A business’s website is more than just an online presence, it’s a critical driver of growth, customer engagement, and brand reputation. Yet, many organizations overlook a vital component of their digital strategy: accessibility. An accessible website ensures that all users, including those with visual, auditory, cognitive, or motor impairments, can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with online content. Often viewed merely as a legal requirement, accessibility should instead be embraced as a strategic advantage that enhances inclusivity, expands audience reach, and strengthens overall impact.
How do I make my website accessible?
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Screen Reader Compatibility
U.S. researchers found that an estimated 7.3 million Americans (2.3 percent of the U.S. population) have a vision disability, ranging from low vision to total blindness. Users with vision disability often rely on screen readers and other assistive technologies that convert text to speech and offer non-visual navigation tools to browse the web. For this tech to function at its best, websites must include clear structural elements in their markup like headers, titles, etc to help screen readers interpret and present content that offer non-visual navigation tools to browse the web.
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Alternative Text for Images
Alt text not only make your website usable for people with vision disability but also allows search engines to "see" images by reading the alt text. Including descriptive alt tags helps search engines understand your images, which can improve your site’s visibility in image search results and enhance overall SEO.
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Keyboard Accessibility
For many users accessing a website using a mouse can be a challenge. Some users will rely on their keyboard partially or exclusively to increase their ability to navigate and access content and functionality. Users often navigate websites using individual keys like Tab, Ctrl, Shift, Enter, and the arrow keys in combination and often alongside assistive technologies such as screen readers. Ensuring that your website can properly navigate using a keyboard increases users’ ability to access your content.
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Label Forms
Form fields such as checkboxes, data fields, and radio or option buttons should be explicitly labeled so that people using assistive technology can understand them. Labels should inform users that they’ve reached a form field, clearly indicate the type of field, and, when necessary, offer additional guidance on the kind of information required.
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Movement Controls
Some website designs include moving content such as animations, slideshows, videos, and popups to improve user engagement. Best practices advise to avoid excessive blinking (which can induce seizures) and include a stop/pause button for users with visual processing or cognitive disabilities, or who may be using an assistive technology that requires sound-based navigation, such as a screen reader. Giving users more control around this kind of content allows for a better experience.