One of the most important things that modern companies can do to cater to their customers’ needs is to make sure their business website is accessible to all. Website accessibility is an evolving metric, but it’s one that can help you create a better user experience for most of your customers—regardless of their age, ability, needs, or goals. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions we get about making a website more accessible:
What even is website accessibility anyway?!
Website accessibility is a collection of strategies, tools, and ideas that make a website more inclusive for everyone. When you optimize your website, you can improve the user experience for everyone by including accessibility tools. These tools help people access content they otherwise wouldn’t be able to due to a disability, language barrier, or learning difference.
Why is website accessibility suddenly so important?
Website accessibility has been a point of discussion since the internet’s inception, however it has recently picked up steam for two main reasons. The first is primarily based around laws and regulations. Many places around the world are requiring websites to be more accessible for people of a variety of disabilities. This has created a need for innovation in the website accessibility space, and has prompted the world’s largest brands and websites to take accessibility very seriously.
However, another element of accessibility’s importance is the widening of potential customer bases. With website accessibility becoming more of a norm, it can easily be a breaking point for a potential customer. This means to reach the highest amount of potential customers, businesses and brands must ensure that their website is accessible to all.
Am I legally obligated to make my website accessible?
Many countries do address digital access and accessibility through key pieces of legislation. In the United States, that’s the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
What guidelines can I use to improve website accessibility?
There are international guidelines and standards for improving website accessibility. You can use the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines as a starting point. You can also ask our digital marketing team for help!
Can I test my website accessibility features?
You can verify that your website is accessible in a few different ways:
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- Use the zoom function on your browser to make sure that as the font size increases, everything else scales up appropriately, and the site is still readable.
- Hit the tab key to cycle through the navigation links in the menu bar and text of each page to make sure it works correctly for people with visual impairment.
- Review the contrast of your site by using a contrast checker tool. This makes sure your site is usable by anyone with vision problems or color blindness.
- Use tools like the ReachDeck Auditor to scan and test your website for accessibility issues.
How can I create accessible images/infographics?
There are specific tools, tricks, and guidelines for making non-text content more accessible. You can use a text alternative on each image or infographic so that it can be scanned and read by a screen reader. Using image alt tags that are specific and detailed will also make a huge difference! For infographics, you can provide a text transcript on the page, or a link to another landing page specifically for text related to that infographic.
What are Accessible Rich Internet Applications?
Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) are technical specifications created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) that outline how to create content and applications that are accessible for people with disabilities. You can use ARIA for dynamic content, advanced user interface, and related tech.
While we all know a good cry can be cathartic, we don’t want any of our clients crying in frustration over their website design. Our expert web design team can help you improve your website accessibility, so it’s easy to use for everyone. Just call us today or contact us online to set up a consultation. We specialize in custom web design, managed web services, optimizing sites for mobile, web hosting, and tech support.
