Why Creating a Website That Is Accessible to People With Disabilities Matters

Website accessibility refers to how user friendly your website is regardless of a user's potential limitations or ability.

An accessible website will be designed with user experience in mind so that everyone is able to access your website and have a similar experience when doing so.

Why is accessible web design so important?

In some countries accessibility is a legal requirement and so it is becoming increasingly important to take accessibility into consideration, not only because of the legalities, but also to ensure that your website is as inclusive as possible and appeals to a wider audience.

Website accessibility is also an important factor when it comes to search engine optimisation (SEO) and so if you are looking to create a website that is not only user friendly but can also remain competitive in search rankings, then accessibility is something that should be at the forefront of your website design.

Moreover, making your website accessible demonstrates that your brand is passionate about accessibility and inclusion, takes user experience seriously and allows users of all abilities to access your site. It ensures that your site isn’t restricted for anyone and will ultimately result in a much friendlier website.

How can I make my website more accessible?

There are dozens of web design agencies that design with accessibility in mind and so it’s important that you choose the right agency or freelancer for your business before going ahead and creating a website.

There are many simple ways of making your website more accessible and it’s never too late to adjust your current website to improve user experience.

Some simple techniques to make your website more accessible include:

1. Include alt-tags to images and photography on your website;
   Adding alternative text to images ensures that individuals who use screen readers are able to understand the content that’s on the page
2. Using accessible colour schemes;
   Using high contrasting colour schemes throughout your website allows users who are visually impaired to more easily differentiate between text and background colour and therefore ensuring content is more readable
3. Ensure your website is compatible with keyboard only devices;
   By making your website suitable for keyboard devices, keyboard only users will not be restricted and can navigate around the website without needing to use a mouse.
4. Use correct headings to separate text;
   Headings should be used correctly to separate text with a H1 heading broken down further into H2 headings and so on. This ensures that users with screen readers are able to navigate to important sections of the page more easily.

Summary

In today’s world, being an inclusive business is becoming increasingly important, especially as many businesses now have policies in place in relation to disability in the workplace. Disabled employees should have the same opportunities in the workplace and should not be restricted or discriminated against. As your website represents your business online, having an accessible website is imperative to engage all users and ensure that everyone has a positive user experience. Your accessible website emphasises your company's commitment to inclusivity.