The website accessibility has a great impact on the user experience (UX) you are trying to create and offer to your prospects. Web accessibility is more about offering access to web pages and the content inside them to anyone and everyone regardless of the impairment users have. That is the reason why it’s said web accessibility and user experience (UX) go hand in hand. If a website is failing to offer optimized web accessibility then it can directly affect the website user experience (UX).
The reason why most businesses look to hire an experienced website design company for their business is that they are aware of the fact that highly experienced professionals will ensure accessibility and UX as their top priority. If your website goal is to reach maximum users and convert them into paying customers then you need to ensure that your website is optimized for responsiveness and accessibility. But the question comes down to how websites and businesses can improve their web accessibility for a better user experience (UX)?
If you are scrolling the internet to find the answer for the same then you have landed on the right article where we are going to highlight some of the important points on how you can make your website design more accessible for a better user experience. Apart from that, we will also be highlighting the benefits your business will by optimizing web accessibility
If you are looking for the award-winning best website design to enhance your website appearance then make sure to check our blog on 36 Best Award-Winning Website Designs To Consider in 2021
An Overview Of Web Accessibility Role in User Experience (UX)
Web accessibility allows every user of all abilities to interact with the web design, access every small element, grab valuable information, and much more. Most importantly by improving web accessibility businesses allow site visitors to enjoy the website browsing experience, regardless of the impairment users may have. When you plan to improve website accessibility then you are not only making your website more interactive but also ensuring that your site visitor gets the best user experience (UX) which they can not get on other websites.
Today most of the businesses have already shifted to online platforms and others are planning to reach maximum users by moving to online platforms. That is the reason why most of the users have started to look for information and products/services in the form of solutions on online platforms. Earlier having a website used to be essential for business, but the competition has raised the bar by making it necessary for every website to have an optimized website design for a better user experience (UX).
Website accessibility and responsiveness have become the primary key to get online success. That is the reason why most businesses today look to hire an award-winning WordPress web design company for their website and business. Your existing business website might be offering help and problem-solving information or product/services to the user. But if the design is making it difficult for the user to access your website then they will leave your website design without having any second thoughts.
A report by WHO stated that nearly 15% of the world population experience some or other kind of disabilities. Not only that but today nearly 26% of US adults suffer from different kinds of disabilities. Among them, 4.6% of the adults experience vision impairment and 5.9% of the users have hearing problems. They might be experiencing vision or hearing impairment but their needs are very much similar to the other user visiting your website.
That is the reason why it’s essential that you don’t underestimate the importance of improving website accessibility. By improving your website accessibility you are not only making your web design and its elements accessible to anyone and everyone but also ensuring that users landing on your website design are able to get the best experience. If users adding on your website come across any issues related to website design and development then they will simply leave your website and never return back on it.
Earlier the internet was only used by the tech geeks but now it has become one of the primary sources for information, entertainment, and more. That is the reason why businesses should look into creating a website design that is easily accessible and responsive on all types of devices. But the question comes down to how businesses can enhance web accessibility for a better user experience?
In the coming paragraphs, we are going to highlight every small detail about how businesses can improve their web accessibility. But before that let’s take a look into why web accessibility is needed more than ever?
If you are looking to explore the ADA accessibility checklist for your website and business then make sure to check our blog on ADA Checklist: ADA Website Compliance Guidelines To Follow In 2021
What Is Web Accessibility?
Web accessibility is all about making every small element in your website design accessible to anyone and everyone landing on your website, regardless of the impairment they have. The goal behind improving website accessibility is to make every small element including the CTAs, content, audio/video files, images, and more accessible to site visitors for a better user experience.
When you plan to design or redesign your existing website then you need to keep accessibility and responsiveness of the website so that users landing on your website don’t feel disappointed with your website and business. That is the reason why businesses look to hire an experienced website design company for their business because they are aware of the fact that if the website is failing to offer an optimized user experience then it can result in lower traffic and conversion.
By improving your web accessibility you ensure that your website and business are able to welcome more and more site visitors to the website. It also ensures that users landing on your website get the best user experience that they can’t experience on another website. Today internet users make use of different technologies like braille terminals, screen readers, and more to access the web page. By making your website accessible you ensure that users are able to access the web page and understand its purpose using different technologies.
Why is accessibility important for website UX?
One of the primary reasons why businesses should look into improving their web accessibility is that it helps in enhancing website user experience (UX). Once your website is able to offer an optimized user experience then you will automatically be able to lower your website bounce rate, enhance your website engagement rate, traffic, and most importantly conversion.
By improving your web accessibility your business is moving one step further by welcoming visually and hearing impaired users on the website and ensuring that they get the best experience while navigating and engaging with the website and its elements. That is the reason why it’s said that by enhancing your web accessibility you will be increasing your target audience and ensuring that your product/services reach a maximum number of users.
Today most of the visually and hearing impaired users feel separated just because they fail to access the website as other people do. But the ADA (American with disabilities act) has been introduced in the US ensures that every public and private website should ensure that their website design is easily accessible by anyone and everyone. If a website is failing to meet the ADA guidelines then there are high chances that both website and business can land into legal trouble.
In the past, many websites like Amazon, Netflix, and more have faced these types of legal troubles just because their web design was not accessible. So if you wonder why businesses need to improve web accessibility then there are different reasons available that can convince you to improve your web accessibility by hiring an experienced WordPress web design company for your website and business. Let’s take a look at some of them:
1. Helps in increasing target audience reach
One of the primary reasons why businesses should look into improving their web accessibility is because it helps in increasing the target audience’s reach. As we have mentioned earlier by making your web design accessible you ensure that any user with any kind of disabilities is easily able to engage with your website design. Today one in five users in the US suffer from some or other kind of disabilities but their needs are similar to other users landing on your website.
There are high chances that other users might be looking for your product/services but due to poor web accessibility, they are failing to reach your website and business. By improving your web accessibility you ensure that users landing on your website are easily able to navigate your website, understand the purpose of the page and perform the desired action. If you are failing to offer an optimized website then there are high chances that your prospects might look for other options.
Today every website looks to drive maximum traffic on their website and they are aware of the fact that web accessibility has become one of the crucial factors to accomplish the desired goal. There are high chances that your competitor might have optimized their website accessibility by hiring an experienced website design company for their business. If you are failing to offer optimized web accessibility then your competitor’s website might drive your potential customers on their website and convert them into paying customers.
Not only that but there are high chances that users may start recommending your competitor’s website to others. If you wonder why you need to improve your web accessibility then remember it helps in increasing your target audience reach and allows you to welcome more and more users to your website.
2. Improve business reputation
If you are running a website for a long time then you must be aware of the fact that the business and website reputation has become one of the key factors to drive more traffic and conversion to the website. When it comes to improving the website and business reputation then businesses should pay close attention to the website accessibility. If a user landing on your website faces difficulties in accessing the website design and the elements inside it then it will create a negative experience which can automatically create a bad impression about your business.
On the other hand, if a user with visual and hearing impairment lands on your website design and finds it easy to navigate and access every element in your website then outs can create a positive experience. There are high chances that if an impaired user finds your website accessible then they will always recommend your website to others and write a positive review about your website and business.
Because there are a number of websites that feel like they meet accessibility requirements. Due to that most of the impaired users have to face a lot of disappointment and problems. By engaging your web accessibility you ensure that every user leaving your website feels satisfied and returns back to make the future purchase. The more accessible website design you create and offer the more satisfied your site visitor will feel after landing on your website.
Most of the time businesses look to hire an experienced website design company for their website and business because they are aware of the fact that an experienced hand will ensure to create a website design that enhances business reputation and encourages more and more site visitors to visit the website and make the final purchase.
3. Improve website SEO & ranking.
Improving web accessibility not only helps in enhancing website user experience (UX) but also ensures that the website ranks higher for target keywords. Most of the time websites spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on SEO but still fail to rank their web page on the top. There are a number of factors that decide the website ranking, one among them is web accessibility. Web accessibility is connected to a number of factors as it helps in enhancing website engagement rate, usability, and most importantly user experience. So we can take web accessibility on top of the list of ranking factors.
If your website is failing to improve accessibility then it will become difficult for the user as well as a search engine to understand the purpose of the page which will result in lower traffic and ranking. When you plan to improve your web accessibility then it becomes essential for you to look into things like using alt text for the image, making use of transcripts for video/audio, and many more. All these practices will not only help the user with disabilities but also allow search engine bot to understand the purpose of the website and the element inside it.
The more clear ideas search engines have about your website the easier it will become for you to rank on the search engine result page. Whenever a search engine bot lands on your website design then they look at every small element to understand its purpose. So by improving web accessibility you are also improving the chances of getting your website ranked on the top in the search engine result page.
To do that it’s always recommended to get your website designed by an experienced WordPress web design company and SEO agency whose experienced SEO and web design professionals can help you to create an effective strategy that enhances your web design and encourages more and more site visitors to explore your website and perform the desired action.
Most of the time after getting a website redesigned site owners come across various SEO-related issues. If your website is facing the same then make sure to check our blog on How To Redesign A Website Without Losing SEO?
4. Allows you to stay away from legal hurdles
If your business is operating in the US then remember you need to meet accessibility requirements that fall under the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA act clearly states that the website design you create and offer should be accessible to anyone and everyone regardless of the disabilities they have. Earlier websites used to focus only on appearance but now it has become essential for every private and public website to make them accessible to visually and hearing-impaired users.
If you are failing to offer a website design with optimized accessibility then it might land your business and website in legal trouble. Many popular websites like Amazon, Netflix, and more have faced legal hurdles just because their website design was not accessible by the user. Once your business lands into legal trouble then you might have to spend money on different expenses like legal fees, settlement fees, public relation problems, and many more.
Instead of spending money on legal issues, you can get your website redesigned by an experienced WordPress web design company that can help you to enhance your WordPress website accessibility and ensure that every user landing on your website is able to access the website design your business is offering.
5. Helps in improving site usability and UX
As we have mentioned multiple times that by improving website usability you are engaging your website user experience as well as usability. In today’s competitive marketplace it has become essential for websites and businesses to create and offer website design with better usability and user experience. Or we can say it has become one of the key factors to drive more traffic and conversion on the website.
Better website usability leads to a positive experience but if your website is failing to offer the same then it will increase your website bounce rate and there are high chances that you will start getting more negative reviews. By enhancing your website usability you will allow every user landing on your website to access every small valuable information and ensure that they are getting the best user experience.
If you are wondering why you need to improve your website accessibility then remember it helps in enhancing your website usability and UX. But for that you need to ensure that you are hiring the best and highly experienced WordPress web design company that can help you to enhance your website design as well as accessibility for better conversion and ROI.
If you are someone looking to know more about ADA compliances then make sure to check our blog on ADA Checklist: ADA Website Compliance Guidelines To Follow In 2021
How to improve website accessibility for better UX
By now you must have a clear idea about why web accessibility is important for website user experience (UX). When it comes to listing the benefits of having an accessible website then there are a number of ways web accessibility can help your website and business starting from improving your business credibility to enhancing the traffic and conversion on the website. But for that, you need to be aware of how you can improve your web accessibility for a better user experience (UX). Below we are going to highlight some of the important tips and techniques that can help you to enhance your web accessibility and user experience:
1. Select the right CMS
The CMS you select for your website will define the accessibility and usability of your website. Today almost every website on the internet makes use of CMS as it makes it easy for the site owners to manage and post content on their website. But if you end up selecting the wrong CMS for your website and business then it will directly impact your website and business. That is the reason why businesses should pay special attention while selecting the CMS for their website.
With the increase in the number of CMS, most of the websites get confused in selecting the right one for their business. WordPress and Drupal are among the two most widely used CMS mainly “WordPress” as it powers 40% of the website on the internet. If you are looking to select the right CMS for your website then WordPress is always our primary recommendation. Before you select the CMS for your website it’s always recommended to identify your requirements as it will make the CMS selection process much easier.
After selecting the CMS you need to look into selecting the right theme and plugin for your website. Most of the time the themes and plugins you select will decide the accessibility of your website. If you are looking to know more about the best wordpress theme and plugin then make sure to check our blog on:
10 Best WordPress Themes To Use In 2021
15 Best WordPress Plugins Every User Must Be Using In 2021
If you are adding different editing tools, video players and more to your website then make sure it allows you to make it accessible, regardless of the impairment users have. Most of the time these addons become the primary reason behind inaccessible website design. If you are getting your website designed by an experienced website design company then you don’t have to worry about the CMS and web accessibility, as they will ensure to create a website design that performs well in every aspect right from driving more user to the website to converting them into paying customers by offering best user experience(UX).
If you are running a wordpress website and looking to know how you can improve wordpress website accessibility then make sure to check our blog on 9 Tips To Improve WordPress Website Accessibility In 2021
2. Make use of skip navigation
Today every website makes use of a different type of content like text, video, infographics, and audio to engage more and more site visitors on the website. While the strategy works well for every website, you need to ensure that all the content on your website is easily accessible by anyone and everyone. Users visiting your website might have different impairments due to which they might use different tools and technologies to access your website design.
A screen reader is one of the most widely used tools by every visually impaired user. By making content in your website accessible you ensure that users landing on your website are able to access every content in your web design. If you are running the website for long then you must be aware of the fact that instead of reading every text in the web design user scans the web page.
That means if a user is making use of the screen reader then it will become different from them scanning the page because a search reader is not smart enough to scan the page. Instead, they start reading every text from the top and end at the bottom of the page. These types of situations can frustrate the user and there are high chances that users might leave your website without performing the desired action.
To avoid that it is recommended to make use of the skip navigation in your website. Using skip navigation in your website will allow users to skip the text on the top and directly jump on the content on your website. By doing this you are not only improving web accessibility but also ensuring that users landing on your website are able to get the best user experience. If you don’t wish to show the link to abled bodies then you are free to hide it by moving it outside the browser viewport with the help of CSS.
So if you are looking to enhance your web accessibility for better UX then it’s always recommended to make use of skip navigation. On the other hand, if you are getting your website designed by an experienced website design company then you don’t have to worry about skipping navigation as they will ensure that your website is highly responsive and easily accessible.
The navigation of your website can make and break your business that is the reason why we recommend you to go through some of the proven points on how you can enhance your website navigation which we have highlighted in our well-crafted article WordPress website Navigation Guide: Improve Your WordPress website navigation Using Proven Tips In 2021
3. Make sure the web page is keyboard friendly
While skip navigation is one of the crucial factors that can help in improving web accessibility, making your website keyboard-friendly is another important step then you can add to your web accessibility checklist. The web design you create and offer should be easily accessed with the help of a keyword or keyboard equivalent. Most of the time users who can not use conventional point-to-interact devices like a mouse make use of the keyboard to interact with the web design.
That is the reason why it is recommended to arrange the element hierarchical order and create a simple and organized navigation menu so the user is easily able to access the important element with the help of the keyboard. When it comes to improving web accessibility then the website information architecture and visual hierarchy will play a major role in deciding how easily users are able to access your website using the keyboard.
When a user tries to access elements like video, CTA, content, and more in your web design then they make use of the tab key in the keyboard. So you need to ensure that users are easily and quickly able to switch the element with the help of the tab key. Remember the placement of the elements in your web design will decide how easily users are able to access your website design with the help of a keyboard.
That is the reason why it is recommended to consult with an experienced web design company that can help you with your website design as well as the selection and placement of the elements in your web design. If you are looking to know the award-winning best website design which can be used as inspiration while designing the website then make sure to check our blog on 36 Best Award-Winning Website Designs To Consider in 2021
4. Use alt text for images
Earlier we have mentioned multiple times that if you wish to improve your web accessibility for a better user experience (UX) then it’s recommended to make use of the alt text for images you add to your website. Undoubtedly images have become one of the most effective ways to draw site visitors’ attention but what if your site visitor has a vision impairment. By adding the alt text in your website design you ensure that users landing on your website are able to understand the image purpose regardless of the impairment they have.
If a visually impaired user is making use of the screen reader tool then the alt text you add for your images will allow visually impaired users to understand its purpose. Using alt text in your website images not only allows you to improve web accessibility but also ensures that your website and web pages are able to get a higher ranking on the search engine result page.
If you are making use of wordpress then you will find the alt text option in the right sidebar while uploading the images. However, if you are using a custom-coded web design for your business then you need to add the alt text in your code.
Remember by using the alt text in your image you try to deliver the purp[soe of the images to the visually impaired user and search engine. But if you are using the image just for decoration purposes then it’s recommended to avoid adding alt text as it can confuse site visitors as well as search home. So when it comes to optimizing your website for better accessibility and user experience then it is recommended to add alt text in images.
5. Always place the important elements on the top
As we have mentioned earlier that by making your website keyboard friendly you will be able to improve your website accessibility. But when it comes to engaging user experience keeping accessibility in mind then it’s always recommended to plan the important element on the top. Wonder why? Because users landing on your website might be in a hurry or looking to access the product or information as quickly as possible.
By placing the important element in the middle or at the button you are not only reducing the chances of conversion but there are high chances that users might leave your website without performing the desired action.
To do that it’s recommended to start with analyzing the element depending on their importance. You can ask different questions like what users will look for after landing on your website? It’s recommended not to decide the importance of elements depending on your website and business interest. Instead, you can determine the importance depending on users’ needs.
Once you are aware of the important element in your web design then you can look into how many times users have to press the tab key to reach the important element in your web design. The longer it takes to reach the important element or the more time users have to press the tab key to land on the important element chances of conversion will automatically start reducing.
On the other hand, the faster users are able to access the element the higher chances will be to convert them into paying customers. Earlier users with impairment used to adjust with any kind of website digest but now when more and more websites are focused on enhancing their web accessibility. If users are failing to access the information then they will simply leave your website without having any second thoughts. So when it comes to enhancing web accessibility then you need to place the important elements on the top of your web page.
If you are getting your website designed by an experienced WordPress web design company then you don’t have to worry about the element placement as they will ensure to create a website design that drives more traffic, engages more customers, and encourages site visitors to explore more about the website and business.
6. Spend time selecting the right set of color
The color you select for your website will also play a major role in determining your web accessibility. Undoubtedly color plays a crucial role in grabbing user attention and making a website and brand memorable. But sometimes the colors in the website become the primary reason behind lower traffic and conversion. That’s the reason why it is said the color you select for your website will play a major role in deciding whether the user will perform the desired action or not.
Today there are many cases of color blindness among users that are making it difficult for them to engage with the website design. Mainly the cases of red-green color deficiency are continuously increasing. If your website is making use of the red or green color for the important elements then there are high chances that users might end up missing those elements. That is the reason why it is recommended to use different colors for important elements like CTA.
Apart from that when you create your website design make sure you select the background and foreground color in a way that does not confuse site visitors. Most of the time users fail to differentiate between the background and foreground elements that lead to a higher bounce rate and lower engagement rate.
So when you plan to select the color for your website design you need to use light color against dark color so that site visitors can engage with the website design your offering to them. You can also make use of different visual indicators like an asterisk, question mark, and more to make your website design more effective and result-driven.
If you’re getting your website design by an experienced WordPress web design company then you don’t have to worry about color selection as they will ensure to create a highly accessible and responsive web design that enhances your website and encourages more and more site visitors to explore more about your product/services and become your paying customer
7. Define the meaning of the title attribute in the hyperlink
When it comes to improving web accessibility then you can look into defining the title attribute in the hyperlink. If a savvy internet user is landing on your website then they will look at every detail about where they are landing after clicking on a particular link. Until and unless they have proper knowledge about what they are clicking they will not show interest in taking action. Even if a visually impaired user is landing on your website they will look to know where the displayed hyperlink will redirect them.
That is the reason why it’s essential for the website to add a title attribute in every hyperlink so that they convince users to click on the mentioned hyperlink. By adding the title attribute you ensure that the screen reader is able to tell site visitors about the purpose of the hyperlink in the web page. But here is the take when you create the title attribute, avoid using the same text that you are using on the link.
Remember when it comes to the title attribute you are getting extra space to deliver a clear idea about why the user needs to click on the link. Instead of using the same text as the link on the text, we recommend you take the advantage of it by being more descriptive about the CTA and hyperlink. You can make use of a keyword, showcase the hyperlink and CTA purpose, and most importantly use the persuasive word that can encourage users to take action on the displayed hyperlink and CTA.
The reason why today most businesses look to hire an experienced website design company is that they are aware of the fact that the value an experienced web design professional can bring to the business can never be compared with the DIY or freelanced website design. They ensure to create and offer a research-based design that drives more traffic and conversion on the website.
8. Using the heading correctly
The next thing we recommend you to look into is arranging and using the headlines correctly. It plays a crucial role in enhancing your web accessibility as well as the user experience of the website. Wonder how? By using the headlines correctly you are helping users to find the right that they are looking at your website quickly without facing any difficulties. Sometimes ambiguous headlines become the primary reason behind high bounce rates and lower conversion rates.
If an impaired user lands on your website then their content engagement decision will depend on how relatable the headline is with the content. The screen reader will read both the headline and content, if users are failing to find the relation between content and headline then they will simply abandon your website without having any second thought. Because the headline helps them to decide whether the content inside the web page is right for them or not.
Today every user landing on your website looks at the headline before they start engaging with the content. That is the reason why we recommend you to use proper header tags in a hierarchical way. Because today it’s not only about the H1 or the header tag but the subtags you use on your website. When you plan to create the content for your website you need to ensure that the subheaders are marked properly with H1, H2. H3, H4, and so on.
By breaking them into proper subtags you ensure that users landing on your website are easily able to engage with the content and differentiate between them. This way you are not only helping users but also allowing search engines to crawl your website more smartly which will result in better ranking on the search engine result page.
When it comes to arranging the header make sure you are using the H1 tag only one in your web design for a single content. Once you’re done marking the H1 tag you can move to H2 and if the H2 contains any sub-heading you can mark it with the H3 tag.
9. Make use of tables only for tabular data
When it comes to enhancing website accessibility then you can look to avoid one of the common mistakes that are committed by most of the websites unfamiliar with accessibility guidelines. Using tables in the website design helps site owners to make their design look more effective and structured but sometimes it becomes the major reason behind higher bounce rate. Wonder how? If a visually impaired user lands on your website then they make use of a screen reader tool to access the content inside the website.
If a screen reader comes across any kind of table in the web design then instead of delivering the content inside it, the screen reader tool will start to tell the user that the page contains x rows and columns. By listening to this there are high chances that users might get confused and leave your website design without performing the desired action. Because these types of practices frustrate users and offer a negative impression about your website and business.
Instead of making use of tables in your web design you can use CSS representation, it will help you to deliver the right purpose without frustrating users on your website. But sometimes it becomes essential for websites and businesses to make use of the tabular data in the website. If that is the case then we recommend you use a header for rows and columns to make it easy for the visually impaired user to access the data on your tables.
If you are looking to create a highly responsive and conversion-centric website design that comes with better accessibility then it’s always recommended to hire an experienced wordpress web design company for your website and business.
10. Make Sure The Form Is Easily Accessible
Last but not least when it comes to improving web accessibility than it’s recommended to make the form in your website accessible. While there are a number of things that you can look into like the website CTA, multimedia element, and more. But most of the time even after getting clicks on the CTA website they fail to get their site visitor’s information due to poor form accessibility. The forms on your website help site visitors to communicate with your website and business.
If the field in your forms is falling to highlight its purpose then the user might get confused and will face difficulties while submitting the form. By offering ambiguous forms you are not only discouraging users to fill your forms but there are high chances they may not return back on your website. That is the reason why when you plan to create the forms for your website you need to ensure that every field and option in your form should be accessible by anyone and everyone.
If you are willing to ask your site visitors full name then instead of labeling the options with “Name” you need to ensure that you are labeling it as “Full Name”. This way your site visitors will have a clear knowledge about what they need to offer. To make the form more effective you can divide the name section into three parts “First Name” “Middle Name” “Last Name” where you can keep the middle name is optional.
When it comes to accessibility you need to ensure that users are easily able to switch to different options using the tab option. This way you will be able to enhance your website and form accessibility. If any of the two options in your form relate to each other then it’s always recommended to group them together for more effective results.
Conclusion
By now you must have a good idea about Why is accessibility important for website UX? And different ways you can improve your web accessibility for a better user experience. Regular accessibility always leads to a better user experience (UX). But sometimes websites end up thinking that a great user experience is only achieved by creating and offering aesthetically pleasing designs to the audience.
While website aesthetics always plays a crucial role in enhancing user experience, website accessibility, usability, and responsiveness are among the impact factors of the engine website user experience. Adding elements in your website design might be easy but you need to ensure that every small element in your web design is easily accessible by every user landing on your website, regardless of the impairment they have.
One way to achieve this is by hiring an experienced wordpress web design company that can help you to create a highly attractive and conversion-centric website design that grabs more site visitors attention and encourages site visitors to become paying customers.