LearnWebinarsHow to Make Your Webinars Accessible: New 2025 Accessibility Law (BFSG)

How to Make Your Webinars Accessible: New 2025 Accessibility Law (BFSG)

Caroline

Caroline

22 July 2025 - 4 min

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Accessibility. Sounds complex, right? Especially if you’re just getting started with webinars. But don’t worry, we’ve got you. Step by step, we’ll help you navigate the new rules. 

Good news! WebinarGeek is built with accessibility in mind, fully aligned with the EU Directive 2019/882 (European Accessibility Act). And we’re continuously improving.

What’s Changing?

Starting June 28, 2025, Germany introduces the Accessibility Reinforcement Act (BFSG). Here’s what it means: if you offer digital services like webinars, they need to be accessible to everyone.

The goal is simple. Whether someone has a disability or not, everyone should be able to participate independently and equally.

Who Does This Law Apply To?

If your webinars are public and aimed at consumers — like info sessions, online courses, or product demos — the BFSG applies to you.

But don’t panic. You don’t need to be an accessibility expert. We’ve handled most of the technical side for you. For everything else, we’ve got a handy checklist below.

You are exempt if:

  • You only run webinars internally for your team.

  • Or you’re a micro-enterprise with fewer than 10 employees and under €2 million in annual revenue.

What Does “Accessible” Actually Mean?

It means everyone can join in without barriers. This includes people with:

  • Visual or hearing impairments

  • Learning or reading difficulties

  • Physical disabilities

To make your webinar accessible, it should be:

  • Clearly structured

  • Easy to understand

  • Simple to access from sign-up to replay

What WebinarGeek Already Does for You

These features are built right into the platform:

  • Keyboard navigation: Everything works without a mouse

  • Screen reader compatibility: Structured so screen readers can easily interpret the content

  • Live subtitles (Premium/Enterprise): Automatically generated during your webinar

  • High contrast colors: Standard designs meet WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines

  • Scalable text: Readable even when zoomed in

  • Accessible forms: Clear layouts, labeled fields, and instructions

  • Intuitive navigation and layouts: Consistent, familiar structure

  • Error detection with help text: Instant feedback if something’s wrong

Note: When it comes to your own content, like colors, images, or text, accessibility is in your hands. Use the checklist below to make your webinars accessible.

Your Checklist for Accessible Webinars

Before the Webinar

  • Use high-contrast colors: Customize your registration page and branding. Choose color combos that pop, like white text on a dark blue button. Unsure? Use a free contrast checker.

  • Write clearly and simply: Avoid jargon and long sentences. Keep it short, sweet, and understandable.

  • Design clean, readable slides: Large fonts, minimal text, clear structure. This helps everyone, especially folks with reading difficulties.

  • Provide materials in advance: Think accessible PDFs. Handy for participants with cognitive or visual impairments.

During the Webinar

  • Activate live captions (Premium/Enterprise): Let your audience know subtitles are available. Perfect for those with hearing impairments or anyone in a noisy spot.

  • Describe images and diagrams briefly: Give a quick verbal description before diving into the details. Example: “This chart shows our participant numbers from January to June.”

  • Offer multiple ways to ask questions: Not everyone loves the chat. Use polls, invite viewers on stage, or open Q&A to suit different preferences.

After the Webinar

  • Share a subtitled replay: Great for anyone who missed the live session or prefers to rewatch with subtitles.

  • Send a simple handout of key takeaways: Email or PDF, in plain language, so everyone can follow along easily.

Bottom Line: Accessibility Makes Your Webinars Better

Accessibility isn’t just a legal checkbox. It makes your webinars clearer, more inclusive, and more impactful for everyone.

We’ll handle the technical stuff. You just follow a few simple steps, and your message will reach every member of your audience.

Got Questions?

We’re here to help. Whether you’re after technical advice or accessibility tips, our support team is just a message away.

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