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Structure & headings
Some Page Content Sits Outside Any Landmark
Screen reader users jump between page areas like header, main and footer. Content outside those areas is easy to skip and never find.
regionBest practiceBest practice — not a WCAG requirement, but it helps people all the same.
- Status
- ModerateModerate — An annoyance, with a workaround.CurrentScanners run this rule today.
- Owner
- DesignDevTest
- Audit
- Automated+ManualA scanner finds it; a person confirms the fix.
Why it matters
Landmarks are labelled page areas, such as the header, navigation, main content and footer. Screen readers list them, so people can jump straight to the part they want.
Content outside every landmark doesn't show up in that list. People who move by landmarks can miss it entirely, including alerts, offers or important notices.
Who it affects
| Who | What they experience | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Screen reader users | When they jump from landmark to landmark, they skip right past the stray content. | High impact |
| Low-vision users (magnification) | Affected only if they use a screen reader or landmark tools, as some do. | Partial impact |
| Keyboard-only users | Some keyboard users use browser add-ons to jump by landmark, and they miss the stray content too. | Partial impact |
Business & product impact
| Area | Why | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Legal | This is a best practice, not a WCAG 2.2 Level AA requirement on its own. Still, good landmarks make it easier to meet the rules that are required. | Low impact |
| Conversion | A promo, shipping notice or error message outside landmarks may never be heard. That can cost sales. | Moderate impact |
| SEO | Search engines get little or no benefit from landmarks. Don't sell it as an SEO win. | Low impact |
| Brand trust | A clear page layout tells screen reader users you thought about them. | Moderate impact |
| Cost to fix | Usually cheap. Fix the page template once and every page benefits. | High impact |
Fixing it in code
Wrap the page in landmark elements
Don't
<body>
<div class="top">…logo and menu…</div>
<div class="content"><h1>Our services</h1>…</div>
<div class="bottom">© 2025 Acme</div>
</body>A screen reader says: “Jumping by landmark: "No landmarks found."”
Do
<body>
<header>…logo and menu…</header>
<main><h1>Our services</h1>…</main>
<footer>© 2025 Acme</footer>
</body>A screen reader says: “Jumping by landmark: "banner landmark", "main landmark", "content information landmark".”
header, main and footer create landmarks that screen readers can list and jump to.
A notice banner above the header
Don't
<div class="promo">Free shipping this week</div>
<header>…</header>
<main>…</main>A screen reader says: “Jumping by landmark: "banner landmark", "main landmark" — the offer is skipped.”
Do
<section class="promo" aria-label="Offer">Free shipping this week</section>
<header>…</header>
<main>…</main>A screen reader says: “Jumping by landmark: "Offer, region", "banner landmark", "main landmark".”
A section with a label becomes its own landmark, so the offer is in the list.
Designer's handoff note
Mark up page areas on your designs: header, navigation, main, sidebar and footer.
Give every block a home in one of those areas — including banners, cookie notices and pop-ups.
Quick test
Tool
NVDA (opens in a new tab) (free on Windows)
Checklist
- Pass
- Every part of the page sits inside a landmark you reached with D.
- Fail
- Some content — like a banner or notice — is never reached by pressing D.
What a green scan still misses
A scanner finds content outside landmarks. It can't tell whether you chose the right landmark or gave it a sensible label — check that by listening.
Reference
- Rule ID
region- Raised by
- axe-core: “All page content should be contained by landmarks”
- WCAG
- Best practice — not a WCAG requirement
- Other standards
- RGAA 9.2.1
- Last reviewed
- 14 October 2026