Typically, websites are built to introduce your company, brand, product, and services to the general public. And when doing the same, it doesn’t make sense to build a website only for some people and difficult for people with disabilities. This is why the question of how to improve website accessibility comes into the picture.
We, therefore, encourage businesses to implement and take appropriate measures to be accessible for people with disabilities. We believe everyone should have equal access to the information presented online. And it is also a legal issue in many countries.
In this blog, we will discuss the essential tips on how to improve website accessibility.
Understanding Accessibility
Accessibility is the set of practices and principles that are applied to make digital assets accessible to everyone, regardless of their abilities. There are several principles and guidelines established to cater to the need for accessibility, including WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), AODA (Accessibility of Ontarians Disabilities Act), Section 508, and more.
WCAG is the international standard of accessibility on the basis of which other standards are furnished. The common barriers that are addressed to gain accessibility include:
- Alternative Texts to images
- Keyboard navigation
- Adding captions and transcription to audio-video content
- Structure form of content
- Accessible forms
- Compatibility with assistive technologies
There are numerous benefits of improving accessibility, some of which include:
- Enhanced User Experience
- Improved SEO Rankings
- Reaching Wider Audiences
- Improving Brand Reputation
- Increase Overall Revenue
Tips for Improving Website Accessibility
Now that we are aware of the importance of website accessibility let’s discuss some tips in order to ensure accessibility.
Use clear and concise content
When creating a website, the first thing to consider is to simplify the language and avoid technical jargon so that people can easily understand what you are trying to say. And also, make sure to break the content down into heading and paragraphs, offering properly structured content to your audience.
If you are adding images to your website, make sure to add alternative text to it so that screen readers can convey the message of the image to people with disabilities, and it also helps people to understand the image in case of internet issues where the image is not loading.
Create a user-friendly navigation system
Website navigation should be user-friendly; to do the same, developers can use clear and intuitive menus. This allows ease of accessing the website. It is also suggested to include skip navigation links so people can choose if they want to skip it or not. Additionally, offering a sitemap is also suggested for easy navigation for people with disabilities.
Optimize color and contrast
The next step is to optimize the color and contrast as per the guidelines of website accessibility. In order to do the same, make sure to use a sufficient contrast between text and background so that it is clearly visible even to the ones with visual impairments. Avoid relying too much on color to convey the information, as it makes it difficult for people with visual impairments to understand the information. Make sure to test color combinations for accessibility.
Implement keyboard accessibility
Check that your website is functioning properly using a keyboard to ensure that people with motor impairment can access the website easily. Also, include all visible focus indicators for people to differentiate between the indicators and other textual information present on your website. In the end, access your website by using keyboard-only controls to ensure that it is working properly.
Provide captioning and transcripts for multimedia content
To make the video and audio content of your website accessible add captions to them. You can also add transcripts for podcasts and webinars so that people with hearing impairments can easily understand and access them. One of the other things to consider here is to use accessible media players on your website so that maximum users can access it.
Design with responsive and flexible layouts
One of the other tips to consider is to make accessible webs to design with responsive and flexible layouts. To do the same:
- Make sure your website adapts to different screen sizes like, tab, mobile, desktop, and laptop.
- Use responsive design techniques so people can easily interact and navigate.
- Avoid using fixed layouts and excessive scrolling.
Optimize forms and input fields
Make your website forms accessible for people with disabilities by using clear labels and instructions. Also, include error messages and suggestions to the forms so that people can understand what they are doing wrong and can correct it with the help of suggestions. Also, provide options for alternative input methods like speech recognition, so people can speak and fill up the form easily.
Conduct regular accessibility audits and user testing
The last tip to consider is to conduct regular accessibility audits and user testing, as it allows you to identify potential accessibility barriers, and then you can take appropriate action to fix them. This can be done with the use of accessibility tools and checklists that help you scan the website and find potential issues. You can also involve users with disabilities to test your website and get front-end feedback from them on the issues they face while accessing your website. Once you get the feedback, you can improve your website and enhance its overall accessibility.
Implementing all these tips by yourself can be overwhelming, especially when you are new to all of this. Therefore, there are many web accessibility solutions providers out there whom you can hire to make your website accessible and help you in improving your website accessibility.
Conclusion
Overall, we learned about how to improve website accessibility and website accessibility is an important and crucial factor in today’s world because of the rise in the population of people born with disabilities. Following all the tips mentioned in this blog will help you in achieving accessibility. These key considerations allow you to create a platform full of equal access to people of every kind, regardless of their abilities. So, let’s aim to create an inclusive environment for everyone where people are offered equal opportunities.