Accessibility basics: how to make your website more inclusive.
A great website should look good, feel easy to use, and work for everyone. Accessibility is what makes that possible.
When your site is accessible, it means people with different abilities can read your content, use your forms, and move through your pages without frustration. It’s a simple idea, but it makes a huge impact.
Accessibility isn’t about perfection or rules. It’s about being thoughtful and creating a website that welcomes everyone.
Think about who might visit your website
Accessibility is really about people. It’s about removing barriers so anyone can use your site comfortably. That might include someone who uses a screen reader, someone with limited vision, someone who can’t use a mouse, or even someone trying to read your site on their phone while sitting outside in bright light.
When you start thinking about all the different ways people might experience your website, accessibility stops feeling like a technical chore and starts feeling like good hospitality. You’re simply making it easier for everyone to visit, read, and interact with what you’ve created.
Make your text easy to read
The simplest way to make your site more accessible is to make your content easy to read.
Check that the colors you’re using for text and backgrounds have enough contrast. If the contrast is too low, your text can be hard to see for people with visual impairments or even for those just scrolling on their phones in sunlight. Black text on a white background is the easiest to read, but there are plenty of combinations that work well. You can check yours using free tools like WebAIM’s Contrast Checker.
Also pay attention to your fonts and sizes. Stick to clean, legible fonts and avoid using tiny text. Aim for a font size of at least 16 pixels for your main text and larger for headings.
Readable text helps everyone, not just people with vision challenges.
Make sure your website works with a keyboard
Not everyone uses a mouse to move around a website. Some people use their keyboard instead, pressing the Tab key to move from one section to the next.
Try this yourself: set your mouse aside and use only your keyboard to move around your website. Can you reach every link, button, and form? Can you tell where you are on the page as you move through it?
If the answer is no, a few small adjustments can make a big difference. Clear focus indicators (the visible outline that shows which button or link is selected) help people know exactly where they are on the page.
When your site works well with just a keyboard, it’s more accessible and usually easier for everyone to use.
Add alt text to every image
Alt text is short for “alternative text,” and it describes what’s in an image for people who can’t see it. Screen readers use this text to explain what’s on the page, and search engines use it to understand your visuals.
Adding alt text is simple. Just write a short, specific description of what’s in the image.
For example:
Instead of “photo1.jpg,” try “woman smiling during professional headshot session.”
You don’t need to write “image of” or “photo of.” Just describe what’s happening.
Alt text helps people who use screen readers, improves accessibility, and gives your site an SEO boost at the same time.
Organize content with headings
Headings aren’t just there to make your pages look nice. They also help visitors and screen readers understand the structure of your content.
Use one main heading (H1) for the page title, then use smaller headings (H2, H3) to break up sections. Avoid skipping levels, since that can confuse both readers and assistive technology.
Think of your headings like a roadmap. They make your page easier to scan, and they tell visitors where they are within the flow of your content.
Write clear, descriptive links
Links like “click here” or “learn more” don’t tell people much. For someone using a screen reader, those phrases all sound the same and give no clue about where the link leads.
Instead, use descriptive links that explain what someone will find if they click.
For example:
“Learn more about my headshot photography sessions.”
“See recent website design projects.”
“Read my guide to planning a brand photoshoot.”
Clear, descriptive links are easier to understand and more helpful for everyone.
Don’t rely on color alone
If you use color to show meaning, such as red for errors or green for success, make sure there’s another way to convey the same information.
Not everyone sees color the same way, and some visitors may have difficulty distinguishing between certain shades. Adding text labels, symbols, or icons ensures that everyone gets the same message.
Accessibility means providing multiple ways for people to understand what’s on your site.
Include captions or transcripts for videos
If your website has videos, always include captions or a written transcript. Captions help people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and transcripts make your content accessible to anyone who prefers reading instead of listening.
Most video platforms like YouTube or Vimeo make it easy to upload captions. Automatic captions are a good start, but it’s worth reviewing them for accuracy.
Captions also help your SEO because they make your video content searchable.
Test your site regularly
Accessibility isn’t something you do once and forget about. It’s an ongoing habit of checking and improving.
You can use free tools like WAVE or axe DevTools to scan your site for accessibility issues. These tools highlight areas that might be hard for users to navigate or read.
You can also do simple tests yourself. Try using your site on a phone, zooming in to 200 percent, or browsing with your keyboard. Experiencing your site in different ways helps you spot small changes that make a big impact.
Accessibility benefits everyone
Making your website more accessible doesn’t have to be complicated. It starts with small, thoughtful steps that make a big difference for the people who visit.
When your site is easier to read, navigate, and understand, everyone benefits. It’s better for your users, better for your business, and even better for your SEO.
At its heart, accessibility is about care. It’s about thinking of the people on the other side of the screen and making sure your website works for them too.
And if you want help making your site more inclusive, I’d be happy to guide you through it. Together, we can create a website that feels welcoming, professional, and built for everyone.
