Creating a website that looks great is one thing. Ensuring the website design is for everyone is very different. Inclusive web design removes assumptions and bias that can make it hard for some people to benefit from the site due to demographics or impairment. Accessible and inclusive sites are not limiting in design, function, or performance in the search engines. Yet, if done well, they may increase leads and build your brand.
What Goes Into a Web Design for Everyone
There are numerous web development strategies that improve a website's overall accessibility, but there are several very important places to start.
User Navigation in Web Development
Making a site easy to navigate is good for all visitors. Your website navigation should lead a person from the landing page to the checkout page or contact form, but making it seamless is critical.
Create a logical page hierarchy that guides people through the website. Then, consider these additional strategies:
- Ensure each page heading is descriptive and accurate.
- Use consistent terms throughout the site for services, products, and actions.
- Incorporate a sticky navigation bar and a back-to-top button on the page.
- Keep page numbers minimal so as not to overwhelm others.
- Incorporate a search bar.
Ensure the Web Design Meets Accessibility Requirements
Establish a website that meets the US Department of Justice ADA rules. Your website development team will work with you to establish full ADA requirements. Some of those include:
- Ensure the site is perceivable, which means that it must be shown clearly and cannot be invisible to all senses. This includes using text alternatives for non-text components like your images or sensory experiences.
- Operable: The website also needs to allow users to carry out every operation from their keyboard, and interactions that cannot be performed in this way should be eliminated. It should not include flash content that could cause seizures.
- Understandable: The website also has to be easy for users to understand, including the use of alternatives for language.
- Robust: Ensure the website has content that is robust enough that assistive technologies can interpret it.
Utilize a Responsive Website Design
Ensure your website can work on all devices. That includes functionality on smartphones and desktops. That ensures that anyone can use the website efficiently. Consider factors such as how the design and layout function on various types of screen sizes. The layout should still be easy to navigate even if they are looking at your site on a smartphone
It is also essential to consider functionality features:
- Ensure images do not take too long to load.
- Avoid graphics that overtake the screen when a device is used on mobile.
- Consider usability testing to ensure that the site operates as it should on all platforms.
- Incorporate adjustments to site functionality that enable mobile users to easily navigate the process.
By investing in these updates and modernizations to your web design, you create new opportunities to welcome all visitors to the website, including those who would otherwise find it limiting or inaccessible.
It may initially seem overwhelming to consider what your website may need to reach these goals. However, an accessibility audit completed by your web development team can create action points that allow you to have a site that's robust, on-brand, and easy for everyone to use. Contact us now to learn how we can help you.