To have a website that is accessible mean seem like a lot of hard work and not enough reason to go to all that effort. But the reasons for it are many and most of them are for your own benefit. Also, with companies, like accessiBe, ready to help and get your website fully accessible in mere days, it doesn’t even require much effort.
Reasons to make your website accessible to all
A staggering number of the world’s population are counted as disabled. In fact, the figure is thought to be 1.3 billion and climbing. Just think of all that potential client or customer base you could have visiting your site if it is accessible for them to use. It may be something we take for granted; we can access any information we want at the touch of a button. But for some disabilities, things are a little more complicated. So, by making a few adjustments, you could be making life easier for others, which we all know is the right thing to do. On top of all of this, in many countries, as the world is catching on, website accessibility is becoming a legal necessity, so you could find you are breaking the law if you don’t make some changes to comply with local legislation.
What can I do to make my website more accessible to all?
This is where a company with the experience and expertise of what works for disabled people and how to implement it can be really beneficial. This is because disabilities vary and the needs of one person could be very different from another. So, my advice would be that this is your first step.
Some of the most common things that are needed to make a website more accessible are to watch out for what colours you use on your pages and making everything on your site accessible using a keyboard.
Many people struggle to see the images or content properly when certain colours are used. Of course, different colours affect different people and I’m not suggesting that you keep your website black and white. We all know that good use of colour can make your website more attractive and appealing to those who visit it. But some basic changes can help a large number of people. For example, using colours that provide a strong contrast from the background makes it much easier to see.
The other issue mentioned was the keyboard accessibility. Making sure that the whole site can be viewed by using a keyboard, makes the site accessible to the large number of people who, for various reasons, are unable to use a mouse.
Summary
Website accessibility is an important step to making sure all people have the equal access they deserve. It will benefit your company in the process and will be in keeping with legal requirements.
