Web accessibility is about providing your website visitors with the same level of user experience. This includes users who are visually impaired, illiterate, or have a learning disability.

In order to provide equal access and equal opportunity to people with disabilities, it is extremely crucial to make your website accessible to everyone.

By building an inclusive website, you can access a larger pool of potential customers and also help people with disabilities participate more actively in society.

Here’s 4 simple tips to help you start creating an inclusive and accessible website!

1. Keep Your Headings Consistent

Screen readers read HTML code, not your web pages. Thus, the use of on-page headings is one of the most vital usability features for screen reader users. The headings help people better understand your page structure.

Tip: Use H2 and H3 subheadings consistently and logically. This gives assistive technologies and all readers a sense of the page’s organization and structure.

Instead of relying on bold typefaces, try using proper headings to indicate new sections or categories on your website.

2. Apply Concise ALT Text

To learn about a displayed image, screen reader users have to rely on alt text. If the alt text isn’t changed or isn’t representative of what the image depicts, users may get confused about your web content. This is especially detrimental if the image is significant for understanding your webpage.

Avoid excessive explanations of the information conveyed by images. This may force screen reader users to have to listen to a lot of unnecessary and irrelevant information.

Tip: When writing alt text, make sure the description is accurate but not too wordy. This will also be beneficial for search engine optimization (SEO).

3. Don’t Forget About Video Content

As mentioned in our article, 5 BIGGEST Digital Marketing Trends You Won’t Wanna Miss In 2021, videos are highly appealing due to its ability to easily and effectively communicate your message and educate your audience.

So, how do you make your video content accessible to users with disabilities such as hearing and visual impairments?

Include closed captions: Videos without closed captions can be completely inaccessible for those with a hearing deficiency.

Audio descriptions and transcripts: This helps users with visual impairment to follow along with videos without audio and showcase people who don’t have speaking roles.

Video transcripts don’t have to be word-for-word scripts, but they should cover the vital information that describes your content. Since transcripts can be searchable, it will also help boost your video content rankings.

4. Use Short Sentences And Paragraphs

Short sentences make it easier for people with learning difficulties to understand your content. If the paragraphs are short, users can skip forward knowing that they won’t miss extra information.

Tip: Write “front-loaded” paragraphs, where your conclusion comes first. This allows screen reader users to quickly understand what the paragraph is about. They can then decide whether they want to keep listening to that paragraph or skip to the next one.

By front-loading content, your site visitors will no longer have to search around to find the main point of each paragraph. This can be a major time saver!

Ready To Build Your Inclusive Website?

Adding web accessibility improvements might not be easy. However, it isn’t impossible either. Contact us and let us help you with it!

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