An accessible website is one that people with disabilities can use, including people who are blind or have low vision, people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and people who navigate with a keyboard instead of a mouse. Accessibility is good for customers, good for search engines and increasingly expected of businesses of every size.
Why It Matters
- More customers: a significant share of people live with some form of disability, and many more have temporary or age-related limitations.
- Better usability for everyone: clear headings, readable text and easy navigation help every visitor.
- Better SEO: many accessibility practices, like descriptive alt text and well-structured headings, also help search engines understand your site.
- Legal risk: accessibility complaints and lawsuits involving business websites have become more common. I’m not a lawyer, so if you have legal questions, talk to an attorney, but making real improvements is the best place to start.
The Standard: WCAG
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the most widely used standard for website accessibility. They’re organized around making content perceivable, operable, understandable and robust.
Practical Steps for a WordPress Site
- Add descriptive alt text to meaningful images.
- Use headings in order (H1, then H2, then H3) to structure each page.
- Make sure text has enough color contrast with its background.
- Use descriptive link text instead of “click here.”
- Make sure your site can be used with a keyboard alone, including menus and forms.
- Give every form field a clear label.
- Add captions or transcripts to videos.
- Avoid text baked into images, and don’t rely on color alone to convey meaning.
A Note About Accessibility Overlays
Widgets and toolbars can be helpful additions, but they don’t fix underlying problems with a site’s structure or content. Real improvements to your site are what make the difference.
Where to Start
An accessibility review is a great place to begin. I can check your WordPress site for common issues and make practical fixes as part of a redesign or ongoing maintenance.
Rich Collins is the owner and lead developer of Thirst Productions, a WordPress web design, hosting and support business based in Chocorua, New Hampshire. Email me with questions about your website.