When it comes to building a website, accessibility isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s essential. An accessible website ensures that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can engage with your content. And it’s not just about doing the right thing. Improving accessibility can also widen your audience, boost your SEO, and even help you avoid legal trouble.
But here’s the good news: making your website more accessible doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. In fact, with a few simple tweaks, you can create a more inclusive experience for all users. Let’s dive into some easy ways you can get started.
1. Use Descriptive Alt Text for Images
Images can bring a lot of life to your website, but for some users—especially those who rely on screen readers—images can be tricky. That’s where alt text comes in. Alt text is a short description you add to your images, which screen readers can use to describe the visual content to visually impaired users.
Writing good alt text is easier than you might think. Keep it simple but specific. If your image shows a person browsing in a bookshop, don’t just write “person in shop.” Instead, go for something more like “Woman reading a book in a cozy bookstore.” It takes just a few seconds but ensures everyone can enjoy your images.
2. Ensure Proper Color Contrast
Have you ever struggled to read light gray text on a white background? Now imagine being someone with a visual impairment, trying to do the same. Poor color contrast can make your content virtually unreadable.
To fix this, make sure there’s enough contrast between your text and its background. A good rule of thumb is to use a dark color for text and a light color for the background, or vice versa. There are free online tools that can help you check your color contrast in seconds. So, making this adjustment is one of the easiest ways to improve readability on your site.
3. Make Your Website Keyboard-Friendly
Not all users navigate websites with a mouse. Many rely on their keyboards, especially those with motor impairments. If your site isn’t keyboard-friendly, you’re making it hard for these users to get around.
What does a keyboard-friendly website look like? It means every clickable element—links, forms, buttons—can be accessed and used with a keyboard alone. You should also make sure there’s a clear “focus indicator” (usually a highlighted box) showing which element is selected. For a quick test, try using only your keyboard to navigate your site and see how easy it is.
4. Test Accessibility with Online Tools
You don’t need to be a web developer to figure out if your site is accessible. There are plenty of free tools available that can do the heavy lifting for you. Make use of the best accessibility checker for websites, and it will scan your site and point out any issues, from missing alt text to poor color contrast.
These tools also offer suggestions on how to fix any problems, making it easy to get started. And keep in mind that accessibility isn’t a one-time thing—make a habit of running these tests regularly, especially after major updates or design changes.
5. Use Simple, Readable Language
We’ve all come across a website where the content is full of jargon, long sentences, or complicated phrases. It’s confusing and frustrating—and it can be even worse for users with cognitive disabilities or those who speak English as a second language.
To make your site more accessible, focus on clear, simple language. Write as if you’re talking to a friend—no need to overcomplicate things. Use short sentences, bullet points, and headings to break up your content. Not only does this improve accessibility, but it also makes your content easier for everyone to read.
6. Add Captions or Transcripts for Multimedia
Videos and audio content can be engaging, but they can also exclude people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Adding captions to your videos and transcripts for audio content ensures that everyone can enjoy your multimedia.
And here’s a bonus: captions are helpful for all sorts of users. Think of someone watching a video in a noisy café or trying to follow along without sound in a quiet library. Captions make it possible. Plus, they improve SEO by giving search engines more text to crawl through. So, it’s a win-win.
7. Test for Mobile Accessibility
Mobile users are a big part of your audience—so don’t leave them out. Mobile accessibility means making sure your website works just as well on a smartphone as it does on a desktop.
Start by checking if your text is large enough to read on a small screen and whether your buttons and links are easy to tap without accidentally clicking the wrong thing. Keep navigation simple, and don’t overwhelm users with clutter. There are tools you can use to test how mobile-friendly your site is, so you don’t have to guess. Trust me—this small step can make a huge difference.
The Power of Small Changes in Website Accessibility
Making your website more accessible doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Small changes—like adding alt text, improving color contrast, or using clear language—can make a big difference. And the benefits are huge: a better user experience for everyone, increased reach, and even better SEO performance.
So, start small. Choose one or two of these tips and take action today. With each tweak, you’re making your website more inclusive—and that’s something worth celebrating!
