Simply put, the web has a major accessibility problem. It may be hard to believe, but less than 2% of the world’s top one million websites are fully accessible. So, most sites have accessibility issues that prevent people with disabilities from getting a complete user experience. It’s also crucial to reach accessibility to avoid ADA violations.
What’s more, providing accessibility is just a wise business decision. Did you know that one billion people have disabilities across the globe, making them the world’s biggest minority group? Plus, U.S. E-commerce sales were approximately $5.2 trillion in 2018 and will reach $8.1 trillion by 2026. You obviously don’t want to exclude this massive and crucial demographic audience, considering where the trends are heading.
People with disabilities want different products and have different views to express. For example, visually impaired people buy products other than hearing and motor-impaired people. But all these groups also need products the rest of us use regularly. So, why not listen to what they have to say and accommodate them in any way you can? After all, excluding them only hurts your overall sales potential.
Below we look at common accessibility issues and how to fix them.
5 Tips for Fixing Accessibility Issues
1. Visual Content Without Alt Text
Developers created alt text to make images accessible to people with disabilities, even though content marketers and web developers tend to see it as an SEO action item. For example, screen readers use alt text to tell blind users about an image. You can easily add alt-text images with the majority of content management systems. But finding and tagging them can be tedious and time-consuming for your dev team.
TIP: Remediation AI software is the best way to simplify this process.
2. Low-Contrast Color Palettes
Some websites use low-contrast text colors for design reasons. But this makes content harder to read for people with visual impairments, those using low-quality monitors, and people using small screens.
TIP: Use a text color that contrasts strongly with your background to make content more readable. For example, use light text over a dark background and dark text over a light background.
3. Videos Without Transcripts
Audio and video make ideas come alive, but they aren’t accessible to users with hearing or visual impairments.
TIP: Add captions to your videos to make them accessible to deaf users. Add transcripts to video pages that make your content accessible to blind users through screen readers.
4. Elements That You Can’t Control with a Keyboard
Some end users struggle to use a mouse or trackpad. Making your website operable with a keyboard provides them with accessibility.
TIP: Make website elements focusable with a keyboard, where the user can point to elements using the arrow keys. And be sure to make these elements interactive (for example, opening a link).
5. Text That Uses the Wrong Font
Screen readers can help visually impaired users understand text content, but they’re not always accurate. Using the right font can fix this usability issue.
TIP: Choosing a simple font already installed on most computers is best for your website. That way, it’s displayed correctly regardless of the device. Examples are Arial, Lucida Sans, and Helvetica. You can also use a specially designed font for users with dyslexia or other visual cognitive disabilities.
The UserWay Solution
If your website has any of the above-mentioned accessibility barriers, it’s time to do an accessibility analysis that includes an accessibility report. But this process is time-consuming and expensive, especially for small businesses. Fortunately, UserWay’s AI-powered accessibility widget finds web accessibility issues and fixes most of them in real time.
Contact a friendly representative to learn more today.
Answers to Common FAQs
What’s the Best Way to Describe Digital Accessibility?
Digital Accessibility describes website content and digital tools developed to provide accessibility and usability for people with disabilities.
How Does Assistive Technology (AT) Help Increase Accessibility?
Wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs, and hearing aids help people with disabilities in the physical world. Likewise, Assistive Technology like alt text, keyboard navigation, and video subtitles help them in the digital world. These tools increase accessibility so people with disabilities experience an equitable web environment.
Is Web Accessibility Required by Law?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that public-use websites be accessible and usable for people with disabilities. ADA compliance issues can lead to costly lawsuits for any sized company, so it’s best to fix these problems as quickly as possible.
