How To Make Your Website More Accessible
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“An inaccessible website can exclude people just as much as steps at an entrance to a physical location.” This is a reminder from the Americans with Disabilities Act website (ADA). As an interior designer, you probably frequently consider different types of accessibility in your designs, and that consideration should extend to your company's website.
While it’s not a legal requirement for all websites (see here if it is for you), complying with the standards laid out by the Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design means a more inclusive and welcoming first point of contact with your business. Read on for examples of what this could look like on your website.
Colors & Contrasts
Comb through your website to see how color is currently used to highlight or distinguish content. People who are visually impaired will find it easier to navigate your website if there is greater contrast between text and its background, or if selected items are highlighted with other markers besides color, such as bold or underlined letters.
Headers & Labels
Understanding your website’s layout is much simpler with headers at the top of each page and titles introducing different sections on a page. And when it comes to forms, such as a contact form, there should be a brief description of what it is for and how to fill it out. Ideally, the settings would alert screen reader users if and how they’ve entered information incorrectly.
Alt Text
Text alternatives, also known as alt text or an alt tag, convey the purpose of an image, including photos and videos. Visually impaired people can use screen readers to hear the alt text read aloud. A useful alt text is brief yet provides a relevant description. One example would be: A bright minimalist kitchen with wooden cabinets and marble countertops, and an island with leather bar stools and brass pendant lamps. Bonus: alt text is good for SEO.
Captions
Apart from alt texts, one of the most obvious - yet too easily forgotten - ways to make videos more accessible is to add captions. For example, you may have a video presentation of your studio or a project walkthrough that you can update. Just try to make them as well synchronized as possible so that the experience is smooth for the hearing impaired.
A few final tips:
● Analyze your website with an accessibility checker such as accessibilitychecker.org.
● Find more ideas on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines website.
● Remember to apply these tips to your social media posts as well!
xx, Danae