Easy Access, Better Business
When we talk about “website accessibility”, it’s easy to picture lines of complicated code and expensive developer bills.
Give Your Images Descriptive Alt Text
Screen readers rely on alt text to describe images to visually impaired visitors. Google also uses this text to understand your visual content for image search rankings. Instead of generic file names or one word tags, write a clear description like “a three seater navy blue couch in a sunlit living room”.
Boost your colour contrast:
Light grey text on a white background or pale yellow font on a pastel background might look trendy, but it’s nearly impossible for users to read with low vision, colour blindness or anyone looking at their phone in direct sunlight. Stick to high contrast colour combos. You can run your brand colours through a free contrast checker online to make sure they meet basic readability standards.
Ditch “Click Here” for Descriptive Links
Screen readers often skip through a webpage by cycling exclusively through its hyperlinks. Hearing a voice assistant repeat “click here”, “click here”, “read more”, “click here” gives them zero context about where those links lead. Make sure your link clearly describes the destination. Swap “Click here” for “Explore our Winter Collection”
Use Headings to Create a Clear Map
Massive walls of text force users to work WAY too hard to find answers. Clear text hierarchy allows visually impaired screen reader users (and busy skimmers) to quickly digest your page structure. Organize your pages logically by using built in heading styles rather than just manually bolding or enlarging random text.
Add Captions to All Video Content
Uncaptioned videos exclude visitors who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as the massive percentage of users who browse websites on mute while in public.
Making your website accessible doesn’t require a complete technical overhaul. By making these small and intentional updates, you create a far more welcoming digital storefront.
