Enhancing Web Accessibility: Making Your WordPress and Shopify Sites Inclusive for All Users

In today’s digital age, ensuring your website is accessible to all users is not just a nice-to-have—it’s a necessity. Accessibility means making your site usable by as many people as possible, including those with disabilities. For small and medium-sized business owners, e-commerce entrepreneurs, startups, designers, and developers, understanding and implementing web accessibility is crucial. Let’s explore why accessibility matters and how you can make your WordPress and Shopify sites inclusive for everyone.

Why Making Your Site Accessible Is Crucial for Success

Web accessibility ensures that everyone, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, can use your website effectively. This includes people with visual, auditory, cognitive, and motor impairments. But why is this important?

1. Legal Requirements: In many countries, web accessibility is a legal requirement. Failure to comply with accessibility standards can result in lawsuits and hefty fines. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the US and the Equality Act in the UK are just two examples of regulations that mandate accessible websites.
2. Broader Audience: Making your website accessible means reaching a wider audience. According to the World Health Organization, over 1 billion people worldwide have some form of disability. By ignoring accessibility, you could be excluding a significant portion of potential customers.
3. Enhanced User Experience: Accessible websites often provide a better overall user experience. Features designed for accessibility, such as clear navigation and readable text, benefit all users, not just those with disabilities.

Practical Tips for Enhancing Accessibility

Now that we understand the importance of web accessibility, let’s dive into some practical tips for making your WordPress and Shopify sites inclusive.

1. Use Descriptive Alt Text for Images

Alt text provides a textual description of images, which is essential for users who rely on screen readers. Make sure every image on your site includes descriptive alt text that conveys the purpose and content of the image.

“Alt text is like a secret decoder ring for images—make sure it’s accurate and helpful.”

2. Ensure Keyboard Navigation

Some users cannot use a mouse and rely on keyboard navigation instead. Ensure all interactive elements on your site, such as links, buttons, and forms, can be accessed and operated using the keyboard alone. Test your site by navigating it using the Tab key.

3. Use Clear and Consistent Layouts

A clear and consistent layout helps all users, especially those with cognitive disabilities, navigate your site more easily. Use headings, subheadings, and lists to break up content and make it more digestible. Ensure that your layout remains consistent across all pages.

4. Provide Text Transcripts for Audio and Video Content

For users with hearing impairments, provide text transcripts for audio and video content. This not only makes your content accessible but also improves your SEO by providing additional text for search engines to index.

5. Choose Accessible Themes and Plugins

When selecting themes and plugins for WordPress or Shopify, choose those that prioritise accessibility. Look for themes labelled as “accessibility-ready” and test plugins to ensure they don’t introduce accessibility issues.

Data Point:

According to WebAIM’s accessibility analysis, 98.1% of homepages have detectable WCAG 2 failures, highlighting the need for improved accessibility efforts.

6. Implement ARIA Landmarks

ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) landmarks help screen readers understand the structure of your webpage. Use ARIA roles, such as role="navigation" or role="main", to define the primary regions of your page.

7. Ensure Colour Contrast

Ensure that there is sufficient contrast between text and background colours to make your content readable for users with visual impairments. Use tools like the WebAIM Colour Contrast Checker to test your colour schemes.

Quirky Insight:

“Colour contrast is like coffee for your text—without it, everything looks dull and hard to read.”

8. Test with Real Users

One of the best ways to ensure your site is accessible is to test it with real users who have disabilities. Their feedback can provide valuable insights and help you make necessary adjustments.

Conclusion

Enhancing accessibility is not just about meeting legal requirements—it’s about creating an inclusive web experience for all users. By implementing these practical tips, you can ensure your WordPress and Shopify sites are accessible, user-friendly, and compliant with accessibility standards.

Are you ready to make your website inclusive for all users? At Two Hours Sleep, we specialise in bridging the gap between DIY platforms and full custom development, ensuring your site meets the highest accessibility standards. Contact us today to audit your website’s accessibility!