As the internet becomes increasingly important for businesses to reach and engage with customers, it’s important to ensure that everyone can access and benefit from the information on your website. Unfortunately, not all websites are designed with accessibility in mind, leaving many people with disabilities unable to use or access the content.
So, what is web accessibility and why is it important? Simply put, web accessibility is about making sure that your website is designed in a way that allows as many people as possible to use it, including those with disabilities. This includes individuals with visual, hearing, cognitive, and physical impairments, among others.
The statistics around disability in the UK are eye-opening. There are currently 8.6 million disabled people in the UK, which represents around one in seven of the population. Of these, 36% are web users. By not making your website accessible, you’re potentially shutting out a significant portion of your potential audience.
But beyond the ethical considerations, there are also many practical reasons why you should make your website accessible. For one, it can increase your sales and reach by making your site compatible with smaller screen devices like smartphones and tablets. It can also improve your search engine listings and make your site quicker to download for those with slow connections.
In addition, there are legal requirements to consider. The 1995 Disability Discrimination Act makes it a legal requirement for companies and organizations to ensure that all can access their services and information, including websites and Internet services.
At ne-web, we take web accessibility seriously. We believe that good design and accessibility go hand-in-hand, and that a website can be both visually attractive and accessible. We can work with trusted partners to ensure that every site we develop complies with the latest accessibility guidelines and standards, including the RNIB and the W3C’s WAI. This means that we can help you reach a wider audience, improve your search engine rankings, and avoid legal issues.
But what does accessibility actually look like in practice? It can include things like providing alternative text descriptions for images so that visually impaired users can still understand the content, using clear and easy-to-read fonts and colour contrasts, and ensuring that all functionality can be accessed with a keyboard rather than just a mouse.
Contrary to popular belief, accessible websites don’t have to be boring or simplistic. In fact, by designing with accessibility in mind, you can often create a more streamlined and user-friendly experience for all users. At ne-web, we specialize in creating flexible, imaginative, and innovative designs that are fully accessible to everyone.
So if you want to make sure that your website is reaching the widest possible audience and complying with legal requirements, get in touch with ne-web today. We can provide you with a headache-free service for all your accessibility needs, from consultancy and training to a complete bespoke solution. Together, we can make the internet a more inclusive and accessible place for all.
