Building a digital space that welcomes everyone isn’t just one more fad — it’s a duty. Accessibility makes it so people with disabilities can view, navigate, and interact with your website in a meaningful way. Here at ImpactInteractive, we are firm believers that great design should be accessible to every user so that everyone can have a great user experience. Here are 10 best practices to start doing today and to ensure your website is becoming more inclusive and compliant.
1. Use Semantic HTML
Start with a strong foundation. Semantic HTML is there to assist screen readers and other assistive technologies to understand the content of your site. It’s also good for SEO and your site structure.
2. Add Descriptive Alt Text to Images
All relevant images must have alt text that concisely identifies their contents or purpose. Your decorative images with empty alt attributes (alt=””) can be ‘ignored’ by screen readers.
3. Ensure Keyboard Navigation
All elements of the web should be navigable only with the keystrokes of the keyboard (TAB, Enter, Space, etc). Ensure that interactive elements such as buttons, links and forms are also fully accessible without a mouse.
4. Use ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) Labels Wisely
ARIA attributes can add to the accessibility of more complex UI elements, but you should only use them if the native HTML is not enough. Misusing ARIA can do more damage than good.
5. Provide Video Captions and Transcripts
Captions are an invaluable tool for users who are deaf or hard of hearing—caption videos and transcripts to ensure the accessibility of multimedia.
6. Maintain Sufficient Color Contrast
Contrast Text will be high contrast against its background. For standard text, the minimum recommended contrast ratio from text to background is 4.5:1, while for large text, the minimum is 3:1 for those with impaired vision.
7. Create Clear and Consistent Navigation
Keep your menus, links, and buttons uniform throughout the entire website. This helps not only screen readers but also anyone to know where they are and how to get to where they want.
8. Make Forms Accessible
Clearly label all form fields, and link labels to the form field with the for attribute. Be more descriptive and provide notice to help people correct their mistakes.
9. Responsive Design for All Devices
Make sure your website is completely responsive and works well on different screens and devices. This is great for anyone with mobility impairments who uses touchscreens or voice control.
10. Test Your Website Regularly
Leverage accessibility testing tools such as WAVE, Axe, or Lighthouse, and manually test with screen readers such as NVDA or VoiceOver. Routine audits help identify and resolve problems before there’s a legal problem.
Final Thoughts
Website accessibility is not just about checking a box to comply with a standard — it’s about welcoming everyone. By following these 10 best practices, you will not only improve usability but also expand your reach and help your SEO.
Are you prepared to put it to work making your website more accessible?
Reach out to ImpactInteractive, and we’ll create a digital place where everyone feels they belong.