Whether you have an existing website or starting a new one, you should pay attention to web accessibility going into 2023. It may feel like extra work on top of designing and marketing your website, but it’s well worth the effort.
WordPress accessibility, Shopify accessibility, and general website accessibility are compliance requirements becoming more and more necessary in many parts of the world. But it’s not merely a matter of compliance, it’s also good for business.
A survey of the top one million websites revealed an average of 50.8 accessibility errors per page. That’s alarmingly high!
What is Web Content Accessibility?
Web accessibility or web content accessibility refers to websites being accessible by everyone, including people with disabilities or impairments. It’s an integral part of user experience (UX) design. All website elements are subject to accessibility, from colors to images to buttons.
Web accessibility can be achieved following specific design principles that address access limitations of people with disabilities or impairments.
For example, alternative text on images can allow visually impaired individuals to comprehend images presented on a website. While they may not be able to see the images, with the help of alt text, they can somewhat access them.
The Web Accessibility Initiative (WIP) provides guidelines for web accessibility through the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). It’s the main body that oversees rules and regulations about website accessibility.
Is It Mandatory to Offer Web Content Accessibility?
There aren’t any specific rules that enforce website accessibility unless it’s a government website. However, poor web accessibility has resulted in many lawsuits in the past. So even though there aren’t any dedicated rules, there’s still some liability on the part of website owners.
In other words, it’s not mandated by authorities to ensure web content accessibility, but it’s generally a good idea to follow it.
Government websites in the US must offer accessibility as per Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Similarly, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) may also be used to enforce website accessibility. Title III of the act mandates that public accommodations should have access for disabled people. In many lawsuits, websites have been regarded as public accommodations.
Web Accessibility Standards
Web accessibility is based on four key principles outlined in WCAG. These four principles provide guidelines on what constitutes a website that is accessible by all, particularly people with disabilities.
Perceivable
The website content must be perceivable for all. In other words, the website content and information should be perceivable by all, regardless of their disabilities.
For example, web content should be perceivable even for those who cannot see and use screen reading software.
Operable
The website should be operable by all without any disruptions; that is, all users, including those with disabilities and limitations, should be able to utilize all features and functionalities. This principle targets common and specific website functions.
For example, a visitor should be able to navigate between pages, click on the menu, and play/pause video or audio. This principle promotes simple design with easy access to website functions.
Understandable
The website content, both written and graphic, should be understandable by all. This principle promotes using simple verbiage and easy-to-read formats to make information more accessible, including for those with cognitive challenges and impairments. In addition, this principle also focuses on easy-to-navigate the structure of the pages.
Robust
The content of the website should be consumable for all. It targets website code in that it should be written so that assistive technology can go through the website’s content quickly.
Why Web Accessibility Is Important
While the web caters to everyone, sadly, most websites are not accessible to people with disabilities. Many website owners and designers are unaware of the needs of people with disabilities or choose to ignore them because web content accessibility is seen as an ‘extra’ feature, not a must.
That attitude needs to change because web accessibility is not just important but necessary for all online businesses. Here’s why you should consider making your website more accessible:
People with Disabilities Make Up a Significant Part of Society
More people than you may think live with disabilities, impairments, or limitations that hinder their use of the web. According to the World Health Organization, 15 percent of the global population lives with some form of disability. That’s one billion people!
The Internet is a major source of information and entertainment today. Some may argue that it has become a necessary element of everyday life. With so many things done online, accessing the web isn’t an option for disabled people but a necessity. But when websites aren’t accessible to them, it makes their lives even harder.
According to Pew Research, 75 percent of Americans with disabilities use the Internet daily. 62 percent of individuals with disabilities own a desktop or laptop. People with low-level disabilities may find it slightly easier to access websites, but only if they are more accessible.
In a nutshell, millions of people with disabilities need to access websites to get information or complete tasks. And they can only do so if the website meets the standards set by WIP.
Lower Accessibility Increases the Risk of Discrimination Lawsuits
While the rules and regulations regarding web accessibility are still somewhat weak, there has been a sharp rise in lawsuits related to this matter. In 2020, 2500 Americans filed lawsuits regarding website inaccessibility in federal courts. This number was 12 percent higher than that in 2019.
Almost all of these lawsuits cited Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title III. Even some big companies were sued for not providing enough accessibility for disabled individuals with their websites. In 2019, a blind man named Guillermo Robles sued Domino’s and won when he could not order pizza from their website.
There has been an increase in cases filed against companies, especially retailers, citing poor website accessibility. This makes Shopify accessibility, which is the largest ecommerce website platform, even more important.
Compliance Standards are Becoming Stricter
Web accessibility has yet to be more standardized. In the US, the ADA currently enforces the use of WCAG, but the version they mention is not the latest. However, the ADA may require businesses to comply with the new version soon enough.
As time passes, newer and better versions of WCAG will roll out, making compliance even more critical for businesses with websites. In many other parts of the world, regulatory authorities are taking notice of the gaps in web accessibility and coming up with regulations.
And with the lawsuit filing increasing dramatically, it’s only a matter of time till compliance standards become even stricter with penalties.
Web Content Accessibility Increases Audience
Increasing website accessibility should be a no-brainer for businesses because it increases exposure to another segment of society. As so many people in the US and around the world have disability issues, they can also become your brand’s audience if your website is user-friendly for them specifically.
With Shopify accessibility, ecommerce companies can expand their audience and convert more. With WordPress accessibility, bloggers can get more visitors and readers. It’s a win-win situation for both website owners and people with disabilities.
It can also bolster your brand image with more inclusivity. Even though it may not be mandated yet, it’s a good idea to increase your website’s accessibility to include those who may otherwise have trouble using it. The initiative shows that you care about all users, regardless of their abilities.
How to Check Website Accessibility?
The first step to making your website more accessible for the disabled is to check its current status. A quick scan of the website’s code and layout can reveal accessibility errors and the areas where you need to make changes and improvements.
For this purpose, you can use a website accessibility checker that scans the website and reveals all of this information. It’s as simple as putting in your URL, and you can get all the analysis and recommendations for compliance issues.
XCompliant is a comprehensive web accessibility tool that checks for accessibility issues and resolves them for you. It’s based on highly advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms that compare website content and navigation against the latest guidelines in the WCAG.
It runs screen reader tests to see if such tools can easily read your website. It can also check keyboard-based navigation to ensure your website is entirely navigable through keys (Braille keyboard). Moreover, it also scans the user interface (UI) to rate the overall UX your website offers.
Unlike many other tools that simply point out issues, XCompliant also allows you to automate implementation. Your website can become more accessible with just a few clicks. But you can also customize it to ensure that even with accessibility changes, the brand voice remains intact.
How to Make Your Website More Accessible?
Let’s cut to the chase and discuss some of the ways you can make your website more accessible. Of course, websites differ a lot, so you may need to work around a few things. However, following these recommendations, in general, will help you immensely.
Text Alternatives
Ensure that alternative text is available for all non-text items like images, audios, or videos. This is a must for your website to be accessible to visually impaired individuals.
Interestingly, having alt text for images can also help your website and its content rank well on search engines. It’s safe to assume Google prefers articles and web pages with alt text for images. As for decorative images, you can include alt attributes but don’t necessarily need text.
Alternatives for Audio and Video
You should have alternative ways for those with hearing disabilities for time-based media like audio clips or videos. For instance, for audio, you can include transcripts; for videos, you can have subtitles. It’s vital to ensure that subtitles are in sync with the video.
Color Contrast
The color contrast of the website plays an important role in making the website more accessible for those who are color blind. While they can see your website clearly, having contrasts helps them distinguish different elements of the UI, helping them navigate better.
Total Keyboard Functionality
Your website should be navigable using just the keys on the keyboard. Some individuals may not be able to use a mouse to access the web; they use computers with keyboards only. So all the website’s functions should be able to be performed with keys.
Use Simple Language
Avoid using overly complicated language, as it’s difficult for those who are not native speakers of the language your website is written in. With more straightforward language, those learning the language could access the website.
It would make things even easier for native speakers because native or not, many people prefer easy, non-technical language. Of course, there are exceptions to this, as some content may need to have more technical jargon. Still, the main menu and other navigable objects should be in easy language.
Parsable HTML
Ensure that the HTML code of your website is parsable for assistive technologies. Such tools typically rely on the website’s HTML code to read content and other website elements to the visitor. For instance, avoid duplicate tags and use start/end tags. This is one of the things that web accessibility tools check, especially for websites made using website-building platforms.
Clear Error Messages
It’s essential to ensure that the error messages your website generates are precise and clear. For example, errors or unfilled fields should be pointed out accurately when filling out forms so the user can make corrections accordingly. The error message shouldn’t confuse them.
Conclusion
Web content accessibility is gradually becoming an essential part of UX. With increasing compliance requirements and growing awareness of accessibility rights, businesses need to make necessary changes and turn their website more accessible.
A tool like XCompliant for WordPress accessibility can help you do just that. It can point you in the right direction and uncover where you need to make changes. Doing so will make your website compliant with WCAG and ADA and improve traffic, engagement, and conversions. So it doesn’t just safeguard you from potential lawsuits but also helps grow your online business.