Making your website accessible isn’t just about compliance or avoiding legal issues. It’s about giving every visitor equal access to your content and services and ensuring your business doesn’t lose customers before they even get started.

Accessible websites:

• Improve visitor engagement and retention
• Reach a broader audience, including people with disabilities
• Support SEO and site performance
• Reduce legal exposure (e.g., ADA, WCAG criteria)
• Enhance your brand reputation and trustworthiness

When your digital presence is inclusive, you open the door to customers who may otherwise leave immediately after landing on an unwelcoming page.

Understand How People Use Your Site

It’s easy to assume your website is intuitive simply because it makes sense to you. But what feels natural to one person may be a barrier to someone using assistive tools.

Many people use:

• Keyboard navigation instead of a mouse
• Screen readers that read content aloud
• Voice commands to traverse pages
• Alternative devices to access content

These tools reveal issues that mainstream users might never notice — such as unlabeled buttons, unclear navigation, or poorly structured content.

Gather Real User Feedback

Inviting feedback from people who use assistive technologies is invaluable. Observing how they interact with your site sheds light on hidden barriers you might otherwise miss. It doesn’t require dozens of testers — even a few sessions with real users can highlight issues that dramatically improve accessibility.

Make Your Visuals Accessible for All

Visual accessibility is often one of the most overlooked aspects of site design.

Millions of people have visual impairments, including:

• Colour blindness
• Low vision
• Blindness

To support these users:

• Use high contrast between text and backgrounds
• Maintain clear readability with appropriate font sizes
• Avoid colour combinations that are difficult to distinguish

A contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text is a recognised standard for accessibility. Tools like WebAIM’s Contrast Checker make it easy to verify colour choices before publishing content.

Make Documents User-Friendly

Many businesses distribute PDFs, Word files, or PowerPoint slides without considering whether they are accessible.

Accessible documents should include:

• Tags that identify headings, paragraphs and lists
• Alt text for all images
• A logical reading order for screen readers
• Clear structural elements like tables and headings

Before you upload or send a document, perform a simple accessibility check to confirm it can be read by assistive technologies.

Make Reading Easier and Reduce Cognitive Load

Reading and understanding online content can be difficult for many users — not only those with diagnosed disabilities.

To improve readability:

• Use plain language and avoid jargon
• Break content into short, scannable paragraphs
• Use clear subheadings
• Choose readable fonts like Arial, Verdana, or Sans-Serif
• Ensure body text is at least 14pt
• Avoid all-caps or italics for large blocks of text

Simple, uncluttered content is easier for everyone to engage with, not just users with cognitive or learning challenges.

Support People with Hearing or Mobility Needs

Accessibility is broader than just visuals or text. Many users have:

• Hearing impairments, requiring captions or transcripts
• Mobility challenges, relying on keyboard navigation

Captions and Transcripts

All video and audio content should have:

• Closed captions
• Transcripts

These are essential for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and they are also beneficial for people watching videos on mute or in noisy environments.

Keyboard Accessibility

Users with limited mobility often navigate with a keyboard alone. Your site should ensure:

• All links and form fields are reachable using the Tab key
• Buttons and interactive elements have clear focus indicators
• Site functions don’t rely on drag-and-drop interfaces that require fine motor control

These small adjustments dramatically improve accessibility without compromising design.

Keep Improving Through Feedback and Analytics

Accessibility isn’t a one-time project — it’s an ongoing commitment.

Ask visitors for feedback and share an accessibility statement on your site explaining your commitment and support channels. Make it easy for people to report issues, and monitor analytics closely. Pages with high abandonment rates can indicate navigational or accessibility challenges that need attention.

Tools and analytics can highlight patterns, such as:

• High form drop-off rates
• Pages with unusually low engagement
• Navigation elements that generate repeated user errors

These signals often point to usability issues that intersect with accessibility.

Make Accessibility Part of Your Brand

For many SMBs, accessibility can feel like one more item on a long to-do list. But it’s actually an investment in your reputation.

An accessible digital presence shows:

• Your business values inclusivity
• You care about the user experience
• You prioritise professionalism and trust

Accessible design doesn’t mean sacrificing beauty. Thoughtful choices about colour, layout, and language can make your site both visually appealing and welcoming to all.

5 Actionable Tips for Immediate Improvement

Here are steps SMBs can take today to improve accessibility:

• Test keyboard navigation across your site
• Use an automated accessibility evaluation tool
• Add alt text to all images and media
• Verify colour contrast meets accessibility standards
• Include captions on all video and transcripts for audio
• Share accessibility feedback options on your contact page

These actions are simple but can remove significant barriers for users.

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