The world has integrated digital platforms into every aspect of our lives, while accessible web design amplifies the inclusivity of the internet, enabling everyone to freely navigate its waters.

The accessibility of the web has never been more crucial, particularly for entrepreneurs and others seeking to create websites to share their ideas, products, and services with the world. An accessible website means a smoother and fairer online experience for those who will accept these offerings, as network accessibility is not merely a technical requirement or a legal authorization, but also a social responsibility and a significant business opportunity.

In this blog post, let us delve into the realm of web accessibility, examining its roots, why it is important, and offering tips on how to make your website easily accessible in design.

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Table of contents

• What Is Web Accessibility?
• Who Manages Web Accessibility on the Internet?
• What Is WAI?
• What Is WCAG?
• Why Is It Important？
• The Benefits of Accessibility in Website Design
• 3 Tips for Accessibility on Website Designing
• Conclusion

What Is Web Accessibility?

Web accessibility refers to the processes that enterprises employ in developing or updating digital environments and attributes (such as websites and mobile applications). Web accessibility enables individuals with visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments to access and utilize a company's digital assets.

In simpler terms, website accessibility refers to the establishment of a site that is accessible to all visitors, meaning that individuals with disabilities or physical impairments can also access it. A well-designed webpage caters to a wider audience, whereas poor design restricts user interaction with the site, impacting website owners as potential customers are unable to generate a positive user experience, hindering purchase behaviors. As a result, the website may suffer from decreased conversion rates and customer attrition.

Who Manages Web Accessibility on the Internet?

So, you may ask, is there anyone on the internet who is specifically responsible for advocating for accessibility and working to implement it? The answer is the members of the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). This organization is responsible for publishing the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and related content.

What Is the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)?

The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) set up by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is a resource to make the Internet more accessible for disabled people. The W3C develops international standards for the Web: HTML, CSS, and many more.

The WAI develops standards and support materials to help you understand and implement accessibility. You can use W3C WAI resources to make your websites, applications, and other digital creations more accessible and usable for everyone.

What Is Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)?

Another way to understand accessibility technology is through the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is the set of guidelines underpinning most countries' accessibility legislation. The latest version is WCAG 2.1. These guidelines fall under four key categories.

Perceivable: The website should make sense to users with disabilities in order for content to be considered perceivable. As an illustration, consider creating alt text for photos, offering transcripts for audio and video files, and making sure that text and visuals have enough contrast.

Operable: This includes bodily responses, navigable online pages, keyboard accessibility and shortcuts, adequate time to work, legible headlines, and input modalities such as pointer movements and target size.

Understandable: This entails making material more accessible to all users and making sure navigational tools are reliable and offering input support to help users fix errors.

Robust: It means that numerous assistive technologies are compatible with it. In the end, web accessibility is a progressive method of developing websites that take into account the evolving demands of online users.

1.1.1 Non-text Content
Provide text alternatives for any non-text content so that it can be changed into other forms people need, such as large print, braille, speech, symbols or simpler language.1.2.4 Captions (Live)Audio description is provided for all prerecorded video content in synchronized media.1.4.1 Use of ColorColor is not used as the only visual means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element.Quote from: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1
1.2.4 Captions (Live)
Audio description is provided for all prerecorded video content in synchronized media.
1.4.1 Use of Color
Color is not used as the only visual means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element.
Quote from: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1

Here, The WCAG uses a rating system with three levels in place, including:

A level represents the minimum acceptable threshold for accessibility features, which fails to achieve widespread accessibility.

AA level signifies that a website possesses an acceptable level of compliance.

AAA level is most suitable for site design. Though not completely accessible, websites that adhere to WCAG standards are the closest in terms of accessibility.

Pro Tips: Our goal was to reach as many AAA criteria as possible, and not just the AA criteria required by the law.

Hence, WCAG employs a user experience (UX) and product design system that designers can study and refer to throughout the design process. Now that we are familiar with web accessibility, let's review why it is important.

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Why Is It Important？

Web accessibility is important, but it has become one of the most overlooked issues, with some organizations still lagging behind in compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Let's look at some data first.

• Currently, more than one billion people (15% of the global population) have disabilities. (World Health Organization, 2022)
• 75% of Americans with disabilities report using the internet on a daily basis. (Pew Research Center, 2021)
• Globally, the market that includes people with disabilities as well as their family, friends, and advocates is estimated to control over $13 trillion in annual disposable income. (The Return on Disability Group, 2020)
• Across the one million home pages, 56,791,260 distinct accessibility errors were detected at an average of 56.8 errors per page. (WebAIM, 2024)

From the data, it is evident that a significant portion of the disabled population is also accessing the Internet. Though not all disabilities impede an individual's ability to use the internet, it is undeniable that many circumstances can prevent someone from accessing websites that do not conform to WCAG standards. Implementing web accessibility enables businesses to reach a broader audience, indicating their commitment to providing services in a dignified and respectful manner for all users. Moreover, the company not only enhances the user experience for individuals with disabilities but also elevates the overall quality of its digital products, making its website more user-friendly. Ultimately, the objective of prioritizing website accessibility is to enable more users to access your site.

Website accessibility design offers numerous benefits – here are some of the most advantageous ones.

The Benefits of Accessibility in Website Design

01 Broader Market Reach

Recent visits may have uncovered a new niche market you inadvertently overlooked due to your inability to cater to their preferences. By prioritizing accessibility, businesses can enter previously untapped markets composed of millions of individuals with disabilities.

As a result, this strategy expanded the brand's potential customer base and positioned it as an inclusive leader. This is a socially conscious but also a strategic move that could boost revenue and improve market competitiveness.

02 Improved Brand Reputation

When satisfied users share your positive brand reputation through word-of-mouth, you witness a surge in new visitors and an organic increase in website coverage.

Considering accessibility measures on the website and ensuring that digital content is inclusive, reflecting the company's commitment to corporate social responsibility and inclusivity, significantly enhances its brand reputation and fosters positive relationships with users – factors that contribute to long-term success.

03 SEO Advantages

Incorporating accessible practices into website design not only caters to users with disabilities but also aligns seamlessly with best SEO (Search Engine Optimization) practices, offering a double advantage.

For instance, providing descriptive alternative text not only enables screen readers to access images but also aids search engines in understanding the content. By assisting search engine spiders in scrolling through your website architecture, you can enhance the visibility of search results, thereby boosting their ranking in search results.

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04 Improve UX

Web accessibility often brings your website design closer to the best practices that adhere to industry standards. In turn, this improves a superior experience for your website users.

There is a misconception that the accessible web pages sre solely for the benefit of certain groups, when in fact most people will experience some form of disability, whether temporary or permanent. For instance, an occasional hand injury might render one unable to use a mouse with ease. Through accessibility testing, enhanced usability is achieved by ensuring that all users can easily navigate and interact on digital platforms, regardless of their abilities.

05 Abide by Legal and Ethical Obligations

Many countries and regions have enacted laws and regulations that mandate web accessibility requirements. In addition to ensuring your website complies with WCAG standards, the National Disability Administration also recommends that website owners include an accessibility statement on their sites. This statement should emphasize your commitment to and compliance with accessibility guidelines, including the date of the most recent accessibility review and a schedule for addressing any areas that need correction.

Compliance with WCAG standards and the inclusion of an accessibility statement not only protects you from potential litigation; these actions will also help you win over potential customers.

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3 Tips for Accessibility on Website Designing

• Start studying guidelines and best practices. Accessibility can't be an afterthought. You've read this article - that's a great start to your web accessibility journey! Your next step is to delve deeper into the world of WCAG. As you create your own website, also review examples of other accessible websites for inspiration.
• Test your website. Test your website with a variety of accessibility tools and with participants who have a wide range of accessibility concerns to ensure user satisfaction. Before publishing, thoroughly check that your website meets at least a WCAG Level AA rating.
• View an accessible site as an ongoing process. It is vital to keep your website updated to reflect new and emerging best practices or standards.

Conclusion

In conclusion, accessibility for websites will be more and more important starting in 2024. Website design must be inclusive and accessible to all, given the increasing number of individuals with disabilities and the need to adhere to regulatory standards. Web developers, designers, and company owners may make sure that their websites are accessible to all users by adhering to the WCAG principles. Everyone may benefit from a more welcoming and easy-to-use online experience as a result.