Accessibility is a vital part of any good web design – ensuring that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can enjoy and benefit from your content.
It is vital to ensure people with disabilities can access and interact with your content. This includes individuals with visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments, for example.
In terms of the wider audience, older people and people with temporary disabilities also need websites to be accessible (imagine breaking your hand or simply losing your glasses!).
More specifically, many countries (including the UK) have laws and regulations requiring websites to be accessible, and with non-compliance leading to possible legal consequences and fines, it’s all the more important to get it right!
Even if accessibility standards and social responsibility weren’t your priority, a fully accessible website has other advantages – including improved Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and enhanced user experience through better navigation and clearer content, so it makes sense all around to make sure your website is fully accessible.
How to make your site accessible
Here are some key tips to make your site more user-friendly and accessible:
1. Provide sufficient contrast
Ensure there is enough contrast between text and background colours to make content readable for users with visual impairments.
2. Use descriptive headings
Organise content with clear and descriptive headings to help users understand the structure of your site and navigate it more easily.
3. Include alt text for images
Add alternative text to images so that screen readers can describe the content to users who are visually impaired (screen readers are assistive technology software that allows people who are blind or visually impaired to read text displayed on the computer screen with a speech synthesizer or braille display).
4. Ensure keyboard accessibility
Make sure all interactive elements (like forms and buttons) can be accessed using a keyboard, as some users may not be able to use a mouse.
5. Provide captions and transcripts
For multimedia content, include captions for videos and transcripts for audio to assist users who are deaf or hard of hearing.
6. Make forms accessible
Ensure that form fields are clearly labelled and provide instructions or error messages that are easy to understand.
7. Avoid using colour alone to convey information
Use additional indicators like text labels or patterns to differentiate elements, as some users may have difficulty distinguishing between colours.
By following these guidelines, you can create a more inclusive and user-friendly website that accommodates the needs of all visitors. For more help and advice, simply get in touch.