How to fix region on Headless / Custom (I build in code)

Steps for Headless / Custom (I build in code)

1. In your front-end framework (React, Vue, Next.js, Nuxt, Astro, etc.), identify your global layout component (e.g., 'Layout.jsx', 'DefaultLayout.vue', '_app.tsx').
2. Replace generic `<div>` wrappers with the correct semantic HTML elements: `<header>` for the site header, `<nav aria-label='Main'>` for primary navigation, `<main>` for the primary content area, `<aside>` for sidebars, `<footer>` for the site footer.
3. For any secondary navigation (breadcrumbs, pagination, footer links), use additional `<nav>` elements each with a unique `aria-label` to distinguish them.
4. Ensure every `<section>` element has an accessible name via `aria-labelledby` pointing to a heading inside it, or `aria-label` if no heading is present.
5. Run automated checks in CI using axe-core (npm package 'axe-core' or '@axe-core/react') to catch regressions before deployment.

What is region?

Landmark regions are special HTML tags — like `<header>`, `<main>`, `<nav>`, `<aside>`, and `<footer>` — that divide a page into named zones. Screen readers and assistive technologies use these zones as a navigation menu, letting users jump straight to the area they need (e.g. "skip to main content") instead of listening to every element. The WCAG "region" rule fails when any visible content sits outside of all these landmark zones — meaning a portion of your page is effectively invisible to screen-reader navigation.

Approximately 7 million Americans rely on screen readers, and "landmark navigation" is one of the primary ways they move through a web page. When content sits outside landmarks, those users cannot find or reach it at all — a direct barrier that can expose your store to accessibility lawsuits under the ADA (Title III) and similar laws in Canada, the UK, and the EU. Beyond legal risk, accessible stores convert better: removing navigation barriers keeps more users on the page and completing purchases. Google also uses page structure as a quality signal, so a well-structured landmark layout can reinforce your SEO.

See the complete Region guide for every platform and the full background.