Website accessibility means making sure people can use your site regardless of disability: people who use screen readers, who can’t use a mouse, who have low vision or color blindness, or who just have shaky hands on a small phone. It’s the right thing to do, it widens your audience, and a lot of it overlaps with good SEO. Here are the basics I check on every site.
Readable text
- Body text large enough to read comfortably on a phone
- Enough contrast between text and background
- Short paragraphs and clear headings
- Links that look like links
Color contrast
Light gray text on a white background might look sleek, but many people can’t read it. Free online contrast checkers will tell you whether your color combinations pass. Also avoid using color alone to communicate something, like red text for errors with no other indication.
Alt text for images
Alt text is a short description attached to an image that screen readers read aloud. Describe what matters about the image in a sentence: “Finished basement with new vinyl flooring and recessed lighting.” Decorative images can have empty alt text. Bonus: search engines use alt text too.
Headings in order
Use one main heading per page, then subheadings in a logical order. Screen reader users often navigate by jumping between headings, the same way sighted readers skim.
Keyboard-friendly
Try using your site with only the Tab and Enter keys. Can you reach the menu, buttons, and form fields? Can you see where you are on the page? If not, some visitors can’t use your site at all.
Forms that make sense
- Every field has a visible label, not just placeholder text that disappears
- Error messages explain what went wrong
- Buttons say what they do, like “Send message,” not just “Submit”
Video and audio
Add captions to videos, and avoid anything that plays automatically with sound.
Start with the pages that matter most
You don’t have to fix everything at once. Start with your home page, contact page, and main service pages, then work outward. This guide covers practical basics, not legal advice; if you have specific compliance questions, talk with a qualified professional.
Questions I hear a lot
Do accessibility improvements help SEO?
Many do. Clear headings, descriptive alt text, readable pages, and fast loading help both people and search engines.
Are accessibility overlay plugins enough?
Automated overlays can’t fix underlying problems in how a site is built. Real improvements to the site itself are more reliable.
If you want a second set of eyes
If you’d like me to run through these basics on your site, send it through the free website check. I build new sites with them in mind from the start. More on web design here.