Building Websites for Everyone: Accessibility Best Practices for UK Businesses.

Ey up, let's make the web truly accessible! In this digital age, having a website is a must for almost any business. But it's not just about having a website; it needs to be easy for everyone to use, no matter their abilities. This includes folks with disabilities, making up about 20% of the population here in the UK.

Making your website accessible isn't just the decent thing to do; it's also good for business. Studies show that accessible websites boast higher conversion rates, lower bounce rates, and better SEO.

Accessibility in the UK:

Our government has laid out guidelines on making websites accessible, inspired by the global Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).The key principles of WCAG are simple:

Perceivable:

Everyone should be able to perceive the information and user interface, regardless of their sensory or cognitive abilities.

Operable:

The user interface and navigation should be operable by everyone, no matter their motor abilities.

Understandable:

Information and user interface operation should be understandable by everyone, regardless of language skills, reading level, or cognitive abilities.

Robust:

Content must be robust enough for interpretation by a wide range of user agents, including assistive technologies.

Getting Started

If you're scratching your head on where to begin, here are some handy resources:

GOV.UK Guidance and tools for digital accessibility: This website offers comprehensive guidance, tools, and checklists for meeting legal requirements and best practices for making websites accessible.

AbilityNet: This UK-based charity offers free tools, advice,and training on digital accessibility for websites and workplaces.

RNIB Website Accessibility Checker: This tool provided by the Royal National Institute of Blind People helps identify basic accessibility issues on websites.

World Wide Web Consortium (W3C): The organization behind WCAG, with a wealth of info on accessibility.

Remember, making your website accessible is an investment that pays off for your business and customers. Follow the UK accessibility guidelines and the nuggets of wisdom in this blog post, and you'll craft a website that's inclusive and welcoming to everyone.

Bonus Tips:

• Alt Text for Images: Describe your images for screen reader users.
• Clear and Concise Language: Skip the jargon and tech talk.
• Sans-Serif Fonts: Use easy-to-read fonts.
• High Contrast Ratio: Ensure a clear contrast between text and background.
• Keyboard Navigation: Make sure your website is navigable without a mouse.
• Test with Assistive Technologies: Use screen readers and magnifiers to ensure your website is accessible to everyone.

Following these tips ensures your website is a welcome space for everyone.