Why Your WordPress Website Design Package Should Include Accessibility Features
As the internet becomes more integrated into our daily lives, websites must be accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities. This is where accessibility features come into play. For businesses and organisations that use WordPress, your website design package must include these features to ensure all users have equal access to your website’s content and functionality.
In this article, we’ll explore the importance of accessibility in WordPress website design and why it should be a priority for businesses of all sizes. We’ll also closely examine some of the key accessibility features in your WordPress website design package.
Why Accessibility Matters
Accessibility is a matter of inclusivity. When a website is inaccessible to certain groups of people, it excludes them from participating fully in our increasingly digital world. This is particularly important to businesses and organisations, which should strive to serve as broad an audience as possible.
In addition to the ethical considerations, there are also legal requirements for website accessibility. In many countries, including the United States and Europe, businesses and organisations are required to make their websites accessible to people with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1.
By including accessibility features in your WordPress website design package, you can ensure that your website complies with these regulations and that you’re not leaving yourself open to potential legal action.
Key Accessibility Features
Now that we’ve established the importance of website accessibility let’s look at some of the key features that should be included in your WordPress website design package.
Alt Text for Images
Alt text briefly describes an image that screen readers read for visually impaired people. Including alt text ensures that everyone can understand the content of an image, even if they can’t see it. Alt text should be descriptive and concise but also provide context for the image.
Keyboard Navigation
Not everyone can navigate a website using a mouse or other pointing device. For this reason, keyboard navigation is essential for website accessibility. This means making sure that all website functions can be accessed using only the keyboard, including links, forms, and other interactive elements.
Contrast and Colour
Colour contrast is important for people with low vision or colour blindness. Ensuring that there is enough contrast between text and background colours can make a big difference in the usability of your website. You should also avoid relying on colour alone to convey important information.
Closed Captions and Transcripts
For videos and other multimedia content, closed captions and transcripts are essential for accessibility. These features ensure that people who are deaf or hard of hearing can still understand the content of the video. They can also be helpful for people who are non-native speakers or who have difficulty understanding certain accents.
Headings and Hierarchy
Clear headings and a logical hierarchy are essential for usability and accessibility. Headings allow users to quickly recognise the structure of a page and navigate to the content they’re interested in. They also help screen readers to understand the content of the page.
Conclusion
In today’s digital age, website accessibility is more important than ever. By including accessibility features in your WordPress website design package, you can guarantee that your website is inclusive and compliant with legal requirements. At Sanders Design, we prioritise accessibility in our web design packages to ensure our clients can reach the broadest possible audience. If you want to learn more about our WordPress website design services and how we can help you create an accessible website, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.
