How to Make Your Business’s Website Inclusive

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Most sales today take place online. You need a business website and an e-store. Your website must communicate all information well to people of all abilities. It takes a little extra effort in the design phase but pays off in the end. This requires implementing website changes that make it inclusive.

The Importance of an Inclusive Website

Improved methods of diagnosis have increased the number of U.S. individuals with documented disabilities. During the period from 2010 to 2016, that number increased from 11.9% to 12.8%. That produces a growing need for web developers to do a better job of creating inclusive websites that make it easy for those with disabilities to access the information and understand it.

This does not just translate to improved communications for those with disabilities, it translates to better sales for you. Consumers who understand the value of your product or service and how it helps them solve a problem become consumers who purchase your product. Here are some tips to help you make your business’s website inclusive.

1. Keep Language Simple and Short

Write your website’s copy succinctly. Keep sentences and paragraphs short and to the point. Hire a professional web copywriter to make sure your copy has flow and communicates well as opposed to sounding choppy. Use language that all individuals will be able to understand.

2. Use Contrasting Colors

Choose contrasting colors for the text on your website so that it’s easier to read. White on black or black on white prove easy to read. Use a third color for headers to make it more obvious where the text gets broken up. This makes content more digestible, too, since it divides the information into chunks.

3. Utilize a Simple Font in Big Sizes

Web-users register nearly 900,000 domains each week, and that translates to a multitude of opportunities to better communicate. Your business’s website copy and the ability to read it is imperative to proper communication. An inclusive website should use a simple and common font. Titles, headings, and web copy should be in different sizes to differentiate them, but all should be on the larger side so all individuals are able to read it clearly.

4. Make Buttons Big and Clear

You can design an attractive website that still works for everyone. You should use large, clear buttons. Avoid unusual shapes or characters because, though the cartoon-like images may be appealing, it makes it hard for many individuals to understand. A simple, square, rectangular, or oval button helps you communicate the navigation when you pair it with large text and a contrasting colored font.

5. Provide Transcripts and Captions for Videos and Images

Write alt text for each photo and video you use. This provides a description for screen readers so that those with sight impairments know what element resides in that area of the webpage. This lets them choose that video to enjoy its audio. Also, provide closed captioning on each of your videos for those with hearing impairments.

6. Follow a Linear, Logical Layout

You will help every website visitor by providing a linear, logical layout. Your design influences how potential customers follow the information on your website and respond to it. While we once spent hordes of time outdoors, people now spend about 90% of their time inside. Most of that time is spent online in some way. They either use their computer, tablet, smartphone, or gaming device to access the Internet.

Your website needs a responsive layout that automatically adjusts to the size and shape of the user’s screen and its device’s capabilities. This may re-order the items on the page. For example, the text, graphics, and videos that appear horizontally on the computer version would re-order to appear vertically, one after another, on a mobile phone screen.

You can easily update your website for accessibility and increase the number of people moving through your sales funnel. Follow these design tips and create a better website that helps users consume the information in their own way.

Devin is a writer and an avid reader. When she isn’t lost in a book or writing, she’s busy in the kitchen trying to perfect her slow cooker recipes. You can find her poetry published in The Adirondack Review and Cartridge Lit.