Website development for accessibility is not just a legal requirement in many countries, but also an ethical and smart business practice. An accessible website allows people with disabilities to access information and services on the internet equally, thereby expanding your potential target audience. In this article, we’ll review the main principles of building an accessible website and complying with accepted accessibility standards.
Understanding Accessibility Standards
The leading global standard for website accessibility is the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). WCAG defines three levels of compliance: A, AA, and AAA, with AA being the most commonly accepted level for meeting legal requirements in many countries. This standard focuses on four main principles: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.
Planning Site Structure
Accessibility starts with proper site structure planning. This includes creating a clear information hierarchy, simple and intuitive navigation, and using appropriate HTML headings and tags. A logical and consistent structure helps all users, especially those using screen readers.
Accessible Visual Design
Accessible design refers not only to aesthetics but also to functionality. This includes using high color contrast between text and background, choosing readable fonts and appropriate text sizes, avoiding the use of color as the only means of conveying information, and providing users the ability to increase text size without loss of functionality.
Accessible Content
Creating accessible content is a crucial component in content marketing. This includes using clear and simple language, adding alternative text descriptions (alt text) to images, using captions and transcripts for video and audio content, and organizing content using clear headings and sections.
Accessibility in Forms and Interactions
Forms and interactive elements should be accessible to all users. This includes clear labeling of form fields, providing clear instructions and understandable error messages, allowing form navigation via keyboard, and giving users sufficient time to complete actions.
Support for Assistive Technologies
An accessible website should work well with assistive technologies such as screen readers, magnification software, and adapted keyboards. This requires proper use of semantic HTML tags, defining a logical tab order for keyboard navigation, and using ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) when necessary.
Accessibility Testing
Accessibility testing is an essential part of the development process. This includes using automatic testing tools like WAVE or axe, performing manual checks, including keyboard navigation and screen reader use, and testing with real users with various disabilities.
Ongoing Maintenance
Accessibility is an ongoing process. With each site update, it’s necessary to ensure it meets accessibility standards. This includes training content and development teams on accessibility issues, conducting periodic accessibility checks, and updating the site according to changes in accessibility standards.
Business Benefits of Accessibility
Beyond meeting legal requirements, an accessible website has many business advantages. This includes expanding the potential target audience, improving organic promotion in search engines, strengthening the brand’s reputation as socially responsible, and improving user experience for all site visitors.
Boost Media’s Accessibility Services
Here at Boost Media, we offer comprehensive services for building and optimizing accessible websites. Our team of experts specializes in all aspects of accessibility, from planning and design to technical implementation and comprehensive testing. We work according to the latest WCAG standards and ensure that your site not only meets legal requirements but also provides an excellent user experience for all visitors.
Our services include comprehensive analysis of the existing site, implementing necessary changes, training content and development teams on accessibility issues, and conducting periodic checks to maintain compliance with standards. We also provide ongoing accessibility consulting and help our clients implement work processes that ensure long-term accessibility maintenance. Additionally, we integrate accessibility considerations into the overall website promotion strategy, which helps improve the site’s visibility and ranking in search engines.
Challenges and Opportunities in Web Accessibility
As technology evolves, new challenges arise in the field of accessibility. For example, the growth in mobile app usage and augmented reality poses new challenges in content accessibility. However, new technologies also offer new opportunities to improve accessibility, such as using artificial intelligence to improve image recognition and generate automatic captions. It’s important to stay updated on these developments and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Accessibility as a Key to Digital Success
Building an accessible website is not just about meeting standards or laws; it’s an investment in your business’s future. An accessible site expands your target audience, improves user experience for all visitors, and strengthens your reputation as a responsible and inclusive business. With the growing awareness of the importance of accessibility, businesses that adopt this approach earlier enjoy a significant competitive advantage. If you’re interested in making your site more accessible and leveraging the business benefits of doing so, contact us at Boost Media. Our experience and expertise can help you create a site that not only meets accessibility standards but also provides an excellent experience for all users.
