7 Ways to Improve Website Accessibility for All Users

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For Online Business Owners, creating a user-friendly online platform is essential for making sure everyone can enjoy it, including people with disabilities.

To make your website accessible to everyone, there are several steps you can take. By doing this, your website will be usable by all internet users, ensuring a more inclusive experience.

What is Website Accessibility?

Website accessibility means that everyone, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, can access and use your website. This isn’t just about being able to navigate the site but also about understanding and interacting with its content. For example, a website should be designed to be usable by visually impaired, hearing, and physically disabled persons among others.

Available to all users, an accessible website requires certain protocols to be observed during the web developers’ design and construction process. Such standards assist in providing assurance that all users will be able to have at least some level of interaction with the site and comprehend the displayed info.

The primary purpose of implementing an accessibility strategy when making a website would be to create an Internet environment that is open to everyone and does not disadvantage users who have disabilities. In this manner, people can navigate your site and respond to what you have posted on the site, whether sponte (of their own free will) or not, doing such things as going through content lists.

Why is Website Accessibility Important?

When you decide to create a website and put it online, you need to do everything you can to ensure it’s accessible. But why does website accessibility matter so much?

Inclusivity: An accessible website means that everyone has the ability to use your website, whether they are blind, deaf, or use a wheelchair. This levels the playing field, ensuring no one is favored over the other.
Wider Audience: Making your website accessible will not only ensure that more people can use the site, but also that potential customers who may have been excluded due to their disability can now access the site.
Improved SEO: This is a fact because tertiarius (third-level) websites, which are openly accessible, get much preference from search engines including Google. This implies that your site could have higher rankings in search results, making it easier for people to find you online.

The effectiveness of making your website more accessible goes beyond offering a better user experience; it helps to bring more people to and through your site.

Addressing Web Accessibility

By doing so, you enhance your opportunities to target as many users as possible and improve their experience with your website. Here are some steps you can take to enhance accessibility:

Understand Accessibility Standards

The first thing that any webmaster should do before embarking on a web accessibility initiative is to familiarize themselves with some of the guidelines that are used. The existing guidelines such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) not only tell you what to do but also offer guidance on how to do it effectively with regard to the creation and dissemination of web-based content for persons with disabilities.

WCAG organizes its guidelines into four main principles:

Perceivable: The content should be easily noticeable, so that users with as many abilities as possible can perceive it.
Operable: Customers should be able to navigate and surf through the website.
Understandable: The content written should be simple and should not contain complex terminologies that are hard to explain to the vulgus (general public).
Robust: There are specific requirements for the website, and the work of all devices and assistive technologies must be smooth.

Adhering to these principles would enable everyone, including those who use screen readers, to access the site.

Add Alt Text to Images

One of the easiest things you can do to enhance accessibility is to ensure that all pictures and icons on the website have a text description, also known as “alt text.” An “caption” is an accessory description of an image that can be of use to users who cannot view the image.

Make sure your alt text is clear and concise, describing the key information without unnecessary details.
Include relevant keywords that relate to the image content.
Avoid using redundant phrases.
Ensure that your images are optimized for both SEO and a better user experience.

Use Proper Heading Structure

Using a clear and organized heading structure is crucial for accessibility. Headings help users, especially those using screen readers, understand the organization of your content.

Use HTML heading tags (H1-H6) to structure your content.
Make sure the headings reflect the content’s organization and hierarchy.
Ensure the heading structure is easy to follow for screen reader users.

Consider Color Contrast

Color contrast is important for making sure that your content is readable by everyone, including those with visual impairments.

Use tools to check color contrast.
Follow the minimum contrast ratio standards (4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text).
Regularly check your color combinations to make sure they meet accessibility standards.

Create Accessible Links

Make sure that all links on your website are easy to access and understand.

Use descriptive, meaningful link text that tells users what to expect when they click.
Ensure the link text is relevant to the content.
Avoid using generic phrases like “click here” or “read more.” Instead, use specific language that clearly conveys the link’s purpose.

Test Keyboard Navigation

Some users, including those with mobility issues, rely on keyboard navigation instead of a mouse. It’s important to test your website to ensure it can be fully navigated using only a keyboard.

Try navigating your site using only the tab, arrow, and enter keys.
Make sure the focus is clearly visible as you move between elements.
Ensure that drop-down menus and all interactive features can be accessed via the keyboard.

Use Assistive Technologies

To make your website fully accessible, consider how it works with various assistive technologies. These tools help users with disabilities interact with your site.

Screen Readers: These tools read out loud the content displayed on the screen, helping visually impaired users access information.
Voice Recognition: This software allows users to control their devices through spoken commands, useful for those with limited hand mobility.
Screen Magnifiers: These tools enlarge content on the screen, making it easier for users with visual impairments to see.
Alternative Input Devices: Users can interact with your website using devices like joysticks, helping those with mobility challenges.
Speech-to-Text: This technology converts spoken words into written text, assisting users with motor disabilities in communicating more easily.

Testing Website Accessibility

After implementing these improvements, it’s essential to test your website’s accessibility to ensure it works for everyone. There are two main ways to do this:

Use Online Accessibility Checkers

Online tools can quickly scan your website and highlight any accessibility issues. These tools can help you identify problems with things like headings, alt text, and color contrast, allowing you to make necessary adjustments.

Conduct Manual Testing

Manual testing involves personally going through your website to check its accessibility. For example:

Test your website’s keyboard navigation to make sure all interactive elements are accessible.
Use screen readers like VoiceOver, JAWS, or NVDA to see how well your content is interpreted through audio feedback.
Assess the readability of your site’s color scheme, ensuring information isn’t conveyed through color alone.

Conclusion

Focusing on website accessibility allows you to create a site that everyone can use, regardless of their abilities. This not only ensures that users with disabilities can enjoy your content but also helps you reach a wider audience. Start by implementing these steps to improve your website’s accessibility, then test and refine your site to ensure it meets the needs of all users.