Why website accessibility matters
By Melissa
Photo by Daniel Ali
Have you ever tried to navigate a website with your eyes closed? Or on a laptop without a mouse? Accessibility is about more than good UX or ticking a compliance box – it’s about empathy and creating a digital space that welcomes everyone.
So what does web accessibility actually mean?
Web accessibility is about designing websites that work for as many people as possible – including those with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments. That could mean adding alt text to images, ensuring sufficient colour contrast, or making sure your site works properly with a screen reader.
With the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) website build, lots of adjustments were made throughout the process and we had the opportunity to gain insight directly from visually impaired team members to ensure everyone has access to the website and its important information. The site is completely navigable via keyboard, and extra elements were added throughout the site in order to make the user journey easy with minimal input. Their site includes features like ARIA labels for better screen reader compatibility and skip navigation links.
Why does this matter to your organisation?
Because your website should reflect your values. And if those values include inclusivity, equality, and connection, then accessibility is essential. And an added bonus? It also improves your SEO and overall user experience. Google loves accessible websites almost as much as your audience will.
Where to from here?
WordPress – our CMS of choice – is perfectly equipped for accessibility improvements. Whether you’d like to build a new site or make improvements to an existing one, with the right expertise (hi there 👋), you can ensure that you have a meaningful site for your audience.
Get in touch if you’d like to start the accessibility conversation. We can help you figure out what’s possible, practical, and how best we can make your audience feel seen (and heard and understood – a Pomegranite speciality).