An easily accessible website will make it easier for a business to reach its marketing goals. Website accessibility is key to reaching more people, gaining more followers and boosting sales.
Many people, however, have trouble accessing business websites due to physical disabilities. Individuals with visual, hearing or motor impairments often find it difficult to navigate websites with complex features and design. Changes in development or design could help rectify this problem and make websites more accessible to everyone. Here are some tips that can help you increase your website’s accessibility to all.
Content
Content plays an important role in making a website accessible to everyone. Plain and simple content will make it easier for individuals who are visually impaired and rely on screen readers or text magnifying features to get through a website’s content. By creating content that’s short, sweet and to the point, your content writer is more likely to hit the mark with your target audience.
Good formatting will also simplify content reading. The use of headers and subheadings makes it easier for screen readers to catch the gist of what they’re reading. It also helps separate information into categories that are easy to find on the page.
When images or videos are included in the content, text descriptions should be added for the visually impaired so they can get the most from these multimedia aids.
When incorporating lists in the content, your content writer should make them short and sweet and distinguish them via simple numbering.
An accessible website will give users the freedom to adjust the font size according to personal preference and need. People with visual problems will appreciate having control over font size for easier reading.
Navigation
Navigation is another important aspect of an accessible website. A website with clear, understandable navigational paths will be a joy to go through, not to mention be more beneficial to disabled readers.
You don’t have to sacrifice creativity or uniqueness to make your website easy to navigate. By using familiar terms in your navigation menu and avoiding complex content, you can enhance the navigational aspects of your website while still promoting its unique design.
Adding a sitemap to your website will make it easier for those who are visually impaired to navigate your site.
Putting your main content above the fold enables screen readers to get to it faster. You can also add a “skip to main content” link on your website to make it easier for disabled individuals to reach the content they want to read. Keyboard shortcuts, in general, facilitate navigation for those who are motor impaired.
Stop using automatic settings for videos, slideshows and audio clips on your site as these settings may not allow sufficient time for disabled individuals to understand what they’re seeing before moving on. By giving website users the ability to enable multimedia elements themselves, you make your site more accessible to everyone.
An accessible website contains features that promote easier use for everyone, to include individuals with disabilities. By making your website accessible to all, you’re more likely to succeed in achieving your marketing goals.