Grace Morris
Creating and maintaining websites isn’t just about functionality or design — it’s about accessibility.
What is accessibility?
Accessibility means making sure digital content is usable by everyone, including disabled people. Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) encourages everyone to talk, think, and learn about digital access and inclusion.
Why it matters
Over 1 billion people worldwide are disabled — that’s 15-25% of the global population. Designing with accessibility in mind means removing barriers and unlocking potential.
Here’s how different types of accessibility make a difference:
Visual
Blind or visually impaired users rely on alt text for images, screen readers, and keyboard navigation.
Hearing
Deaf and hard-of-hearing users need captions for videos and visual cues to replace sound.
Motor
Users with limited mobility may use adaptive hardware like eye tracking or alternative keyboards.
Cognitive
Clean layouts, plain language, and consistent navigation help users with learning disabilities stay focused and engaged.
Common Accessibility Issues to Avoid:
- Missing or poor alt text
- Empty links or buttons
- Low contrast text
- Missing form input labels
- Missing document language tags
- Not testing across different devices (e.g. using Umbraco)
Accessibility and SEO Go Hand in Hand
Did you know that SEO best practice is also accessibility best practice?
- Descriptive alt text helps both screen readers and image SEO.
- Clear subheadings boost readability and keyword visibility.
- Descriptive anchor text helps with both user clarity and search ranking.
- Keyboard navigability benefits screen reader users and improves site usability for everyone.
Google is basically a giant screen reader. Make your website accessible, and your SEO performance will benefit too.
Accessibility isn’t just good practice — it’s future-proofing. Any one of us could become disabled or need assistive technology at some point in life. Designing with inclusion in mind means creating a better digital world for everyone — including your future self.
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