By adhering to established accessibility standards and guidelines, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), web designers and developers can create more inclusive digital experiences. Here we take a look at the principles, standards and actions you can take to improve the accessibility of your website.
UX at the heart of the project
Putting user experience at the heart of the process is key to success in every web project and is the basis of our design work. We care about creating a product that is easily navigated and understood and reaches everyone, however they access that information. Accessible web design and development creates a more inclusive experience, providing equitable access to the web and everything on it. Whether it's information, services, opportunities, entertainment or products, it's right and fair that everyone has the same opportunity to access content on the web.
Make it a priority
These figures from the World Health Organisation bring home just how non-negotiable accessibility is. According to the WHO, 1.3 billion people worldwide experience significant disability. That’s 16% – or 1 in 6 of us. This includes people with visual, auditory, motor, speech or cognitive disabilities. Making inclusion and accessibility a priority from the outset increases the number of people who can access your website, which is good for humans and good for business. By increasing the number of people who can consume your content you’re increasing potential leads and conversions.
Meet the standards
Typically we recommend and target the WCAG AA accessibility standard, based on their four principles:
Perceivable: Content and functionality must be presented in a way all users can perceive no matter how they access it.
Operable: User interface components and navigation must be operable to all users no matter how they access it.
Understandable: Users must be able to understand the information and operation of the interface.
Robust: Content must be robust enough to be reliably interpreted by a wide variety of technologies, including assistive technologies.
Meeting these standards not only makes the content of your website more accessible to people with disabilities, but it is good for SEO, as this is a key search engine metric. Accessibility is not yet enforced by law, but it should still be a necessity in your planning.
Here are 5 actions you can take to improve the accessibility of your website:
Proper headings
Proper headings allow users to scan the page and understand its content quickly. They are essential for screen readers, which use the hierarchy of headings (titles, subheadings) to navigate and read out the content. The structure and order of headings, paragraphs and other elements are crucial for providing a clear and accessible experience.
Image alt text
Alt text is a written description of an image that helps users understand its content, especially those using screen readers. Use simple, clear words to provide meaningful descriptions. This text should be relevant and guide the user through your content or customer journey. Ensure all important images on your website have effective alt text to make them accessible to everyone.
Colour contrast
Colour contrast is crucial for readability on your website. Some text and background colour combinations can be hard to read. Ensure your chosen colours meet the contrast ratios recommended by your targeted accessibility standard, even within brand guidelines. Use a contrast checker to see if your colours pass the WCAG AA guidelines.
Keyboard navigation
Not everyone uses a mouse, so optimise your website for keyboard navigation. Ensure all interactive elements can be accessed using a keyboard. Use hover state and colour highlights for clarity on forms and avoid using low contrast placeholder text to demonstrate instructions in the text field box on a form. Always set these up to work with screen readers for better accessibility.
Use captions on videos
Adding captions or subtitles to your video content makes it accessible to users with an auditory disability or who have difficulty processing auditory information. Captions make it easier for everyone to engage with your content, whether they’re in a noisy or quiet environment, or just choose to watch on mute.
If you would like to learn more or need help to increase the accessibility of your website, please get in touch.