One thing that is very common in building codes is making sure that those that have a disability can access services just like their able-bodied counterparts. Websites are no different. Small business owners we speak to have not considered website accessibility when thinking about how users access websites. We explain why accessibility is important for small business websites and why you must consider it when building or updating your website.
What is Website Accessibility?
In the United States, the American’s with Disabilities Act requires websites be accessible to people of all abilities. Websites must be designed so people of all abilities can access information and purchase products. There are similar laws in other countries such as Great Britain. An accessible website is the right thing to do. It also makes good business sense. The more people who are able to visit and navigate your website, the more potential new and repeat business.
Lastly, a website that’s not accessible can set you up for a lawsuit. There were over 4,000 web accessibility lawsuits in 2024. The cost of settling, remediation and legal fees can run the gamut from $5,000 to $400,000 with the cost to most small businesses in the $15,000-$25,000 range.
One in four adults in the US have some type of disability. (Source: CDC)
Four Examples of Website Accessibility Issues
So you may be wondering if your website is accessible to all. There is no sure fire way without an accessibility audit from a professional specializing in accessibility. However, we have three examples of obvious red flags in which a website would not be accessible to all.
Text Contrast, or the Lack of It
This is the most common website accessibility issue – light color text on a light background. This does not provide enough contrast and may be unreadable for a vision- impaired person. Light colors and text may be a trend, but they are difficult, if not impossible for a vision impaired person to read. There is contrast checker at the bottom of this page in so you can check the colors against to see if there is enough contrast.
Site Toggle
Can a visitor move through your website using just the tab key? Many people with disabilities are unable to use a mouse so they rely on tabbing from link to link, sometimes using a joystick. If the website does not allow this navigation, it is frustrating for a disabled person. Go to your website and try to navigate using just the tab key. Does it skip menu items? Does it jump around in a way that seems out of order? Then it does not pass this test.
Form Field Labels
This is another really common one and kind of a big deal. If your form’s website has the labels inside the field boxes, someone using a screen reader cannot read them. At all. That means those form fields are essentially meaningless to those site visitors. And they will be unable to full out your form(s). There is easy fix to this – we place the form field labels above each form field. That way, form field labels can be read both by humans and screen readers.
Missing Alt Text
The third common issue is websites don’t include alt text on images that allow information to be read by screen readers. If a blind person visits a website using a screen reader, the website the screen reader communicates what user cannot see visually. In essence, the alt text allows a screen reader to read a description of the image. A visually imparted person may not be able to see the image, but they get an understanding of what it is communicating from the alt text description. Note that images that are purely decorative do not need alt text – because the image itself does not convey any information beyond what’s written on the web page.
Also read: The Five Elements Every Small Business Website Needs
Helpful Tips For Website Accessibility
Accessibility is of utmost importance in website design and development. Here are tips to get started.
- View accessibility as an opportunity, not an obstacle in the process of building your website.
- Make website accessibility a focus of the design of your website from the start, not an afterthought.
- Acquaint yourself with the resources provided below to learn what goes into building for accessibility.
- Allocate additional time and financial resources to address accessibility for your website.
- Enlist the help of a website developer well versed in this accessibility as it is extremely important.
- The Web Accessibility Initiative provides a free resource for developing an accessibility policy – you can use their Minimal Example, their Compete Example or their policy Generator Tool.
- And if you need help, we’re here to assist you.
Resources: W3C Web Accessibility Initiative, Text Contrast Checker
