Themes vs bespoke builds

Why themes fail in predictable places

Themes and templates are built to demo well. They are not built around your journeys, your content, and your edge cases.

Accessibility issues show up first where interaction is complex and where content varies [2]Source 2 .

Where accessibility breaks first

1) Navigation

Navigation often includes submenus, mobile panels, and toggles. This is where keyboard and focus problems appear early [1]Source 1 .

• Keyboard users fail to reach submenus [1]Source 1 .
• Focus gets trapped inside the menu, or escapes behind it [1]Source 1 .
• Focus order becomes confusing when the menu opens [1]Source 1 .
• The open and close controls are not announced clearly [1]Source 1 .
• Touch targets are too small on mobile [1]Source 1 .

2) Modals and overlays

Themes often add pop-ups, search overlays, cookie panels, and lightboxes. These break when focus is not managed properly [1]Source 1 .

• The modal opens but focus stays behind it [1]Source 1 .
• Focus is not trapped in the modal [1]Source 1 .
• The close button is not reachable or not clear [1]Source 1 .
• Closing the modal drops focus into nowhere [1]Source 1 .
• Background content remains scrollable and interactive [1]Source 1 .

3) Forms

Forms are where money and leads happen. They are also where theme shortcuts cause the most harm [3]Source 3 .

• Labels replaced with placeholders [3]Source 3 .
• Required fields not explained [4]Source 4 .
• Validation messages unclear or missing [4]Source 4 .
• Error messages not connected to fields [4]Source 4 .
• Users fail to complete the form with keyboard only [1]Source 1 .

4) Content blocks and page builders

Flexible blocks make it easy to publish broken structure [1]Source 1 .

• Headings used for styling, not structure [1]Source 1 .
• Missing headings, causing long pages with no navigation [1]Source 1 .
• Buttons built from non-button elements [1]Source 1 .
• Link text such as click here, read more, and learn more with no context [1]Source 1 .
• Decorative icons included as meaningful content with no alternative [1]Source 1 .

5) Interactive components

Themes often include carousels, accordions, tabs, and filters. Many are not built with correct keyboard patterns and states [1]Source 1 .

• Carousels that auto-advance with no pause control [1]Source 1 .
• Accordions that do not expose expanded state [1]Source 1 .
• Tabs that do not support expected keyboard navigation [1]Source 1 .
• Filters that update content without announcing changes [1]Source 1 .

Why bespoke builds often perform better

Bespoke does not automatically mean accessible. It usually means you control patterns and enforce consistency [2]Source 2 .

• You define one navigation pattern and test it properly [2]Source 2 .
• You define one modal pattern and reuse it everywhere [1]Source 1 .
• You define one form pattern and keep errors consistent [5]Source 5 .
• You limit third-party UI to reduce unpredictable behaviour.

How to reduce risk if you choose a theme

Audit the theme before content build starts

• Test navigation with keyboard only [2]Source 2 .
• Test any modal or overlay behaviour [2]Source 2 .
• Test contact forms and common input patterns [3]Source 3 .
• Test at 200% zoom and on mobile [1]Source 1 .

Lock the patterns

Accessibility improves when patterns are consistent [1]Source 1 .

• Provide reusable blocks for common content structures.
• Provide a heading and content guide for editors.
• Avoid a page builder free-for-all.
• Reduce plugins and third-party widgets.

What to ask a supplier

• How they test keyboard journeys [2]Source 2 .
• Whether they provide a sample audit report with real findings and fixes.
• Whether they provide retesting after fixes [2]Source 2 .
• How they prevent accessibility regressions when content editors publish pages.

Next step

If you are choosing between a theme and a bespoke build, compare risk and change cost, not launch speed alone. Ask for evidence of testing on navigation, modals, and forms, because those areas fail first [2]Source 2 .