Simple Website Accessibility Improvements to Consider

1. Use Clear Heading Structure

Headings help organize the content on a webpage. They allow visitors to understand the structure of a page and can be especially useful for people who navigate content using assistive technologies.

Use a clear main heading for the page and use subheadings to organize related sections underneath it.

For example, an article might use one main heading followed by headings for each major topic and smaller headings for related subsections.

2. Add Meaningful Alternative Text

Alternative text, commonly called alt text, provides a text alternative for images when the image itself cannot be perceived.

The appropriate alt text depends on the purpose of the image. A meaningful image that communicates information should have an appropriate description.

Decorative images may not need descriptive alt text and can sometimes be marked as decorative so they are not unnecessarily announced by assistive technologies.

Avoid filling alt text with keywords. Describe the image based on its purpose and context.

3. Use Descriptive Link Text

Link text should give visitors a reasonable idea of where the link will take them.

Generic phrases such as "click here" or "learn more" can provide little information when someone encounters the link outside of its surrounding context.

Instead, consider descriptive link text such as:

• View our Drupal development services
• Read our website performance guide
• Request a free website review

Clear link text can make navigation easier for everyone, particularly when a visitor is scanning links rather than reading the entire page.

4. Check Keyboard Navigation

Not everyone navigates a website using a mouse or touchscreen. Some visitors use a keyboard or another input device.

Try navigating your website using only the keyboard.

Use the Tab key to move through interactive elements and check whether you can reach:

• Navigation links
• Buttons
• Forms
• Search controls
• Menus
• Modal dialogs
• Other interactive components

5. Make Focus States Visible

When navigating with a keyboard, visitors need to know which interactive element currently has focus.

Your website should therefore provide a visible focus indicator for links, buttons, form fields and other interactive controls.

Be careful when removing default browser focus outlines. If you replace them with a custom style, make sure the new focus treatment remains clearly visible.

The exact focus treatment should be tested against the surrounding design and color contrast requirements.

6. Check Color Contrast

Text needs sufficient contrast against its background to remain readable for people with different visual abilities.

Pay particular attention to:

• Body text
• Headings
• Navigation links
• Buttons
• Form labels
• Placeholder or supporting text
• Text displayed over images

Do not rely only on color to communicate important information. For example, an error message should not communicate an error only by changing a field border to red.

7. Improve Form Labels and Instructions

Forms are often one of the most important interactive parts of a business website.

Make sure form fields have clear labels and that visitors can understand what information is required.

Helpful form accessibility practices include:

• Use clear labels for form fields
• Identify required fields clearly
• Provide useful instructions when needed
• Make error messages understandable
• Associate errors with the relevant fields
• Do not rely only on placeholder text for labels

A clear form can reduce confusion and make it easier for visitors to complete important actions.

8. Use Buttons and Links Correctly

Links and buttons have different purposes.

A link generally takes a visitor to another location, such as another page or section. A button generally performs an action, such as submitting a form, opening a dialog or triggering an interface control.

Using the correct HTML element makes your website's structure more meaningful and can make interactions more predictable for assistive technology users.

9. Consider Videos and Multimedia

Multimedia can create accessibility barriers when important information is only available through audio or visual content.

Depending on the type of content, consider providing appropriate alternatives such as captions, transcripts or descriptive information.

Also avoid using automatically playing audio or video when possible, particularly when it can interfere with other content or assistive technologies.

10. Write Clear and Understandable Content

Accessibility is not limited to technical code. The content itself should also be easy to understand.

Consider using:

• Shorter paragraphs
• Clear headings
• Descriptive lists
• Plain and direct language
• Meaningful link text
• Clear instructions

Break complicated information into logical sections rather than presenting visitors with a large block of text.

This can improve readability and make information easier to scan.

11. Check the Mobile Experience

Accessibility should also be considered on smaller screens.

Test your website on phones and tablets and check whether visitors can comfortably:

• Read the content
• Open the navigation
• Tap buttons and links
• Complete forms
• Zoom or resize content when necessary
• Interact with important controls

Responsive design and accessibility overlap in several areas, but a responsive website is not automatically an accessible website. Both should be reviewed separately.

12. Test Your Website Regularly

Accessibility should be treated as an ongoing part of website maintenance rather than a one-time checklist.

Websites change over time. New pages, images, forms, plugins, modules, themes and custom functionality can introduce new accessibility problems.

Regular reviews can help identify issues before they become part of a larger problem.

Automated accessibility tools can help identify some common issues, but automated testing does not replace manual testing and real-world evaluation.