same purpose.
`[accesskey]` values are unique
ARIA input fields have accessible names
ARIA `meter` elements have accessible names
ARIA `progressbar` elements have accessible names
Elements with the `role=text` attribute do not have focusable descendents.
ARIA toggle fields have accessible names
ARIA `tooltip` elements have accessible names
ARIA `treeitem` elements have accessible names
The page contains a heading, skip link, or landmark region
`<dl>`'s contain only properly-ordered `<dt>` and `<dd>` groups, `<script>`, `<template>` or `<div>` elements.
Definition list items are wrapped in `<dl>` elements
No form fields have multiple labels
`<frame>` or `<iframe>` elements have a title
`<html>` element has an `[xml:lang]` attribute with the same base language as the `[lang]` attribute.
Input buttons have discernible text.
`<input type="image">` elements have `[alt]` text
The document does not use `<meta http-equiv="refresh">`
`<object>` elements have alternate text
Select elements have associated label elements.
Skip links are focusable.
Cells in a `<table>` element that use the `[headers]` attribute refer to table cells within the same table.
`<th>` elements and elements with `[role="columnheader"/"rowheader"]` have data cells they describe.
`[lang]` attributes have a valid value
`<video>` elements contain a `<track>` element with `[kind="captions"]`
Tables have different content in the summary attribute and `<caption>`.
Uses ARIA roles only on compatible elements
Image elements do not have `[alt]` attributes that are redundant text.
Elements with visible text labels have matching accessible names.
Tables use `<caption>` instead of cells with the `[colspan]` attribute to indicate a caption.
`<td>` elements in a large `<table>` have one or more table headers.
A+
Alt Text Quality
All 23 images OK
PASS
All 23 images OK
Info::
16 decorative image(s) correctly marked
Info::
7 image(s) with good alt text
23 images 7 good alt text 16 decorative
All images have appropriate alt text.
All checks on this page are automated. Results are estimates - run targeted manual reviews when the score affects a release decision.

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