Making Small Business Websites Accessible for Everyone
The world wide web is meant to work for everyone. Regardless of language, ability, or location someone is accessing the internet from—they should be able to use the web.
Since its creation, the designers of the web have made accessibility a fundamental goal. “The power of the Web is in its universality,” wrote Tim Berners-Lee, early architect of the World Wide Web. “Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect.”
For businesses, a universally accessible website is about more than good internet citizenship. Accessible websites mean bigger audiences, more customers, and better results on search pages.
What Is Website Accessibility?
Website accessibility means that a website is designed and developed so that people who have disabilities can use them.
This can include being accessible to people with visual, physical, speech, neurological, cognitive, and auditory disabilities. For example, using video captions on video elements can help those who are hard of hearing make sense of videos and having colors clearly labeled can assist people with color blindness make better selections.
The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) can help businesses and individuals understand best practices and standards in creating a truly accessible website.
An Accessible Website Helps Everyone
When you design your website with a focus on user experience, it’s easier for people who are using different devices such as smart TVs, smartphones, and smart watches to access your site.
It can also be helpful for people who are in situations where there is bright sunlight or loud noises that limit the experience of the website. When you consider the types of people and conditions that people use a website in, then it becomes clear how a focus on user experience can help both those with and those without disabilities.
Finally, designing with accessibility in mind can help people who have slower internet connections use your site.
3 Fast and Easy Ways to Increase Website Accessibility
While there are many ways to make a website accessible, there are also several simple methods that greatly increase accessibility and that most business owners can do in house.
Source: The Balance Small Business
Author: Brian Edmondson
Edmonsdon, Brian. “Making Small Business Websites Accessible for Everyone.” The Balance Small Business, 27 Aug. 2019, https://www.thebalancesmb.com/making-small-business-websites-accessible-4768688.
