Let’s Get Accessible: Why User Friendly Websites Are Important
As an early homage to National Web Designer day on the 31st of May, we’ve dedicated this week’s blog to accessible websites, and the ability to reach more people by being inclusive.
With 7.83 billion people in the world (Worldometer) and a staggering 4.66 billion of them actively browsing the internet, a wide range of users go online daily so it’s important to make sure your website ‘door’ is open to them.
A website should be attractive and a good indication of the brand. While trends in design come and go, a good website should be easy to use with the end-user experience at the forefront of the build. In tandem with usability, it’s crucial to make sure your website is accessible.
But what do we mean by an ‘accessible website’? And how can we make sure that we follow good protocol?
Firstly, website accessibility refers to the design of a website that is easy to find, enter, or has built in consideration for people who experience disabilities. Disabilities can range from visual and hearing impairments, limited motor control, photosensitive epilepsy, and developmental, learning and cognitive disabilities. There are over 1 billion people in the world who are currently registered as having a disability, so web accessibility is key to making sure your website is as reachable and usable as it can be, for as many people as possible.
Read on for accessible features to consider when building a website:
Appropriate Font Sizes
This one might seem obvious, but it’s worth reiterating. When designing your website, bear in mind that a vast majority of people are likely to view it through smaller screens such as mobiles and tablets. This means font size and typeface matter. We would suggest refraining from using very small fonts that may prove difficult to read at a glance.
Keyboard Friendly
A large number of assistive technologies rely solely on keyboard navigation. An accessible website should be able to work without the use of a mouse, enabling access to all the main pages and links through a keyboard.
Alt tags
You may have come across alt tags in the past when uploading images to your website/CRM system – but what are they for?
Not only do alt tags help with Search Engine Optimisation, but they also describe the image in case it is unable to load, or someone is viewing the site on a smaller screen size and can’t view the full picture.
More importantly, people with visual impairments may be visiting your website using a screen reader. Screen readers interpret a website and read out its content to the user, so make sure not to skip the Alt tags when uploading media to your website.
Colour palettes
Did you know that people perceive colours in unique ways? Just think about the dress scenario from several years back…
Additionally, 1.3 billion people across the world are registered as having a visual impairment.
When considering colour blindness and altered perception in web design, it’s crucial to make sure the contrast works well. You want visitors to easily distinguish between parts of the page and be able to read the text content with ease.
Visual impairments are not the only consideration to take into account. As mentioned previously, think of the different sizes of screens – or the brightness levels that visitors may be using to visit you on. When you offer a contrasting, easy to read colour scheme this will benefit them too!
Be Aware Of Guidance
The UK government has its own set of guidelines on web accessibility that all government websites must follow, adding that “accessible websites usually work better for everyone. They are often faster, easier to use and appear higher in search engine rankings.”
This is a taster of how you can ensure that your website is accessible. If you think your website needs a refresh, or if you are considering having one built and designed, say hello today, we would love to have a chat.