Accessibility is the practice of designing and developing websites that can be used by everyone, including people with disabilities. As a website owner, it’s your responsibility to make sure that your site is accessible to all users. In this post, we’ll go over some basic accessibility tips to help you get started.
Semantic HTML refers to using HTML tags that accurately describe the content they contain. This is important for accessibility because it helps assistive technologies like screen readers to interpret the content correctly.
For example, instead of using a div tag to create a heading, use the h1-h6 tags. This not only makes it easier for screen readers to interpret the content, but it also helps search engines to understand the structure of your page.
Images are a common feature of websites, but they can be a barrier to accessibility for people who are blind or visually impaired. To make sure that everyone can understand the content of your site, provide alternative text for images.
Alternative text, also known as alt text, is a description of the image that can be read by screen readers. This allows people who can’t see the image to understand what it represents.
Using high contrast colors makes your website easier to read for everyone, especially for people with visual impairments. Avoid using low contrast color combinations, such as light gray text on a white background, as this can make it difficult for users to read the content.
Videos are a great way to engage users, but they can be a barrier to accessibility for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. To make sure that everyone can understand the content of your videos, provide captions.
Captions are text that display the spoken words of a video. This allows people who can’t hear the audio to understand the content.
Some users with disabilities may not be able to use a mouse to navigate your site. To accommodate these users, make sure that your site can be navigated using only a keyboard.
This means that users should be able to navigate through your site using the Tab key to move from one link or form field to the next. Make sure that all interactive elements on your site, such as buttons and links, are keyboard accessible.
Conclusion
Making your website accessible is not only the right thing to do, but it’s also the law. By following these basic accessibility tips, you can ensure that your site is usable for everyone, regardless of their abilities. Start with these tips and continue to learn more about accessibility to make your site even more inclusive.